Saturday 26th January
I will only write a few words this morning.

The kittens are enjoying having time running around my room in the evening, it does make it easier for me when they can run in here.

Lily kept me awake in the early hours of the morning, so I am feeling that I need more sleep!

At 5, I heard her trying to open the bathroom door, I then heard her in the litter tray. Instinct told me to get up and have a look, which was a good thing I did, that tray needed emptying!!!

By that time, all the kittens had woken up!

So I put the barrier up on the landing, put G and Scarlett the other side of it, let the kittens come flooding onto the landing, and went back to bed and closed my bedroom door, as I did not fancy having kittens swarming all over me at 5 in the morning.

Lily took exception to my shutting the door, and I was aware of her throwing herself at the handle in an attempt to open it. Fortunately she cannot open this one, so I dozed of for some intermittent sleep!

I took some photos this morning. What you will see is what looks like a pile of towels, with kittens crawling all over it. What it in fact is, is Timothy, lying on the floor, covered in towels, with kitties climbing all over him!

I then took one of Lil, who had taken herself up onto the top of the scratching post, and left them all to it !!

I wont have an entry tomorrow ( Sunday), as I have to go out with the Scouts, so time will be short.

Friday 25th January
Another Friday and another end to the week.

It started early for me this morning. I was laying in bed, just before 06:30, Scarlett and G were on the bed with me, and I was thinking that I need not get up for a while yet.

When Lil reminded herself that she could open the bathroom door.
And out came she and 4 other very lively little beings ............
Something's you just cannot ignore, especially as there was nothing stopping them 'legging it ' down the stairs.

So, I had to get out of bed, put the barrier up, and life Scarlett and G over the other side.
Lily, you see, does not take to 'sharing her babies', with the rest of the adult house hold, so it is a bit of a hassle when it comes to keeping the house all organised to keep Lil happy!.

She looked at me, as I carried G from the bedroom, with that stern look, which I know was saying,
'Now you make sure you put her the OTHER side of the barrier............no adults allowed up here'...........sigh. She will get better as they get older, and bigger, I promise.
She is great when people visit, will tolerate any humans seeing her babies ( as long as they make a fuss of her first!), but if you have 4 legs and fur, forget it, you are just NOT allowed up.

She likes to give me these little challenges!

Last night, Tim, Rich and I , opened up my bedroom again for them. They do love to come in here and have a good run around, and I confess, T, R and I, lay, tummy down, on the bed, and watched The Bill, while they scampered all over and around us.

One funny little incident, saw Frankie, looking at his reflection, in a Blue, shiny acoustic guitar that we have in here.

At first, I couldn't work out why he had become all 'fluffed up', and was doing his 'crab impersonation', until I realised that he was looking at his reflection in the guitar.

It is so funny when they see their reflections for the first time. I remember Lil's second litter doing that, with a little mirror that I had down on the ground.

They are great though ( the kittens that is). Lively little monkeys.

I have 2 old chairs on the landing, which I attempt to put towels over, to make them a little more presentable. Well, where the adult cats have failed to destroy them, these little ones have moved in.

It is funny, when they leap, to get on the seat part, just manage to grab the towel, the towel then comes away from the chair and they end up in a confused heap on the carpet under the towel.

Sadly, they have not learnt, that human flesh really does hurt, if it is not covered by any material, and if you are fool enough to sit on the landing with bare legs .........then you get ..........my legs have a new artistic pattern on them !!!

Today's photos were taken by John and Doreen, who are going to give a lovely new home to 2 of the girls. I thought they were sweet, and they seemed the perfect ones to add today.

They show the babies all asleep, in the bathroom, on the blanket that little Lewis has left for Frankie. I like people to leave things here, so that when new babies go to their new homes, they have something to take with them, that smells familiar, especially for the journey.

I will stop now. I hope I will get an entry up tomorrow, but I am unlikely to do so on Sunday, as I have a rifle shooting competition to attend with the Scouts, and will be out a lot of the day. Rich is on cat duty while Tim and I are out.

Thursday 24th January
It has taken me so long today to get around to writing this. I woke up tired, as it seemed to take me forever to get the cats sorted last night and into bed. So when I got back from the school run, I attempted to go back to sleep for a while. This did not last for long, as I could hear Lil trying to open the door to wake me up, as the kittens were awake.

It feels as if they have been so ever since.

I am sat on the landing, with my lap top on my knees. Lily is sat on the floor next to me, as I think, she is fed up with them running around, and keeps grumbling.

Frankie is killing a toy mouse on the landing, that the 3 girls seem to be destroying a cardboard box in the bathroom.

