Spud

Spud arrived on Wednesday. Spud is our new baby calf. He's adorable (yes, I am saying that about a COW!). He is now our second cow that we are raising for meat. Our first cow, Chester, came when I was near the end of my pregnancy with Logan. Spud arrived near the end of my pregnancy with Baby #4. Sense a theme here? Get a new baby, get a new calf. :)

Logan has been very interested in animals lately and all the noises that animals make. However, when this calf arrived kicking and running around at his own house, he was not so sure. He spent all day Thursday and most of Friday in tears. He was terrified of Spud--no exaggeration. He could be in the house and hear Spud "moo" and he would scream bloody murder and go running. I had to hold him a lot on Thursday and be in the same room with him. Spud was making a lot of noise because I think he was a bit unsure of where he was. By Friday though, I thought "Oh, this is just ridiculous, he has got to get used to this calf." Logan is a very happy-go-lucky little boy and this little calf was turning his world upside down. He wouldn't even go outside to play. If we had to go somewhere and he could tell we were getting our shoes on and going to open the door, he'd start panicking and crying.

So yesterday Josh took Logan out and actually took him into Spud's pen. He kept reassuring Logan that Spud was nice and it was okay. Logan actually even pet Spud! Which Spud tried to return with a lick. Worthy of a picture that I didn't get.

Logan was better yesterday. He was actually playing outside, but going nowhere near the calf. He would stay on the total opposite side of the house. He will point to Spud and say "nice" but it's only because we keep telling him over and over that Spud is "nice." Last night we were leaving to go out and I said to Logan, "Okay, let's go bye-bye." He didn't freak out like he would have before, but did say "Hand, hand" and want to hold my hand for comfort. He still runs like crazy to get to the safety of the car, but no screaming. It probably helps that Spud is no longer "mooing" like crazy. That's what scared Logan the most, I think.

Isaac and Eli are obviously not scared. We, once again, reminded them that Spud is not a pet. He will be raised for meat. They're okay with this. Eli, my big animal lover, likes Chester quite a bit. He gets excited when Chester comes over and lets him pet him. I have decided I do NOT want Eli home when Chester is "sent to market."