Little Bandie-legs

I'd like to say I didn't play favorites and loved all the lambs equally... but there was one who stole my heart. 

He/she (I didn't care so never checked) came to the struggling lamb area as an infant unable to stand. His joints wouldn't lock and with legs like wet noodles, couldn't feed from its mom and would have died fairly quickly. 

I bottle fed him and lifted his legs straight.  A few days later, wobbly and a tipping hazard still, he was up and walking on his back knuckles.

Another couple of days and he was looking more normal.  Now would I say he could run in the fields with friends? No. But happy, thriving and getting better each day. 

My special needs baby was a survivor... with some mommy- confusion.  He would rather I held him and fed him than took a bottle from the wooden holder. And he definitely showed up for cuddles on my lap even when not hungry. 

It was hard to say goodbye.  I'm no farmer and don't feel the need to explain away my attachment or apologize for it either.

* Baby Bandie sadly passed away a couple of days after I left the farm.  He was just over a week old. Cause of death was attributed to issues he was likely born with. I feel some consolation knowing he had a happy week with cuddles, tail wagging and sweet words in his ears.  And I have lots of gratitude that I shared almost his whole life with him! Since my belief of the Rainbow Bridge is that all our animal friends wait there for us, I'm comforted imagining him with solid legs, tons of friends and a squiggly tail that goes wild the next time we meet. 

Until we meet again, Bandie!