Buckling Surprise

Alba was due on Saturday, April 18, but gave no indication that she was imminent -- or even pregnant --

until Tuesday the 21st, when she just couldn't get comfortable all day.

She started groaning in the late afternoon

and then at 5:30 pm delivered a buckling, with the substantial help of the midwife, who tugged away heartily as Alba pushed.

The routine has become familiar by now: first a toweling off and a blow-dry to warm up

then grooming by Mom

and a first meal.

The boy weighed in at 6 pounds, a bit under the ideal.
As the midwife waited for Alba's placenta to emerge, she got another surprise around 6:15 pm:

another buckling!

This one weighed a measly 4 pounds.

As the midwife dried and warmed the runtlet and tried to get him to feed

his brother fell sound asleep.
Eventually he woke up and checked out the newbie

and Grandma Dream in the next pen.
While Alba is the world's best goat in many ways

motherhood is not one of them. On a scale from June Cleaver to Joan Crawford, Alba is toward

the "Mommie Dearest" end.She occasionally grooms the bigger guy,but leaves the little one to fend for himself.

We've never seen Alba feed either boy on her own

so every four hours, Barb holds the babies up to nurse.

Because the little can't grab on very well, Barb has to give him most of his milk by bottle.Both boys are smaller and weaker thantheir flourishing cousins across the barn

but they seem to be getting stronger

and we hope that soon they will be joining Artie and Tammy

for romps outside in the sunshine.