I still have the washing up to do in the kitchen, and I so wanted to hoover my bedroom, but all this will have to wait until this little lot have gone to sleep.

Lil has just wandered into the bathroom, I just poked my head around the door, to see 4 little faces, who don't look anything like sleep to me!

Lil seems to have had enough, as she has just leapt over the barrier and headed for downstairs. As the weather is mild today, I hope that she has gone for a trip into the outside run to get some fresh air.

They all had a little run in my room last night, as Tim and I were watching Torchwood, and neither of us wanted to miss it by sitting out here, so we decided to let them in.
They seem to have a great time, with lots of squealing, to let us know where they were!

This is why I want to get the hoover around it, as they can have a run in there again tonight :). it's my way of gradually extending their areas. Soon they will learn to sleep on my bed in the sunshine!

Wednesday 23rd January
I will start by apologising that I have no photos to attach today, as I have simply run out of hours. When I have kittens in the house, sometimes, I really do wish the clock would slow down!!!
Perhaps I will start by copying what I e mailed a friend this morning,

" Babies are awake, and LIVELY, attacking and destroying everything.
They have worked out that they don't like doors, unless they are open, which at the moment they are NOT !!!

They are masters of escaping"

They really did have a crazy hour this morning, and they are making getting in and out of rooms very difficult. I know that I have written this in every diary to date, but they suddenly reach this stage, where they learn 'what doors are for'.

Sitting in front of, when they are closed, and making a mad dash for it as soon as they see a crack of it opening, and leaving a cursing human standing there, as they move like lightening!

I am going to open up one of the bedrooms in the next day or so. But first I need to sort them out a little, just to make them more 'kitten proof'. And also to put a litter tray in there, just so that they don't get 'caught short' in their confusion of being somewhere new.

They had a visit today, from 2 lovely people, who are going to be the new parents of 2 of the girls.

Now I have written this before.

They were asleep, they looked cute, they looked cuddly, and they were good babies and sat on laps. providing their new 'parents' with this wonderful image of well behaved kittens..........

No, but I was proud of them, because although they did not show their naughty and lively side, what better way to meet new families, than by snuggling up.

They are all asleep now, so I am going to try to grab something to eat,
which, as we all know by now, means they will ALL wake up!

Tuesday 22nd January
Well, I am a little later today, writing. But I decided that I wanted to have a little sleep, while the kittens were asleep, on my return from the school run. I seem to have another sore throat and swollen glands, but by this stage in the winter, you kind of learn to just live with it and get on with things. And although they love you, cats do not take, 'I cannot feed you just right now, nor clean out your litter trays, as I am a bit under the weather .'...you jolly well get on and do it!!

They are loving having the extra space on the landing, and I am so very chuffed that they are using the litter trays and not phased at all by the extra space. I will soon let them also have my bedroom, as my bed is lovely in the sunshine. But I want to give them a couple more days on the landing and bathroom. They still go back to the bed in the bathroom, which is next to the radiator.

The photographs that I am going to post today, are ones that were taken by a friend, they were taken just before I moved them into the bathroom, but they were so good, that I wanted to share a couple today :)

I keep trying to take some of them on the landing, but all I get are blurs!!! They really do move so fast now. When they are awake, they no longer want to crawl all over us, but they want to run just as fast as they can, across the landing, until the run out of steam :)

I am still undecided as to whether or not I am going to keep the 4th little girl. The girls are all very sweet in the litter. Frankie is such a typical boy, and has outgrown the girls in weight quite happily!

I have visitors coming to see 2 of the girls tomorrow, so if I do not have the time to post an entry, then I will upload one as normal Thursday. I am hoping their new 'mummy and daddy' will love the little girls as much as we do :)

I am going to start this diary, late on Sunday night, as there is quite a lot to write, seeing as I have not added an entry since last Friday.

I have had a busy weekend, I met some lovely friends on Saturday, at cat show, and today, I just seem to have been running around after cats and children!

You see, the kittens, at this young age, develop, at an amazing pace..............

They can now escape out and over the dog crate in the bathroom..........so this evening, I kept them in there, but putting barriers up, as I did not want them running everywhere while I sorted out all the older cats!

Tomorrow, modifications again, I will open up the bathroom, move litter trays around, and they will have the landing, and the bathroom. As soon as I am happy that they are secure with litter trays, they can come in here, my bedroom, my bed ............back to those sleepless nights!!!

They are sweet, they still love their mum, but they really like to have some human company when they are awake. They are almost 6 weeks now!

