Pictures

Now that she's more than a day old, here are some pictures of Harriet.  She has a healthy appetite, and Daisy has a healthy supply of milk.  Both seem very comfortable around John, Sydney (the dog), and I.

Harriet's Birth

John and I were there for nearly every stage of Harriet's birth, and John had the foresight to record it.  Here's a shortened version, and if you've never seen the birth of a four-legged creature such as a calf or a foal, it's pretty amazing. That said, it's also exactly what you can expect it to be, so know that some people might consider it a bit graphic.  My next few posts will include updated pictures (she's growing so quickly!) and another video of her first steps.

She's Here!

Daisy delivered a perfect heifer calf this morning just a little bit before 8 a.m.  I will write more later about the whole experience, but in the meantime, I want to post some pictures.  Meet Harriet.

While We're Waiting

There's still nothing significant to report, except that a fellow teacher has made me a bit nervous.  Her family raises show cattle, and they just had a heifer that went 18 days past her due date.

Every day at school I'm asked a number of times by students and staff members whether I have a baby yet, which sometimes draws strange looks from passers by.  I've even started joking about how I'll put in the school's daily announcements something to the effect of "Thanks for all of your support.  My husband John and I are happy to report the arrival of our 80 pound black baby."

Today's posting is the result of one of my students asking if I'd read the following article and explaining that he'd immediately thought of me when he read it.  I have to admit, she's a girl after my own heart and I completely understand what she's talking about.

Here's the link:
Horse Dreams Dashed

Still Waiting

I kept waiting over the weekend to be able to create the photo-filled new baby calf post.  And waiting.  And checking.  And waiting to check.  But alas, Daisy is deservedly taking her own sweet time.

John reminds me that I shouldn't worry because there's nothing I can do about the situation -- at which point I try to explain that that is precisely the problem: if I could do something about it, I would, and then I wouldn't worry. If I can't do anything, then I have no choice but to worry.  (I feel as though I've written about this in a post before, but perhaps that's merely because it's somewhat of a theme in my life.)

So I will check again at 2 a.m. and before I go to school, and one of these days I'll have something to report.  In the meantime, here's a really amazing website that will keep you busy watching babies of a different "feather."

http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles