a new friend for my girlie......

and me !  His name is Tyler and he's so wonderful.  Keisha & I we're running some errands and stopped by our pet store to grab Piper some food and there he was.  He's about 5.5 months old and super cheeky...:)  I've been pondering whether we were ready to add a new pet to our household and to my list of responsibilities for a while now.  I've had a fondness for cheeky Cockatiels since meeting my first in my teens.  After catching up with an old vintage Cockatiel friend of mine named Bogie while in Whitehorse.  I came home certain that we would fine the right one to join our family.  I wasn't going to rush into getting any old bird !  He would have to be a "he" and just right......the cheekier the better !

So in we walked and there he was performing up a storm.  I tried to ignore him and tell myself that the timing wasn't good and then Deb starting sharing how they came to be at the store.....a sad rescue story. There was 5 in total.  The others had all paired off and someone had been giving him a few pecks on the head.  There he was skawking, chattering and strutting around and I just couldn't leave without him.  Keisha just kept looking at me...." like, mom you just bought bird !" with the biggest grin on her face.  ( Keisha LOVES birds).  Keisha has worked really hard to become comfortable with Piper and other peoples canines......however she's still a bit nervous around them.  So there we were sitting in the van just grinning at each other with Tyler sitting in his cage.  She asked me what I was going to name my bird?  At that moment I just knew he was meant to be her and I's bird.  I asked her if she would like to share my bird....she teared up and nodded " Yes".  We bounced around a couple of names...she suggested " snowy"...I suggested something with more syllables maybe, than maybe he'll learn to say it......she ponder it for a few more minutes and then said " Tyler" and that was that !

She was beyond delighted to introduce him to the boys when we got home......they think he's great !  I'm super proud of them.  They both happily embraced the idea that he was "hers" and were excited for her.  Liam - " Mom that so good you got him...Keisha likes birds so much...she's so happy"

I'm impressed with how comfortable she is with him.  When he's trying to be all bossy and " I won't go on your hand" she just talks to him sweetly, she doesn't flinch or back down.  He would sit on her shoulder all day if he could.  She greets him every morning with a joyful " Good Morning Tyler" and he skawks right back.  She has made her way through several books on how to care for your pet bird and is doing a great job !  Cockatiels are estimated to live from 15 to 18 yrs on average.  A great pet to carry her into adulthood.

I'm a big believer in that things happen for a reason, even the crappy things  Our meeting Tyler was just two days after our birdie friend Bogie passed on.....I'm sure that there was a greater plan at work in our being there at that specific time and place for all our paths to cross.  Now if only I could whistle...we need to teach him a couple of good ditties to entertain us with....:)))