My Babies & Baby Animals (+ Bonus List)

Late yesterday morning, I took my kids out for a jaunt at a place called Gardner Village (you locals know the place). After eating lunch, we went to the little petting zoo they have there. Hudson and Claire were happy to be wandering around amongst the animals which included several goats (young and old), a handful of lambs, pigs and a little piglet, bunnies, etc. However, both were a bit nervous about the goats with the enormous horns. But even then, after a bit of coaxing and showing them how nice the big guys were, they warmed up. Now, I've always been a sucker for animals but SERIOUSLY, the little lambs that were wandering around were positively irresistible. Even my little Claire (who used to be afraid of all animals except our dog) was especially fond of them. I was tempted to smuggle one of them home under my shirt but I think the workers might have noticed.

In addition to lunch and the petting zoo, we stopped in a few shops (there may or may not be a decent candy store there with ultra-tasty amaretto fudge but we're not talking about that or whether I did or did not go in there to buy a 1/4 pound of said fudge and some goodies for the kids) and just enjoyed walking around the grounds. At the very end of our trip, the kids wanted to perch atop a stone wall to rest for a minute. Seeing a great photo op, I pulled out my semi-trusty pocket-sized camera (note to self: always take the big camera - it's way better) and snapped away. Believe it or not, with their movements, closing of eyes, etc., the picture below is the best one I could get of the two of them...at least the tulips cooperated.

Now, in honor of springtime and petting zoos everywhere, I give you a brief list. Here are a few of my all-time favorite baby animals that I'd totally take home and keep as pets if (a) I had a farm, (b) they didn't smell, and (c) someone else did all the dirty work and I just got to play with them and pet them.

MY FAVORITE BABY ANIMALS

• Horses/foals: Their muzzles are SO very soft and and I love their gangly legs. However, having one of these animals would also require my paying a trainer to break my baby as it grew so that I could ride it someday. Too expensive.
• Puppies (of course!): I don't care what breed of dog it is, puppies are adorable. Our neighbors got a little Shitzu puppy the other day. I'm not a big fan of small dogs but he looks like a fat, furry sausage. And my daughter is terrified of him and it's very amusing. Makes me love him even more.
• Lambs: They're just so cute. Period. If the pictures above aren't reason enough, then I don't know what your problem is.
• Ducklings and Chicks: These guys pretty much go into the same category for me..."Cute Fluffy Farm Birdies". Little duck bills are just so cute and I love the peeps of little chicks. And it doesn't hurt that chicks grow up to be chickens and produce yummy farm fresh eggs. This is one animal that if we were allowed to have them where we live, I'd already have a hen house out in back.
• Calves: Once again, gangly legs do me in every time. And I love those great big shiny noses and how it feels when they lick your hand/arm (soft, wet sandpaper).
• Tiger cubs: I know this one is totally out of the petting zoo realm but have you ever seen one of these up close? Our zoo has three right now (along with a snow leopard cub) and while they've grown quite enormous, when they were little, I just wanted to snuggle them. Granted my face would have been scratched off but still...very hard to resist. And this is coming from a non-cat-lover.
• Monkeys: Also in the non-petting zoo category but really, have you ever seen a newborn or very young Colobus monkey or Black Howler monkey? Really cute. Really cuddly looking. I'd really love to hold one.

I think I'm going to go and kidnap the neighbor's puppy now...