Babby bunnies

Well, yesterday morning began with quite a surprise. Baby bunnies! Violet Bunnygirl shall hereby be known as 'Maxwell McBoy'.

So, yesterday, when he was feeding the rabbits, Connor suddenly races into the kitchen yelling his head off, "Mommy, there's babies in there. Violet and Blackie had babies in there!!!"

I, of course, was skeptical, "No, it's probably just apple slices from last night. Sometimes they don't eat them all."

"No, there's BABIES in there!"

So now I'm getting worried. And a little bit queasy. And a lot horrified. I go check.

Damn it!

There's babies in there! And they are not cute and they are not furry and they are quite possibly dead. Oh no. I think they're all dead.

But, they're not. There are six of them and they are spread out all around and underneath the wire rack in the cage, they are icy cold and they are barely moving. I quickly run to the Internet, to the House Rabbit Society website to see what I can see. I follow the instructions, get the father (Violet) out, make a warm, cozy nest box, move the babies in and relocate the entire cage to a quiet area, covering it with a large beach towel for privacy.

The kids are excited about these events but they are practical. They've already lost a puppy this year, unexpectedly and in very bad way. They know about baby animals and the survival rate. Connor qualifies every statement about the babies with the words, "If they don't die." Anna refuses to bond at first, but, as the day goes by, I can see her interest building. She has chosen her favorite and can't seem to help herself from it. A big, sleek black and white one that looks just like the mother. (They have no fur yet, but their skin already holds the colors they will grow into.)

We have to run some errands. When we get home, we check on the babies. One has died. The kids are sad, but they understand. That one never looked quite healthy. It was expected. They prepare a little box, bury him out in the pet cemetery and perform the brief ceremony.

I continue to check on the babies through the night. They seem fine. They are pink and plump, so I have to assume they're o.k. Finally, I go to sleep.

I wake up at 5:00 this morning and check the babies. Another has died. It's the big, freckled brown and white one. My special one. I double check him but he is gone. I prepare his little box and wait for the kids to get up. They'll want to tell him good-bye.

It's almost time for the kids to get up for school. I check the babies again. Another one is gone. It's the big black and white one. Anna's baby.

Damn it.