Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Lambs

Yesterday Paul, Steven, and Jenny went to the OSU sheep barn and got four bummer lambs. This is a project Paul has done with the children for years.

Lambs require bottle feeding every few hours and I made it clear when the first lambs appeared ten years ago that I have paid my dues with babies and I am not about to get up at night to feed these lambs. So Paul and the children have always fed them faithfully when they're home, and I feed them when everyone else is at school.

When Paul came to bed after the 3 a.m. feeding he told me that they aren't eating very well yet. This morning before school they went out for another feeding, and then Jenny came running inside in her rubber boots, calling desperately, "Mom! Piggy's not eating!"

Oh dear, it had to be Jenny's lamb that had the hardest time. She gets terribly attached to these babies and if anything goes wrong it breaks her heart.

Well, I have not taught five people babies to nurse for nothing, so out to the shed I went with all my prolactin pumping. I lifted Piggy out of his pen, sat on the floor, cuddled him on my lap, and cooed something like, "Ooooooh come on you leedle shnoonksy poonksy," while rubbing the sides of his jaw and carefully inserting the nipple. Jenny watched breathlessly.

Pretty soon his little tongue was wiggling the right way but he wasn't really sucking. And then after a minute or two he suddenly got it, and he sucked eagerly and swallowed and bubbles went bobbing up the milk. Jenny was ecstatic.

It was a bit off and on for a few minutes but he drank almost all the milk in his bottle. I put him back under the heat lamp and we went inside to get ready for school.

It's so good to know I'm good at something.

Quote of the Day:
"I knew you could do it, Mom!"
--Jenny

6 comments:

  1. Thoughts that crossed my mind....

    Way to go, Dorcas!

    You go, girl.

    Mom, you rock!


    I don't know if I should blush or grimace at any or all such thoughts.

    Whatever the case, I'm impressed. Good for you!

    May the lambs survive and thrive.

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  2. Good Job Dorcas!!! Btw. I just love little lambs. We have 3 of them, but they are a little older then yours and are already VERY spoiled!!
    Good luck with your lambs.

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  3. Bless your heart, Dorcas! i'm afraid if I were in those shoes, I would only coax the lamb to live for the sake of the little girl it belonged to! Pauline

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  4. Then Pauline... may I suggest that you DON'T get a lamb? :)

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  5. This story reminds me of my old college roommate who lives in Grants Pass and had to take her baby lamb to her office to be fed every 2 hours on her lap, while meeting with clients! I'm not sure how the lamb did, but the clients are still talking about it! Cute story!

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