Now who's out of cone-trol?

When I wrote yesterday that George and Alan were out of cone-trol, I wasn't kidding. I have hundreds of burros-with-cone pictures in my camera from the past few days because that's all they seem to do lately.



Really, how many pictures of burros with cones in their mouths can I post before you forsake me for...well, for wherever blog-readers go when they're tired of looking at burros with cones in their mouths?



But a strange thing happened Monday morning. I looked out the window while the boys were eating their breakfast to see George eating a cone instead of his hay.


I also saw no fewer than six cones, two jolly balls and one barn cat who insists on walking into every picture I take. So for those of you who asked yesterday if George and Alan had more than one cone to play with, rest assured their toy box is full.

Anyway, I kept watching, and Alan kept eating his hay, Hank kept eating his hay, and George kept gnawing on a cone. That's not right, I thought, growing more cone-cerned by the minute. Then it dawned on me.

I put down my coffee and went out to the barn. I haltered George and proceeded to examine his teeth. Sure enough, a pair of adult teeth were erupting. He'd been using the cone as a teething ring!

George was none too happy about having my fingers in his mouth, but Alan was more than willing to cooperate and show the folks at home what all the fuss is about.



George and Alan are both about three and a half years old, and each of them has a pair of adult teeth coming in. So I'm pretty sure this explains the current cone-gnawing obsession.

I happened to mention my cone theory to Bernard and Ellsworth's mom later in the day. She jokingly asked me if I was going to put their new teething ring in the freezer. I laughed. Until I started thinking about how a frozen treat might feel pretty good to a burro with sore gums.



There isn't anything I wouldn't do for my boys.