Goat-O-Rama Kids of 2017

[Nanno]

I let everyone out into the Wide World today, and Jezebel immediately took her family and hid behind the house. I guess she's doesn't like the company we keep around here! The kids learned how to climb stairs! 
   

Their first hike...
   
   

It was cool and shady behind the house, but perhaps a bit too cool and shady. The ground was still quite muddy from the previous rains, and I was afraid the kids would get damp and cold. 
   

So I brought them back to the sunny side of the house where Jezebel was treated to apple cores and oranges. I guess she thought the move was worth it because she and her kids stayed there all day. In fact, Delilah left her kids with Jezebel and went off with the herd to graze. So much for motherly responsibilities! Jezebel did her duty and stayed with all four, never venturing out to eat anything herself, so I'm glad she at least got the fruit. I'm proud of Jezebel. She's overprotective of her own kids as usual, but she's changed this year in that she's not being mean to Delilah's babies. Jezebel has been known for being unreasonably mean to babies that weren't hers in the past. 
   
   
   

[Nanno]

Jezebel likes giving Sox baths. Little Sox had trouble walking that first day when his foot kept collapsing forward, but the splint did it's job and we were able to take it off that evening. Although I had not wrapped it tightly, it had still lost a little circulation, and Sox looked very funny when his "asleep" foot started tingling with extra blood flow! He was swatting and goose-stepping that one one leg for a few minutes, but we could see that he was much improved. Sox is walking perfectly today! 
   
   

I love the spot Sanibel picked to take a nap! With her leg draped over the wood like that, it almost looks like I posed her, but she posed all by herself for these pictures. 
   

The mamas do NOT like the dogs and start growling and snorting any time the dogs come near, but the dogs are very interested in the kids. Pluto is normally a very rowdy, rambunctious dog, but when he approaches the kids he calms right down and walks very slowly around them, sniffing and licking gently so as not to startle them. If a kid gets scared and jumps away, Pluto retreats with an apologetic wag.  
   

What's down there? 
   

Can I reach under your belly? 
   

I guess this crack made a cozy niche to take a nap because Coral and Westing wedged themselves right into it and stayed that way for most of the afternoon. 
   
   
   

[Nanno]

Nubbin and Tigerlily are both due next weekend, and while Tigerlily is doing an excellent job maintaining her girlish figure, Nubbin is definitely "in a family way"! 

I think she's carrying triplets. Phil says quads. I hope not quads! She's so tight I can't even feel kids any more. Rubbing her belly is like rubbing a fuzzy basketball. 
   

Nubbin is totally rocking the "pregnant waddle" these days.
Work it to the right...
   

Work it to the left...
   

And then there's the svelte Tigerlily. Her grandmother, Lilly was similarly discreet about carrying kids. Phil and I are thinking she has just one. 
   
   
   

[Nanno]

We've been having waaayyy too much fun around here. An exhausting amount of fun, in fact. Phil was conked!
   

Sox and Sanibel were conked too! 
     
   

I love how baby goats appear to have no bones in their necks.
   

We've been having quite a few baby goat parties on our couch lately. We've gotta get these guys hooked on TV at a young age. It's the American way to parent! 
   

[DownUnder Gal]

The littlies blend right in with the rocks, don't they? Great camouflage and such long legs! I love their dorsal stripes and their markings generally. A splash of white always looks great against the darker colours. Looking forward to seeing more pics as they grow and develop!

[Nanno]

Oh man, we've lost them a couple of times now! The other day I was in a panic because I couldn't find Delilah's babies for over an hour and I was becoming frantic. Jezebel's kids are always easy to find because she stays close to them, but Delilah hides hers and then leaves them for hours at a time, which makes me very nervous. Thankfully they're now getting big enough they can come find their mama if they get hungry or lonesome. They're also hanging out with Jezebel's kids more lately and she keeps an eye on everyone. Delilah has brought her babies along for our daily walks for the last two days now, which is loads of fun! Jezebel is still keeping hers close to home. Nubbin is still walking with us even though she is as big as a barge and can barely waddle along. If she wants to come I let her because the exercise is probably healthy, but it makes me tired just looking at her!

[Nanno]

Delilah decided to bring her kids on our walk the other day! They were very excited and kept right up with the herd! They were a little scared of the big goats, but not because the big goats were mean. I think the little guys were just afraid of accidentally being trampled in all this mayhem. But everyone was careful and no one got stepped on. 
   

Tigerlily practices her levitation exercises. 
   

Finn surveys his domain from on high. Who are those little pipsqueaks down there?  
   

Actually, I think he was just waiting for Phil to come give him peanuts. 
   

"Dance, Finn!" 
   

"Gobble down this grass before it disappears!"
   

[Nanno]

So far Jezebel prefers to keep her kids close to home. No walks for these babies yet! Have I mentioned she's a bit overprotective? 
This shot is blurry, but I love the action. 
   

Sox is king of the stump!
   

Delilah has a somewhat hands-off mothering style, so Jezebel often ends up watching all four kids.
   

"How did I get roped into this?" 
   

Aside from their airplane ears, our kids all look like they come from Dave's chamoisee Alpine herd!

[Nanno]

Yesterday the sky was beautiful, and Delilah once more brought her kids along for our daily constitutional (Jezebel and her kids stayed home again).  
   

Phil no longer refers to Nubbin as having a "baby bump". He's calling it a "baby blimp". 
   
   
   
   
   

Large and in charge! 
   

Heading home. 
   
   

[DownUnder Gal]

Nubbin is huge! Do all those kids have the same sire? Looks like your pasture is nice and lush - what species is it?