A Boy & His Calf

'Oh, dear', he sighs, as he glances at the clock. 'I've gotta get out there. They be letting the cows back in.' And he hurriedly shovels the rest of his breakfast into his mouth. 'Good-bye, Mom. Thanks for the breakfast', as out the door he goes. I won't see him for another hour or more.

Earlier this spring I would have declared that child could tell time. The barn schedule was a bit different then, they would let the cows out around 10 and he knew when it was that time.

In the middle of play he would jump up and announce it was time to 'go let the cows out'. Or he'd be using the bathroom. (Which is not a simple thing for him. He has to strip all clothing because 'It might get dirty, Mom.') He'll come flying out of the bathroom, 'Gotta get to the barn. They letting the cows out.'

Now they let the cows out soon after milking. So he gets up around 7, get dressed and heads out the door. Most often it's even before I'm up, and he won't be back in 'til close to 9. He loves helping to let the cows out for their daily exercise and then re-tieing them in their stalls. And he takes this job very seriously, and rarely misses a day.

One day to his delight there was a 'red boy calf' born. He loves 'boy calves', and does not like the 'girl ones'. Anyway, his dad gave it to him, as long as he takes care of it.  And he has been doing an awesome job at it. Now and then I need to remind him in the afternoon and then he quickly declares he wants to 'sell the dumb thing'.

So far this calf hasn't a name, other then 'the dumb calf', 'my boy calf' or 'the red bull'. He is quite proud of the little guy. He was happy to inform me one day 'I rode the wild thing', the poor thing was only a few days old. If he'd try it now, he'd have the time of his life trying to stay on it.

The calf has just been weaned from the bottle. So Collin is enjoying the easier feedings, without a butting calf, who could about bull him over. (No pun intended.) I was quite proud of him when he took the bucket of milk out for the first time. He used the wheelbarrow-2 wheeled feed cart thing to haul the pail. The wheelbarrow is about to much for him to handle but he figured out how to get it under the fence and up the heifer pasture to the calf's pen. I'm not sure how much milk that calf got for his supper!!

My little boy is growing up so fast!! I can hardly believe he is becoming such a 'little man'. Where is time going??

I am treasuring each moment, I love these memories we are making. One day he'll no longer want to sit in my lap for a story, he won't be so quick to snuggle up beside me for a hug and some 'I love you's'.

I love you, Collin.