I guess you can say they were always part of it...but as of today, Erics mom told me that she cannot afford to take in two more birds. They have hit a rough spot, as many have with this economy. She may take them later on down the road, but for right now, she cannot. I refuse to give them to anyone else, and being that they are super attached to me,they are staying =)
I know exactly what you are saying, I hand-raised 12 Cockatiel babies this year and got attached to 2 of them and I ended up keeping them both. 
