Piglet's progress

I suppose the few sleepless nights I had feeding the little runt every two hours was worth it.   The first night he squealed and butted with the teat, struggling to suckle.   Real determination on both our parts saw him through.   Eventually he was just waking up every two hours with a horrendous squeal, would suckle very briefly and fall asleep again.   I concluded that he was simply too small to expect more than a few draughts at a time of him so it didn't take long but that does not detract from the fact that at 60-something I was feeding a baby every two hours!

Yesterday at dawn I took him to be with his family and after a few moments of hesitation he snuggled in with his siblings.   I left him there the whole day and in the evening took the milk to the sty to give him an extra feed just in case he needed it.   When I picked him up he gave a little squeal which earned me a couple of shoves and a head-butt from Mom.   He drank well and because it was such an unusually warm evening I decided to leave him there for the night.   (I slept for nine hours!)

This morning, milk bottle in hand, I hurried to see how he was.   When I picked him up his tummy felt  round and full but I still offered him the bottle.   He took one quick complimentary swig and then stuck his nose into the crook of my arm.

"You're ok" I thought and tucked him back among the siblings.   He's still easy to spot, the little Tyke.

I like happy endings.