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A Milk Maid and a Potty Train

  • April 18, 2020
  • 3 comments
  • 280 views
  • Becca

This morning was my first morning to milk our goat Penny. So I put on my overalls first thing and was gathering supplies when Hattie told me that she would milk the goat too. I told her that I thought she had better stay in the house these first few mornings, that Penny will be a little uncertain of what is happening and that I would like to get a few routine milkings in before I have another person out there with me. 

Hattie listened intently and then looked at me like I had completely missed the point, “But I have overalls.” 

And that settled it. She came out and was a very cheerful, happy and sort-of-helpful milk maid.

***

This week Alden has been potty training. We started on Monday and it actually was pretty smooth sailing, with many more successes than messes. Today he was playing in the nursery with his potty chair right next him while I was getting ready. Hattie ran in and told me, “Alden did a dooker!” And as you all know, in the world of potty training, you stop everything and throw a party. So I ran into the nursery where Alden was holding the toilet paper for me to help clean him up.

Strangely, the potty chair was closed and he wouldn’t let me open it. “Don’t look, don’t look! Just wipe me.”

So I sent him on his way to get his Mike and Ike reward downstairs and opened the lid of the potty chair. I didn’t expect what I saw. He did in fact, do a dooker. But there was also the cheerful face of a little Thomas the Train engine sitting on top. Ferdinand to be exact, looking right back at me. 

Later I took Alden aside. “I am so happy you are using your potty chair. You are doing a really fantastic job and are clearly a big and growing boy! I saw Ferdinand in your potty chair. And I want you to know you can never put any toys in the potty chair or the big potty.” He nodded and I asked, “Why was Ferdinand in your potty?” And he said, “A potty train!”

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Becca

I am a mother of six, married to a never-saw-it-comin' aspiring farmer in Southern Minnesota. As new farmers, I write about our transition from the city to the country with hopes of sharing our joy and gratitude for all that we are learning.


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3 comments
  1. Dorothy Nelson says:
    April 18, 2020 at 12:27 pm

    Oh Becca! It took me a bit to figure out the significance of potty train in the mind of Alden. He is a bright boy! I am looking forward to pictures of the goat maid. Dorothy

    Reply
  2. Madison says:
    April 18, 2020 at 12:56 pm

    So funny! The subtitle to this blog “a learning farm” has new meaning.

    Reply
    1. Avatar photo rory says:
      April 19, 2020 at 11:48 am

      Love it!

      Reply

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