Friday, February 24, 2006

Now if I can only teach him to call me "Mom".

If you want to feel loved, needed, invaluable, get a bird. That little face, the soft and fluffy feathers, the poop on every conceivable surface, the seams of your favorite shirt chewed through, ah yes, there is nothing like a bird. It's like having a toddler AND a teenager all rolled into one, except the part about putting them in their cage if they get cranky.

I ran home last night to set the Tivo to record women's figure skating and change, and I had a few minutes to play with Fritz, so I took him out and talked to him and scratched him and gave him safflower seed. When I had to leave and put him back in his cage, he turned, looked at me and uttered a tiny little "cheep?" in a sad, questioning tone. As I shut the front door behind me and turned to bolt it, I heard his plaintive cries through the door. They gradually escalated as he realized that I wasn't coming back.

I'm a terrible mother.

7 comments:

AAM said...

Discipline is key. Never forget this!

snusnu said...

If I give in now, what kind of behavior will I be encouraging?

AAM said...

he'll have to come to work with you.

snusnu said...

See, that I'd love.

Christian said...

The key to success and a healthy, well adjusted bird is self-discipline. Well put Angie. We should all introduce more self-discipline into our lives. Discipline discipline discipline!

AAM said...

sieg heil!

ible said...

Like aam said " Hail Victory " indeed .