It’s funny how the herd dynamics change when new babies arrive. Nubbin and Petunia usually fight like cats and dogs, and Nubbin has always been bossy toward Jezebel and Delilah (everyone is–they’re bottom of the totem pole). But now that Nubbin is feeling the exhaustion that comes with motherhood, her whole demeanor has transformed. She and Petunia are all chummy now, and Nubbin left the babies in her care while she went and exchanged pleasantries with Jezebel and Delilah over in their shed. I think Nubbin is trying to get on everyone’s good side so she can beg babysitting favors. I only hope when Jezebel’s babies arrive that Nubbin is as sweet to them as Jezebel has been to Nubbin’s kids.

Everyone has been sweet to these babies. Petunia was never an outstanding mother to her own kids, but I think she’s really enjoying Nubbin’s. She was snuggled up with them in their shed this morning while Nubbin went out to visit neighbors. Petunia must be like me–I love other people’s kids and am happy to play with them any time, but I have no desire for kids of my own. For one thing, they’re far too much work!

Nubbin left her babies in the shed and went to graze in the paddock last night, and since I couldn’t bear the thought of these sweet babies alone in a cold, dark world (or even a warm, dark shed), I put them in a box and brought them in the house to watch a movie with Phil and I. It’s soooo nice not to have to fight over who gets to hold the baby goat! I held Sledge and he held Hammer and we were all very cozy and content. It was a good movie too–Night Train to Munich. Gotta start these kids off right!

So you may be thinking, why “Sledge” and “Hammer”? Well, have any of you ever watched this show?

We’ve been watching it lately and, yeah, it’s awesome.

Personally, I’m not too attached to the names “Sledge” and “Hammer,” but since Phil has been threatening since last year to name Nubbin’s babies “Tubbin” and “Blubbin,” I’m actually thrilled that he picked these other names instead. Phil says it’s because they’re two boys, and he’d only name them Tubbin and Blubbin if it was a girl and a boy. I have a silly husband. 

Adorable, aren’t they?

Everyone did well through the night and our little guys are now tottering curiously around the yard on unsteady legs. The other goats were intrigued but left them to their own devices after a brief sniff.

These are definitely Finn’s babies! They look just like him, and not only in color. The have their daddy’s strong football player shoulders, long straight legs, and straight backs. Phew! I was hoping Finn’s genetics would come out over Nubbin’s in the conformation department, and so far so good.

Nubbin is very proud of her beautiful boys and is taking good care of them. I did not see her pass the placenta, so I’m hoping she cleansed last night and ate the evidence. I never saw even one contraction after she kidded and none this morning which seems rather odd, but she’s not acting “off” so hopefully she’s fine. Nubbin suddenly went very lame on her left hind leg yesterday and it’s still quite sore today. I’m guessing she just pulled a muscle or pinched a nerve while she was in pre-labor because I can’t find anything wrong with it.

We weighed our little guys this morning, and Sledge was 9 lbs. You can’t quite see it from this angle, but Sledge also has “Lilly spots” on both sides. That was something Lilly got from her father. Apparently he stamped every one of his offspring with a domino dot on at least one side (Lilly had them on both). She never passed them to her offspring, but it’s good to see one of her grandsons has them.

Hammer weighed in at 9.5 lbs. He’s definitely the more robust of the two. Both are as sweet and friendly as they can be, but Hammer seems to particularly love being picked up and held just like his daddy did.

Do you think Nubbin has enough milk?