Foster Kitten Friday - Bananaaa

As a high school teacher for almost 30 years, my husband has had to tell many a joke to get teenagers interested and engaged in learning. Now that he's retired I'm the one who gets to listen to all his jokes, new and old, funny or not. Sometimes I don't even realize he's attempting to be comedic because what he comes up with requires a bit of thinking to figure out. Take this week for example.

This was the week McKinley and Denali started on gruel. Gruel is a mixture of kitten formula, jarred baby food, and canned cat food and is the beginning of the weaning process. All those every-2-hour 'round the clock feedings are long gone (whew!) and the babes are moving onto some good stuff. 

It starts with bottle feeding the gruel.

McKinley was quite shocked by what came out of the bottle.

Then comes trying to eat it from my finger and then off a spoon.

McKinley's on her way! Denali only watches.

Next up, move the spoon to the saucer.

You go, girl!

Then the food gets a little thicker. And the girl gets a little messier as she steps all up in it...

Yep, all in!

while Denali only continues to look on.

Whatcha doin' sis?

I haven't quite gotten him past the bottled gruel stage yet but he'll get there.

Like my gruel mustache?

 At least he's cleaning up after himself!

All this gruel talk leads back to the teacher/comedian husband of mine. When I'd say the word gruel this week - and it was a lot - he would say:

"Bananaa!"

"I'll be Kevin!"

"Bee-do! Bee-do! Bee-do!"

"I'm Bob!"

"Stuart!"

Or sing "Ba ba ba ba ba nana, ba ba ba ba ba nana, banannaaaa" 

What the heck do any of these things have to do with gruel? Let's follow hubby's thought process...

Kevin, Bob, and Stuart are all Minions.

Minions say Ba-na-naa and sing a Bananaa song.

One of the other Minions is a firefighter with a megaphone saying saying Bee-do, bee-do, Bee-do.

Minions are in the Minions movie and in Despicable Me. 

Which star a character named Gru.

Gru = Gruel.

Mic drop.

Foster Kitten Friday - Next Door Neighbors

Happy thirty something birthday to my daughter and happy four week birthday to my Alaskan babes, McKinley and Denali! While my daughter enjoyed a carefree birthday week of doing not much of anything, the Alaskan crew did pretty much the complete opposite.

They played on the couch we've turned into a McDonald's PlayPlace. (Remember those?) Blankets and pillows propped up in all kinds of configurations. They've found it's a great place for climbing - and hiding.

While they haven't yet taken to the litter box, they have started to clean themselves. 

Denali hard at work.

They learned nails are great for grabbing onto the bottle.

McKinley thinks I need help directing the bottle to her mouth.

They continued practicing for their future careers with WWE. Or perhaps UFC?

And just like last month...

1 week old Alaskans

they continue to love each other and sleep together. Yep, they've become quite the bonded pair of kittens. 

4 week old Alaskans

But maybe a bit too bonded.

When kittens are orphaned at a young age with no mama to nurse on for hours a day, they may turn to sucking on something else. It could be a blanket, stuffed animal, sleeve of a foster's shirt, or even on another kitten. This week Ms. McKinley has decided her nursing target is Mr. Denali. Specifically his private parts. It can be dangerous to have kitties nursing each other - especially on certain body parts - so an intervention was required.

Along with increasing feedings (for her) and even more lovings (for both of them) this week became one where Denali got his own little outfit to keep his body parts protected. Made from some fleece I had left over from making kitten blankets, it works great. Most of the time. For at some point during the night, despite all the Velcro and holes for his front legs and tail, he wiggles his way out. And she gets back to nursing.

Denali modeling a prototype.

Which has led us to the next door neighbors. Since McKinley only does her deed at night time, the kids have moved next door to each other for those times. In two separate pop up playpens they can see each other and talk to each other as they doze off and wake up, but yet have their own little space. 

Playpen or prison cell? You be the judge.

Inmates Next door neighbors who are very happy to see each other when it's yard time.