When we started our vacation, Miles was really only aware of one thing: we were going to a farm. That carried certain expectations with it, and today was the day most of those would be satisfied, as Miles was going to get to interact with a variety of animals.
Our first stop after breakfast was to the goat pen, where Miles got comfortable feeding carrots to (and having his hands near the teeth of) the animals.
Next came a visit to the stables, where my theory that Miles likes the idea of horses more than he likes actual horses was proven correct. He was much more reluctant to approach these hulking beasts, but eventually petted and fed them as long as an adult was right there with him.
Later in the day, Miles, now a seasoned farmhand, was given the important task of feeding the chickens in the coop next to the guest house we’re staying in. Like any child, he got about halfway through the bag of greens and then decided he wanted to try just leaving the rest in a pile for some deer to eat. I reminded him that his JOB was to feed the CHICKENS.
The deer would come later, as we headed over to the main house for dinner. Miles was delighted to end his day seeing “a family of deer” (his words) in the field outside.
The Perils (& Pride) of Paternity 