Babies everywhere

Roughly two weeks ago, Grandma Sheri sent me this picture while she was babysitting. Three robins eggs in a nest (the fourth showed up the next day). 

 Ryan and I spent one evening this week, reading up on the life cycle of a robin. Boy did we learn a lot, and information we have had fun sharing with the girls. 

Who knew that robins laid eggs one day at a time? For a total of 4 days. 

Who knew the mama robin is the one that sits on them for 12-14 days? 

We read that she turns them several times a day so they don't stick to the side of the egg. Gross. 

And that they peck their own way out of the shell, in the same order that they were laid. 

One egg per day. For a total of 4 days. 

So for the last 2 weeks, we've watched mama sit on her eggs. And if we happen to scare her away (so that I can quickly water the flowers), boy does she give me grief. Squawking and chirping to her male counter-part who, today, nearly took off my head! 

(See him perching on the side?)

It's no wonder he was so ticked off, Ryan had pulled down the basket so we could all take a quick peak at her nest. Gosh those things are ugly, but it was another lesson in the cycle of a robin. 

By this evening, we had 3 baby robins being fed non-stop as mama and daddy robin take turns flying in/out of the nest. They are busy busy birdies!