phoenix, the umbrella cockatoo

well, i decided to write a bit about phoenix today....he is quite the little character!  he has learned to cry like a baby when he doesn't get his own way!  its commical and evidentally he thinks so too. 
every single morning when we get home from work and make our rounds turning on lights and preparing everyone's daily morning breakfast consisting of their regular pellets, fresh water and veggies and fruits....phoenix can be heard "dod, are you done yet?".  then after a bit he will begin to cry and yell "hey, you forgot the bird". 
yesterday, daddy got him out of his aviary and phoenix's immediate response was "did you have a busy time with work?".  It still stuns my husband how much this bird understands and is able to state what he wants so clearly. 
when phoenix was a baby, only three months old, we brought him home.  a few days later he was on the table and douglas and i were sitting there, douglas asks phoenix "what can i do for you?".....phoenix replies  in a scratchy voice "water".  we both were stunned and at a loss for words.  i don't think my husband really understood what a joy and i might add "chore" this parrot was going to be.  neither one of us can be away from the house for very long together before we begin to stress that we aren't home with our birds and making sure they aren't lonely and that they are in fact safe.  i'd say about an hour into whatever we are doing, like going for dinner, is when we both begin to stress out.  then, of course, we are both in quite a rush to get home.
being that i'm home during the day and dad is at work, phoenix doesn't get a chance to miss mommy.  when dad pulls in the driveway, i will either hear "daddy's home?" or he will just go absolutly nuts when he walks in the door.  here is where i'll end for now.  hope you all enjoy this post!