Where's Your Birdie?

Since the moment Vincent started playing in his 'gym', I've always initiated playtime by saying, "Hey Vincent - where's your birdie?" referring to the red cardinal-like toy that hangs from the soft arch of the system. I would rattle it and he would stare in awe. Now, he loves the birdie and reaches for the toy even before his head hits the mat.

His play gym is usually in my office - to the right of the fish tank and to the left of Charlie's cage. For some reason when I placed Vincent in the gym yesterday and said, "Hey Vincent, where's your birdie?" Charlie began chattering wildly, "CHeeP CHEEP CheEP CHiRP CHeeP CHiRP ChIRP..." (evidently, Charlie thought I was initiating a conversation with her when I said "birdie")

The loud sounds brought the most bewildered look to Vincent's face. As if the red birdie toy was talking to him. He reached for the bird toy again, thinking it would chirp at him and when it didn't, he looked so defeated. Just then, Charlie chirped and Vincent cocked his head back and realized a real birdie was in the big cage beside him! Suddenly, a boy-and-his-bird "bond" unfolded before my eyes: Charlie scooted her way down the cage towards the bottom corner near Vincent, then they both just stared at each other. One thinking, "What the heck is that?" and the other thinking, "Are you gonna feed me?"

It could go either way.
In other news:

Aside from Vincent inheriting his dashing good looks and stunning personality, he has also been cursed with Daddy's allergies and Mommy's dry skin. The poor little guy has been congested all week - and so has Daddy. I am now a master at squirting saline solution into his little nostrils and incorporating the 'snot bulb' to alleviate his head congestion (but for some reason Edwin refuses this remedy). We took him to the doctor just to make sure it wasn't something more serious and it was there that we noticed some dry patches of skin along his back and arms. The doctor confirmed that he has allergies and eczema. Solution: keep on with the snot bulb and lather him up in hypoallergenic lotion.

I think he's gonna make it alright -