Best of_ Animal Moms Love Their Babies _ Mothers Day _ Love Nature

When we're born, our life goals are pretty simple, right? Eat, sleep, play. It's mostly fun and games, and why shouldn't it be? But we only get room to run around because mom makes it so. You start things off with Patches. Named after, well, you guessed it, that unique patch of dark fur around her eye. You'd never know it, but she's just endured probably the most painful ordeal you can imagine. Childbirth. On the ground right there, that's little Larry, her firstborn. His time in the sun has just begun. And oh look, Larry's twin sister, Flora. What was one has now become three. From the moment they're born, their bond is unbreakable. Patches has a unique call, especially for her babies. As long as she's within earshot, they know she's just a call away. Moms also make great sacrifices for kids. Anna here is a wonderful example of that. For the past month, she's gone without food, and she's gone without water. To watch over her babies, who are now just beginning to hatch. One down, plenty to go. Another thing she goes without, sleep. From the time those eggs begin to hatch, Anna's had pretty much no time for Zs. Yeah, rough, right? Moms out there, can you relate? And she's also lost a ton of weight. But to make sure those little ones grow up to be big, strong, and most importantly, safe. Well, there's nothing the best moms wouldn't give up for their kids. Speaking of kids, Sheila here has got nine mouths to feed. Whoa, my lordy, that's a lot of milk. Aw, but just look at those little cutie pies. She'd do anything for them. And as many of us know, a mother's love is often found in the meals she makes. And Sheila's no different. The first meal her piglets eat is full of antibodies to prevent against disease. Her milk's loaded with nutrients, and boy, will they need them. These guys are only a few hours old, each of them weighing in at roughly a pound. They've got just enough fat reserves for a single day. So they really need to treat that first meal like it's everything. Because it kind of is. Like any good mom, when the kids come for supper, everyone has a seat at the table. And everyone leaves with a full belly. Moms come in all forms. Take Molly here. When she was born, she couldn't have been closer to her mom, Mabel. They did everything together. For a week. See, sadly, due to complications, Mabel passed away. Right when Molly's tale was just beginning. Scared and alone, this little calf had no guide. She had no best friend. She had no one, really. Just the farmer. See her trying to sneak a sip of milk from the other moms? Nah, they ain't having it. That's for their kids, and their kids only. What's a poor little orphan girl to do? Enter Mabel's cousin, Aunt Florence, aka Super Foster Mom. Molly, go on. Get your milk on. Big Aunt Flo has you covered, child. This beautiful act of a mother cow allowing a baby of another to drink from her teeth is kind of a rarity. A true selfless act of nature, if there ever was one. We all enter this world brand new. And when we're little, all we want is to have fun. And be fed. And be nuzzled. There's not much to it. But when you zoom out and get a glimpse of what it takes for us to lead that type of healthy existence, it's our moms who play a huge role in setting it up. So it's important that today, and really every day, we remember to say thanks. Now go call your mothers.