For the record, I've never bought any livestock that wasn't a mistake.  Yet I've never regretted buying.

What is crystal clear to me now, so blindingly obvious I genuinely marvel at my apparently willing and stubborn determination to see exactly what I want to see is that, Vanilla, was bred way too early.  She'll be okay, she'll live through kidding.  I don't regret buying her.   But kidding so young will likely stunt her own growth and her milk production.  She is dear and we love her.  We will never allow a kid to be bred so young on our farm.  And I am fairly certain her breeding was accidental rather than intentional.  Nevertheless, look how I could only see what I wanted to see.

Also I'm pretty sure, Nutmeg, who was bred at an appropriate age, is a first freshener.   Even though I paid for an experienced mother.   I'm trying to get the farmer, who promised to send me Nutmeg's milking record from last year, to answer my queries.  Curiously, I've had no response.  Still, I think she's a fine goat.  I don't regret buying her.

In my defense, it was ABSURDLY cold the day we met these goats.   We were in a hurry, racing the sun to get home before dark, and the goats were completely freaked out by the ferocity of the wind that day and the people, familiar and strange, grabbing for them.  We couldn't really get a hand on them to see them.      Also, I don't know that much about goats, cows have been my focus of study.  And I'd never seen a Toggenburg before I met these long haired hidden uddered wind blown wood sprites.  Which is, of course, no defense at all.  Ignorance nor weather will never be a sound defense.  But hey, a stubborn human will see and therefore say nearly anything to reach dearly held goals.

Let's hope everyone kids safely and at least one of them has a decent udder for hand milking.