More on cows

While visiting Houston, we decided to do something fairly risky: go to the Livestock Show. This may not sound terribly risky at first, but if you've read this blog in the past few weeks, you'll remember that cows are not Naomi's favorite animals. And they have lots of cows at the Livestock Show. Other animals, too, but LOTS of cows. We decided to brave it anyway, because they also have bunnies, chickens, and other harmless, quiet animals that aren't rumored to eat little girls.

Naomi enjoyed the harmless animals and didn't go through the barn with the cows in it. She pet the rabbits and collected the 11 collectible cards (My goodness, they're geniuses at the Livestock Show -- 11 collectible cards at various points throughout the kids' section, what could appeal more surely to the heart of little girls? Hannah and Naomi had a fabulous time collecting them!), watched chicks hatching and chicks peeping around together, saw a demonstration of spinning wool into yarn, watched Hannah's pony ride (she wanted to ride, then changed her mind when faced with an actual pony), looked at all the animals in the petting area (no cows), and generally had a great time.

And then...we decided to go to the Birthing Center. Which is a place where VERY pregnant or recently delivered livestock are kept for the viewing pleasure of kids passing through. There were 2 day old piglets and tiny little kids (the goat kind) and...cows. There was a very young calf. Cute, but not that impressive. The cow that began the healing of Naomi's cow phobia was still quite pregnant. And she was named...NAOMI. Really. This made quite an impression on Naomi. Also impressive to her was that Naomi the Cow DIDN'T MOO the entire time we looked at her. She ate some hay and drank some water and DIDN'T MOO. It was a revelation in cow behavior for the girl Naomi.

After looking at Naomi the Cow for a while, she even wanted to see the Longhorn cow in the cow barn. All the time we were looking at it, I was fervently praying that it wouldn't moo, either. And my prayer was answered.

Cows are still something to be extremely cautious of, but they're no longer the deadliest fear of a small girl named Naomi. And all because of a cow named Naomi.