‘I won’t beg for ice cream!’
By Shawna Schmitt, sschmitt@monroenews.com
Yesterday afternoon after I picked the kids up from my mom’s, Caitlyn asks “Mom, will you take us to the farm to see the animals please? I won’t start begging for ice cream!”
I looked up in the rear view mirror and she was so serious that I just bust out laughing. I guess I must have reinforced on numerous occasions that “we could go see the animals but that mommy didn’t have money for ice cream, so please don’t beg for any.”
It was such a cute way for her to ask, that I turned the car around and we went to the Calder’s Dairy Farm. I told her that as long as Keegan was awake when we got there that we could get out and look at the animals. But if he was asleep, then we would just pull in, say hi to the cows and drive home.
“Oh no,” she assured me. “His peekers are open! He’s not going to sleep! He’s awake!”
And darn it if that little boy didn’t stay awake all the way there! lol. He must have known where we were going!
As soon as I got them out of the car, Keegan saw the cows and instantly started squirming in excitement and saying “moooooooooooooooooooooo!” He loves it when he reaches out to pet the cows and their big ol’ tongues lick his arm. I just like listening to the kids squeal in delight. 
I also was pleasantly surprised to see many other mommys there with their kids. Usually when we’re there maybe one other family will be walking around, but yesterday we ran into people near the cows, in the milking area, by the pond (where the scary ducks and geese like to roam free) and then more mommys and kids were pulling up as we were getting into our car.
I’m so glad that other people are venturing out and discovering what a wonderful place Calder’s is to take the kids! It’s like a free petting farm with an added ice cream bonus!