Now, when I am tired, which is often, I sleep, when they sleep !!! If I am allowed. I wasn't today, as I lay down, but about every few minutes, one child would come up, and whisper...mum.....are you awake .........grrrrr, well I am now !!!

Well, I am off to sleep imminently, kittens settled down, adult cats settled down, kids in bed .............and I just have to hope I do not sleep through the alarm, Rich has a back up one, but I am not too hopeful how good that will be !!! He falls to sleep after he has turned it off too, watch this space ...............

I woke up in plenty of time this morning, which was good. The kittens are asleep, so I am going to wake until they wake up, before I let them loose on the landing!! They should wake up any time now, probably just as I put my breakfast out in my bowl .....cats have this wonderful knack of knowing just when you want to sit down and eat !!!

I will try and get some photos today, of them running around on the landing, the trouble is, when they are running that fast, it is hard to get a good shot!!

10:35
I am now sat on the landing, with 4 kittens rampaging around the place. It is not a huge house, but is designed with a good sized landing, that goes round in large L shape, so they have plenty of room.

They are currently running around, clawing my bare legs, and 2 of them keep leaping at my fingers as I try to type...........owww, they have sharp little claws.

But the good news is, that they are still using the litter trays, like little Angels, although I have spread them about, so there is not one too far away, there is a small one in the bathroom and one at either end of the landing. I don't want them getting confused and having little accidents!

Lily is grumbling now , she does get stressed when they are awake like this. She wanders around and never takes her eyes off them. I know she finds it a comfort to have one of us up here with her.

I have just been mobbed by a mass of 3 kittens charging towards me.........I am sure that you have a picture in your mind of the scene.

When this lot go to sleep, so am I today !!! They may be very cute, but they are tiring. I sweep the floors up here twice a day. I really can't face lugging the Dyson up here, it is so much easier to get on my knees and use the dustpan and brush, and the kittens love to chase the brush!!!

Friday 18th January
In case I forget to write at the end of this, I wont be posting an entry over the weekend. I have quite a busy schedule lined up, and I want to make sure I also have plenty of time to spend with the cats and kittens.

The kittens are happily settled in their new 'home'.

They are climbing the wicker basket, and looking naughtily like trying to make the leap into the bath ..........not a good idea, as they wont get out again, and there will be lots of squealing!

When I woke this morning, I could hear them all awake in the bathroom ( I shut the door at night), so I got up and opened the door up, allowing them to run into the 'dog crate'.

I was still tired, so I went back into bed, but I was aware there were 4 bouncing, talkative little kittens, all sitting at the edge of the dog crate,
They knew where I was and that I had gone back to bed ........
They wanted me to get out of bed and go and sit in with them ......
So they sat there and waited, and squealed, and waited,
until I could bear it no more and got out of bed.
4 happy little kittens, one sleepy me !!!

Tim was great, I called him out of bed, and he sleepily went and sat in with them, while I sorted out food plates etc.

He is really good, he only has one hand, but he still managed to hold them, and wash their eyes in the morning.

He also gave me a running commentary, and made me laugh, as he dealt with Frankie, trying to pass a solid motion.

I wont repeat his actual words!!! But he was telling me how Frankie wanted to get out of the litter tray before he had finished, and could he have some toilet roll to help him out, as he was running around with half of it still stuck on his behind!!

His commentary was priceless! I think I ought to write a book, titled, 'the funny sides to breeding' !!!

Over the weekend, I am going to start to let them have some time running along the landing, as they are soooo good about using the litter tray, that I think they are ready to have a good run :)

My adult cats seem grumpy this morning, I think it is because the weather is so vile. I have put on 2 electric heaters for them, to entice them to cuddle up. What is it with this weather, it makes us all feel a bit down when it is so very grey.

I can't wait for those spring days, when I can see the cats laying out in the sunshine in the cat run!

Oh yes, and to make you smile at the end of this entry.

I put the roast chicken on to cook at about 16:40 last night. I usually cook one every other day.

At 21:00 I came downstairs , wondering what the burning smell was ...................
Black chicken !!!!

Thursday 17th January
Well, today's diary entry is much more upbeat than yesterday!

As soon as I had finished, I went upstairs. The babies were waking, so I got out the dustpan and brush, my gentle cleaning spray, kitchen roll, and gave the bathroom a jolly good clean! ( it did need it I confess),

It sparkled by the time I had finished.

Then, much to the bemusement of Lily and the kittens, I started putting some of their bits in there. I put the wicker basket ( large one) that Lily loves, and the one I use for transporting them around, in by the radiator, and make it cosy. I did not intend to put the kitten box in there, as I wanted to make a complete break from that, in the move forward. I wanted to take away any association that they may still have with toileting where they sleep.

