Introducing.....The Old Five Notch Farm's "You Have Just Exceeded Your Maximum"

This is a little story about our latest addition...... "Max"!

Max is now 12 weeks old and thinks he is old enough to help Dad play video games!

My sister and my nephew had been keeping any eye on a feral cat in the neighborhood.  She decided to have her kittens in the neighbors shed so they kept and eye on her and the kittens.  The neighbor noticed that Mama Cat had been moving her little kittens from the shed so Gideon, my nephew, went to see if they had all indeed been moved. When he checked on the litter there was only one little grey kitten still remaining on the shelf where Mama Cat had delivered them.  He talked with the neighbor and she said she had not seen Mama Cat at all that day.  Gideon did the right thing and left the little kitten to see if Mama Cat would come back to retrieve him.

The next morning, Gideon went to the shed to check on the little guy and did not find him on the shelf, but on the cold, dirt floor!  He was chilled and it was apparent that his mom had not come back for him.  Gideon scooped him up and took him home to warm him up and start re-hydrating him.  My sister contacted the humane society to see if they had a nursing mother that could take him, but she did not talk to anyone there she had to leave a message....and it was the weekend!  She posted a picture of the little fellow on Facebook asking for anyone who had a mama cat that was nursing or anyone who would take on a this little guy and bottle feed him.

This is where my farmer man comes in!  You see, we have had an agreement....No More Inside Animals.  We have four aging dogs...two Boykin Spaniels, Addie age 11, Twist almost 16, a Yorkshire Terrier, Brianna, age 11, A Highway 23 Special aka Mutt, Oliver approximate age 11, and one cat, a Siamese, MeiMei approximately 11 years old. Two of the dogs are epileptic and have severe food allergies, and three of the dogs are on arthritis medication.  With aging animals come ailments and more veterinary bills too. Plus, we would like tp travel a little bit and it requires someone staying in our home to take care of the inside animals and the outside animals as well. So.....we agreed, no more inside animals until these are gone and then we would consider what we would like to do.

So....imagine my surprise when he comes to me asking if I want a bottle kitten to take care of!  He showed me the picture my sister posted and asked me again...don't you want to a kitten to bottle feed?  I laughed at him and reminded him of our agreement.  He said well it's been 3 1/2 years and we had to break it sometime!  Needless to say, we called my sister and she said she was going to bring him either way as they were supposed to be coming over for a family dinner and he would have to be fed every three hours or so.

When my sister arrived with this little fellow....well it was all over! He wasn't leaving The Old Five Notch Farm.

We were all set to feed this little guy and help raise him.  We just needed a name.  At first he was named "Squirrel" because he made little squeaking noises just like the baby squirrels we had rehabbed, but it just didn't really fit him.

It was during one of the 3 a.m. feedings that his name hit me.  I was wondering what I had gotten myself into!  I had forgotten how time consuming it is to bottle feed babies and how much sleep you loose feeding a little one, human or animal!, every three hours around the clock.  We we in the middle of the early morning feeding when I thought to myself...we have just exceeded our maximum! Viola!  He was named The Old Five Notch Farm's "You Have Just Exceeded Your Maximum"....."Max".

I told my farmer man the next morning that he had been named.  He wasn't thrilled about the name at first, but it soon became apparent that this name fits this little guy.  He is like any toddler.....wide open or asleep, always curious about everything, everything is a toy and just full of life.  He tries our patience, make us laugh at his antics and keeps us on edge of our seats trying to keep him out of trouble.

Here's are some photos of "Max".  We estimate his birthday to be October 1, 2015 and he was approximately 10 days old when we got him. I hope you enjoy looking back and watching our Max grow....

First week we had Max...his eyes are just starting to open.

Max may be little, but he is figuring out quickly how to move!

That sweet little face <3

This sweet face....it what makes it ok to be up at 3 a.m.

Snuggle time is the best <3

Starting to learn how to play!

Oliver is so wonderful playing so gently with Max

My ears are standing up a little more each day!

Learning how to attack!  Grrrrr!

Over five weeks now but still wanting a morning bottle and a night time bottle. No more nighttime feedings though!

Max and His Mouse...his first toy! It is almost as big as he is!

Night time....nap time!

All wedged in between a pillow and the couch.....ahhhhh!

New scratching post, tunnel and toys!

We tried introducing him to wet food to no avail....guess who went straight to hard kitten chow!

Too cute!

Max still loves his mousey!

Max is grown so much since we first rescued him <3

Still learning how to play

Addie allowing Max to snuggle with her on the couch...wait! Addie what are you doing on the couch?!!

You can see just how much he has grown since he got this scratching post toy!

Just letting it all hang out ;-)

He love to wedge himself between you and couch!

Max knows who really loves him!

Max "helping" me make a scarf

One of Max's favorite toys!  My farmer man loves it because we can put a bunch of his toys in the box and declutter the floor!

First time outside on the porch railing!  He is learning to climb!

Just snoozin'

One of Max's favorite spots to nap

Max has a fascination with ice cubes and water. You have to give him some ice and water first thing in the morning....as he hangs on the fridge door waiting for it!