Sometimes as parents, we choose to be upfront and honest with our children. Yet there are times when we know we need to protect their emotional side so that they won't dwell on things that seem impossible in their mind. Such is the case with the bird nest that is nestled neatly in place in one of our bushes. Two weeks ago it almost met its demise from the business end of my hedge trimmer. It was then when I discovered that this nest contained 4 eggs and a mother that really had it in for me. Well, being the person that is always looking for ways to educate E.G., I said to myself, "cool, robin eggs,...I can bring her out here every day to watch them progress into eventual baby birds."
A few days passed by and I found the perfect time to show her the eggs. We walked out there and looked at them and she was amazed instantly. She wanted to tell everyone about the eggs. She couldn't wait to see them the next day, and the next day and the next....nightly ritual. I was patting myself on the back b/c I had found something that we would remember for a long time or at least until Ashley found something better like a new bicycle. I am not a expert when it comes to the development of baby robins as far as how long it takes for them to hatch so I am thinking, "anyday now"! We will be there to see them into this world. In the period of two weeks, two of the eggs disappeared. I was a little discouraged but I figured even squirrels like something different for breakfast every once in a while. Besides, there are still two left. Well, a few days ago, we were looking at the eggs and one of them had a tiny hole forming in it. I was super excited and Emma Grace was too. I told her, "just a matter of hours, days until we see some baby birds". She ran inside and told Ashley. We looked at them the next day and the hole was a little bigger and two days ago it was even bigger. I could actually see something that looked like the side of a bird...kind of what you would figure you would see.
The only problem for me was why was this taking so long? On national geographic you can watch an egg go from being laid to hatching in about 30 seconds. Well, one more day I held on to hope then I observed something taking place. I saw movement and then I realized what that movement was. There was another natural phenomenon taking place. It seems that the birds had died and as a result the movement of decomposition was taking place. I couldn't bring myself to tell E.G. about what had happened but I knew that until I could think of something I would have to play out our ritual at least one more time. Now I am faced with that part about protecting her emotions. I told her yesterday that the birds might hatch overnight and be gone the next day because these birds are born fully grown. That sounds clever until Go Diego Go sells me out and teaches her that all birds begin as eggs and then babies and they can't fly at first and so on and so forth. So, in the morning, if I can remember...I will have to get rid of the eggs. I do not want to have to make up another story like...how the flies on the nest "are just there bearing gifts for the new mom to be" or "rotten egg smell? I don't smell any rotten eggs".
Hopefully this is the first of many new discoveries for her but the last time I have to reach into a nest and throw some eggs away all while telling her that they just hatched and left. What a let down for her and the mother robin.
