[2-part post combined.  BIG]
 
Hi Kim,
 
Just a note to let you know that babies and ferrets and cats and dogs and
goldfish ... you get the point ... can evolve into a perfectly normal
"home".
 
I too became pregnant quite unexpectedly.  I had given up LONG before I
found that I was "expecting".  I already had two children from a prior
marriage (long story) and my husband was told he could not father
children.  Needless to say, the experts were wrong.  Seven years ago
along came Courtney :) .
 
OMG!!  Was I insane?  A baby NOW????  We had the boys (8 and 11), the
ferrets, two dogs and the cat.  I was working full time at home AND at
work.  I was exhausted!!  We had barely enough money to make ends meet
after a relocation from Calif.  to Oregon.  Did I mention that the 8 year
old was special needs?  HAH!!  That just proves the theory that I WAS
INSANE!!
 
Courtney arrived and after one week of rest, I returned to work (remember,
we were strapped).  I never NEVER considered giving up any of our animals
for the baby.  The thought just didn't cross my mind.  Because of Oregon's
liberal family rights I was allowed to take her with me.  My boss however,
was not so thrilled.  This "arrangement" lasted about 1 month.  I ended my
employment and began the job of finding a new job which could accomodate
everything from nursing the baby to medical benefits for the family.  I
became a school bus driver.
 
Home life was crazy!!  And it was trial and error.  AND it was laughs
that even today I can't duplicate.  Courtney, born so long after the boys,
was like a first baby all over again.  We had forgotten SO much about
having a baby in the house!  LOL But we loved her!!!!  Rikki and Nikki
(our ferrets) LOVED her.  Casey & Weezer (our dogs) LOVED her.  The cat
couldn't give a rip either way.  Hehehehehe.  Our boys doted on her
constantly.  Do I need to say that she is spoiled rotten?
 
We never considered the internet as a resource.  Probably a good thing
with today's posts!!  I think I would have been TERRIFIED to have her in
the house after reading how terrible it is to have ferrets and children,
much less DOGS and children.  Dogs who account for more injuries per year
than the combined total of household, skateboard and bicycle accidents!!
CATS and children, oh my!!  Cats who carry RINGWORM and can INFEST your
child with all types of unknown illnesses!!  And God knows what harm
goldfish cause!  LOL
 
Our albino ferret (Nikki) was rehomed shortly after Courtney's arrival.
Why?  Nikki had a huge biting issue, not just with us but with EVERYONE.
I did not have the time, the knowledge, nor the inclination to try to
break her of this habit.  She went to live with a friend that loved her to
pieces.  We did not "get rid" of her because of the baby.  We loved her
very much, even though she bit.  We kept tabs on her progress and went to
see her as often as we could.  Our friend gave us pictures of Nikki LOVING
life.  Something she never could have done here.  We were wrong for her.
 
We have increased the numbers over the years by one and then by two, oh
heck bring me four!  We have taken in the sick, the old and the biters.  I
think we take the biters BECAUSE of Nikki.  We have seen them turn around
and become the best little ferrets in Oregon.  Even the shelter mom cannot
believe a few of these guys.  Ones that even she would not say goodbye to
because they would bite her.  And she is fairly fearless!
 
With each new addition to our home I never once considered that it
would be "bad" for the baby.  I considered the need of each pet and the
resources available but never whether it was BAD for the baby.  I guess I
didn't know any better.  Or maybe I knew better than most.  Kids are
fairly resilient and when shown how to treat a ferret or kitten, can be
quite gentle.  (Did I mention the cat got out?  Libby produced a litter
of 5 beautiful babies :).)  As a parent I am the responsible person.  I
make sure no harm comes to anyone.  Does this mean that Courtney NEVER
got scratched or bitten?  Uh NO!  She had her fair share of life's little
experiences.  And she has survived.  Better than her friends by a long
shot.  We must "warn" all children that we do have ferrets prior to a
visit.  Why?  Because they've never been around animals.  EVER.  It's a
sad fact but most haven't lived with a dog or a cat much less a ferret.
 
Every year I am asked to bring the ferrets to school.  We do show and tell
quite regularly and have been doing this since before Courtney's birth.
We've even taken them to the hospital to visit when Michael was there.
The nurses just pretend they don't notice that a small furry creature is
trying to climb their stockings.  Hehehehehehehe
 
The years have passed too quickly and the dogs, the cat, Rikki and Nikki
have all passed to the Rainbow Bridge.  Our house has grieved with each
loss.  Our daughter has grown up knowing about the mystery of life and
the finality of death.  She has created and maintains a piece of the yard
known as the Rainbow Corner.  There are 9 little bodies burried there.
She plants flowers so they'll always be surrounded by beauty.  And the
house lives on.
 
Courtney has grown into quite the girl.  She accepts people for who they
are and what they are.  She is confident and wise even at seven.  Her
last birthday party was a boy girl mix.  Some of her friends said "you're
gonna have BOY'S at your party?!!"  Her reply was "yes, and if you don't
like it ... don't come!  They are my friends too." Everyone (all 18!!)
showed.
 
She's not afraid.  She meets life head-on.  She helps feed the old and
coddles the sick.  She gets bitten.  She bounces back.  She doesn't refuse
to pick up a ferret that has bitten her in the past.  She learns their
rules.  Sometimes she tells me that someone isn't feeling well LONG
before I've noticed a change.  And she's right.  Her aim in life is to be
a vet or a teacher.  I think she'll be both :)
 
So this was long .... I have lots of baby stories too, but I thought
perhaps you should read the outcome first :).
 
Give me a holler :)
Pippi and the Pirates!
 
Pirates:  Doogie, Misti, Mindy, Mowgli, Kodi, Rufi, Riley, Pixie, Oscar,
Nana, Moses, Sammy, Lindy, Diva, Bailey, Kaibar, Brody and Krista.
 
At the Bridge: Nikki, Rikki, Roxi, Gabby, Bliss, Sammy, Pollo Sam, Molly,
Cooper, Shonnie, Casey and Weezer.
[Posted in FML issue 3584]