Thanks everyone for your replies. Re: separating them but still leaving her access...well, tonight one of managed to climb over a 12" piece of cardboard we had duct taped to the door of the x-pen, which did allow mama to jump in and out as she pleased. We put him back and he did it again...5 times. Thus we're working on making it higher, but then mama can't get in and out. We put a box step on the outside of the pen and let her jump in, but she has trouble getting back out. (my concern is if she gets stuck in there while we're at work, and they keep hounding her to nurse, she'll bite one, as she does not want them nursing anymore. I know she cares as we put them on the kitchen floor tonight and of course they all headed off in different directions which mama started getting concerned trying to round them all up (trying to push them back to the center of the kitchen) as she couldn't keep an eye on all them in separate corners (yes, we were watching them explore, thus they were supervised by us)
This is a challenge as they seemed awfully advanced for their age. They are beginning to eat fairly well, though I'm not sure they are getting all they should (though they are still gaining a bit so I guess they are) They know their names and come when you call them individually, they all come running out of their play pen into the xpen all excited when we come home. Now they're climbing. The one takes to running to try to jump the cardboard (unsuccessfully). Somehow I didn't think they did all this for at least a couple more weeks.
I'll try the separating and holding off of food for mama tomorrow and see how it goes.
Thanks again...feel free to keep those ideas coming in as I really appreciate it all.
Kendra |