The Boy Loves Sheep

As a matter of fact, he loves all animals, it seems; but Tobin is particularly taken these days by the sheep who currently inhabit our pasture. From his perch in his highchair, he can sometimes see them, depending on where they are in the pasture; and when they come into his view, he lets us know about it, eagerly blurting out his "Dahkh!" (almost with a Hebrew guttural sound at the end of the word) which tells us that he's seen a sheep or a dog or another four-footed animal. Sometimes when he hears them bleating, he'll echo them with a "baa" or a "maa" or a simple "aa" with no beginning consonant.

This evening while Jeff was outside doing various chores, Tobin was with him; and although Jeff didn't place Tobin next to the sheep pasture, Tobin patiently and persistently scooted over to the sheep until he was sitting right outside where they were.
He pulled himself up to a standing position by holding onto the fence, then had a nice visit with all of them who had gathered to see what goodies he had brought them. He didn't have any food for them, much to their disappointment; but they stood there a while anyway, checking him out and occasionally scattering when his loud burst of delighted laughter startled them, only to quickly regroup and gather around him again.
Sometimes Tobin looked over to see where his daddy was, and Jeff kept an eye on him...and I watched from the kitchen window and treasured it all.