Houston, We Have New...Babies???

So, there I was, minding my own business,
planting my annual flowers in their hanging baskets,
and I find 4 EGGS in with my fake Christmas tree!
We all Ooooo and Ahhhh over what looks like Robin eggs.

Low and behold, less than a week later, this is in with
my faux tree:

Crappy photography aside, yes, they are really that ugly.

Don't believe me? Look closer...

Ewwww, I know!!
Well, it was fun, watching them grow and we'd mess with
their little heads and tap on the bottom of the basket
and they would stick their beaks up in the air for food,
but Mama would always be there when we weren't
going in and out of our door, feeding them,
and keeping the nest warm.

Then, I realized I hadn't seen her for a couple days.

Then, it was about 4 days, and I started freaking out.

Had she left them?
Were they orphans?
What should we do?

Of course, Jack wanted to keep them.

Todd and I watched the nest through the window for a whole day,
looking for any signs of Mama or Papa. In the middle of the night,
we took turns looking. Nothing.

I read somewhere that they would eat soggy dog food,
but they were pretty big by now (about 10 days out of the egg)
so I figured I didn't need to shove it down their throats,
just stick a couple soggy nuggets close by and see what they'd do.

Well, it took all of 20 minutes and BOTH Mama and Papa
returned, hanging out of the edge of my wire basket
YELLING at me for messing with their nest.
Ok, not at me, really, but whomever was the total
dumbass that put dog food in their babies nest!!!

Needless to say, I knew they weren't orphans,
and I removed the nasty soggy things once the irate parents flew off.

So, now it's about 13 days from eggdom, and this is what they look like:

Ok, that is what they look like when Todd leaves the "Night Shot"
setting on the camera and I think one of them is missing and I
make Jack climb down into the window well looking for the missing
baby, and then I follow, because, really, there are only 3!!

OH MY GOD, WE LOST A BABY!!!

Oh, wait, the others were just sitting on it, there it is!!

Well, the 4th is kinda hard to see, but it's in the front right,
it's beak is next to the other ones butt. Phew!

So, we've had fun with the new babies, and no,
Jack doesn't get to keep one, and yes,
I am moving the Christmas tree into the trash,
along with the whole basket, once they move out.

I can't handle another batch of eggs,
the stress and sleepless nights are just too much for me!