They, when I had made it secure, with various bits of wood ( I keep them away from the toilet and back of the sink, for their safety), I started to put them in there. They ran around, with their little tails up in the air, confused, but excited.

What I have also done, is put the large 'dog crate' at the entrance to the bathroom, this way they cannot escape ( well, they can't now, but Frankie managed to escape 3 times before I made it secure, little monkey, he can run fast when he is in escaping mode!!) , they sort of get access to the landing, but cannot go anywhere. If the adults in the house want to come up and look at them, they can do so, but not scare Lily too much. Scarlett is the only one really taking any interest at the moment, the rest are far too interested in 'attaching' themselves to the heater in the kitchen!

But moving them, seems to have made such a difference! It is almost as if they have grown up. I suppose taking away the kitten box, and all it's associations, has helped.
I took one photo, of 3 kittens ALL eating !!! All 4 have been seen to eat various food that I have put down.

I went out yesterday and bought some Applaws, their fish flavour's, and they seem to like this ( yep, they have expensive tastes, sigh), I have also been cooking up minced beef, with some water and a little tomato puree, they like this, they have been eating some chicken, and some of the Almo Nature kitten food. The last litter loved the Almo Nature, but this lot seem to like fish more.

I am also putting down some Whiskers kitten food, but this does not seem to be a hit, neither does the Felix.

But their tastes will change and develop as they grow. At least now they have got the hang of what 'eating' means!!

Tim and Richard were MUCH better last night, and did help out. What a difference it makes when I have their help. Tim is very good at sitting with them and feeding them.
But I am going to leave you on this note, which may make you smile, and also realise how we have to adapt when we have babies in the house.

We only have one bathroom in the house, although we do have a downstairs cloakroom. So the boys are told only now to use the toilet downstairs, and their toothbrushes are downstairs for the time being.

But they have to shower or bath IN the bathroom.

Now I did not want them to do so while the babies were asleep, as I didn't want them to wake them.

So I ran a bath, and asked that they have one while the babies were awake.

Rich obviously wanted to shut the door, I was feeling anxious about this, and all the steam.

So he went and got his swimming trunks, and then got in the bath, while I sat in the room and kept the babies comfortable.

Bless him, he's a good lad for a 14 year old, and it really was quite funny. If they can put up with me and my little eccentricities, I reckon they can put up with most things!

Wednesday 16th January
I have to confess, that this morning, I am feeling tired and quite stressed. Yesterday I just didn't seem to stop, I was running up and down the stairs, trying to deal with every one, child, kitten and cat. All of whom seemed to be needing me just as much.

By 21:30, I had had enough, in the sense that my 2 children, who can be such a help, had been of no help at all, and indeed I had struggled to peel them away from television and computer. And while I was running errands for the cats, they were leaving plates and all sorts just lying around the house.

So, at 21:30 .........mum turned into The Devil, and got really cross with them ..........really cross with them !!!! Enough was enough.

So, they are now at school, suitably told and subdued, and I am here, calming down, with just the cats to care for now.

The kittens, well, what can I say since Sunday.

They are growing, they are getting very lively, they are getting very good at escaping their little enclosure, they are cuddly and loving, and irresistible. But they are fussy little monkeys and stressing me, because I want to see them eat more food, and drink less of their mum's milk!

I am tempting them with everything I can think of.

You will see them in the photos of today, looking pretty unimpressed, by a plate, of warm roast chicken, that has just come out of the oven, smelling gorgeous.

You can see by their faces, that they still think I am out to poison them!!! Monkeys.

They do have little nibbles , but not as much as I would like. It reminds me of when my 2 children were babies. Why do we get so stressed as adults, when little ones, are fussy about their food.

On the plus side, they are little angels when it comes to using their litter trays, I am so proud of them. They currently have 2 small ones, and they squeal a little, to announce they are about to toilet, and then run in there. Good little babies :)

One of their other little joys, when either I or a child sits in with them, is to run up your back, onto your shoulder, and then leap onto the bed.

We were doing that this morning, briefly before school. I sat in the box, they ran up me , leaped onto the bed, and Rich scooped them up and gave them back to me, after giving them a little cuddle. They look so cute when they make that leap, but it shows me just how strong and agile they are getting, and they are only 5 weeks old!

I am really really going to try to find the time, to move them today. They do need more space to run, and I am confident, pretty much, that they are ok with toileting now. So, if I have time to clean it all down properly, they should get the landing to have a jolly good run over. I think we will see that they can notch up quite a bit of speed now!!