Graduation - The Littles - Chapter 15

Dear Littles,

I guess you're really not little anymore are you?  But to me, I guess you always will be.

You graduated a couple of weeks ago.  Although you will have several or many more graduations and milestones in your life, this one really was so important.  You see, it is the beginning of your life.  Your life outside of me.  Not your physical birth, but your birth into the world.  Your life away from me ... and you will go happily and you will see all the wonders of the world through your own eyes.  You will spread your wings and find the YOU that will emerge into citizens and you will leave your mark.  You will be going to Kindergarten in the Fall ... whether I'm ready or not, you are.

I molded you, and it is breaking my heart that I have to let you go.  Five years wasn't nearly long enough to prepare me for this.  Even though I've been through sending my children off to school before, this feels fresh, and I don't want to do it.

Because I want what is best for you, I do want you to grow up and be normal and make life long friends.  I want you to be smart and learn all that you can ... and I want you to make your mark.  I want it to be deep and strong and always be there.  I want your children to look back and know who you were and know that you were good people.

But for today ... I want you to be my babies, and I want to hug you up and smell you and close my eyes and remember you in all your innocence.

I Love You So Much!

Mom

Jump! Jump! Jump!

We have a new toy! Well .... almost! Last year we bought this trampoline from my sister ... who had bought it several years ago. She just never took it out of the box. So it's still a new toy ... but a new toy without instructions! That was the only missing in the box.

I've looked online, at Sam's Club, at Toys R Us and in several catalogs and magazines at Trampoline's to figure out how to put the darn thing together.

I think we have got it now! So in the next couple of days, we're going to put the net around it and let them JUMP, JUMP, JUMP! The plan is wear them out every evening and let them jump for a couple of hours right before bedtime!

I have a feeling that this little girl will get the most use out the new toy! She is IN LOVE with it!

Siekman Dairy Farms WINS BIG!

WE WON!  WE WON! ... and half of the team had to sit down and eat a "snackie" before they would participate!

Here's Sam up to bat with a little bit of help from Aunt Bonnie!  He wasn't really too thrilled to stand up there and hit the ball in front of everyone!

Yeah .... we really had to stand out there and play ball too!

 

Here's Jay coming in to home plate!  He scored!

Jay scored again while Sam scooted back to let him slide on in!

I know .... Mom shouldn't be jumping up and down on home plate with a big camera waiting for the kid to get there.  It is not cool!

.... and here they are after the game!  Right before they huddled and started putting dirt on each others head!

We really did win our first game!  By forfeit ... because the other team messed up and got the date wrong!

What really counted was that we had fun.  We had a great practice game amongst ourselves.  My kids, being that they are a threesome, are so shy they huddled ... and they fussed, and they wouldn't bat by themselves ... so Bonnie and I had to help them bat and then we scooted them on down the baseline.  They did run the bases by themselves and by the time it was over, they were really into the game! 

Next time ... we're getting our game on and winning for real!

Ball Practice (in the dark)

Right at dark last night we went over to Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Don's (home away from home because they're farmers too) so we could practice our T-Ball skills .... because we don't have any, and their first game is tonight. Plus, they had bought the kids a T-Ball pole and a new bat and we had to check it out.

Jay took the first swing ... and he is good! He can knock the ball "out there." We used the trees as the bases ... and they would run as fast as they could directly to SECOND base. It was so much fun watching them play and run.

I think that one flew right by you Sam! It's so funny because they would check the names on their mitts, and Sam would only hit HIS ball. Hopefully, they won't do that tonight at the real game!

Run Meg Run! It's more important to look pretty you know when you're a girl! I'm proud of her though .... she hit the ball and ran!

This is third base .... and Meg promptly fell right off face first! She sucked it up and only ended up with a few scratches on her leg.

Our Farm is sponsoring their T-Ball team this year and they have little red shirts and navy St. Louis Cardinal hats. They just look so stinkin' cute!

Okay everyone ... be chanting about 6:00 this evening! "Go Siekman Dairy Farms Go!"

Dancing in the Sun

Yesterday evening we had an exciting event here .... a semi delivered a large piece of equipment to our house. It was a "Sky Lifter" ... so I heard. It's a piece of equipment that I have no idea what it does ... but I suspect when I get home from work this evening, my entire yard surrounding my house will be torn up since we've had so much rain.

We live in a "antique" farmhouse and the roof is really steep, and today a crew of Amish men will be tearing off our old slate roof and putting a new metal roof on. They say once they get the metal on the steep part, they won't be able to walk on it and that's where the "Sky Lifter" comes into play!

Since the semi driver happened to be Von's brother Darrel ... the kids got lifted up on the bed of the big truck, and they danced and ran up and down the trailer like it was the best place to be in the entire world.

... and they danced.

Being me, of course I seized the opportunity to snatch a few pictures of my littles having the time of their life!

I'm framing the top image of my littles. Every once in a while I take a picture of them that I can't live without ... and this one tops my list right now!

Shooting into the sun made this picture look like it was taken at night ... but actually it was broad daylight about six-thirty yesterday evening. I love silhouette's. I've never gotten one of my kiddo's before and I think it's pretty darn cool, and I was really proud of myself!

Sam's Boots

I don't know why I've had this on my mind for the last couple of hours, but I think it has something to do with personality, growing up, evolution, genetics and little boys that want to be like their Father.

Sam is set in his ways. His Dad is set in his ways. They're just alike ... two peas in a pod. Sam notices detail. He likes detail, and he doesn't like change to his detail. Just like his Dad.

Spring is here and it's coming in quickly ... and with it brings warmer weather. Sam isn't ready to give up his Winter details. Such as a green soccer shirt that he would like to wear 6 days a week and the same pair of jeans that he lovingly refers to as his Speech pants. (He must have wore them to Speech one day) These are the only pants he will wear. The same slim pair of size 3 Wrangler straight leg pants .... every day. With a patch on the back pocket. Just like his Dad.

I don't think he's caught onto the fact that we have more than one pair. My job is to keep them clean and ready for whenever the knees get dirty from a hard day of play, or a visit to the barn.

Sam also isn't ready to give up the boots he wears. As hard as I try to get tennis shoes on him ... he is always searching for his broken down boots. I've grown so accustomed to the click of his heels on our hardwood floors ... and I'm sure when Summer comes, even if I am lucky enough to get him into a pair of short pants ... he'll never give up those boots. Just like his Dad.

R.I.P. Whitey

Here lies Whitey! Well ... half of him anyway. His other half lies one road over in another freezer. He didn't even get a decent burial. He got butchered instead!

I don't know if you remember Whitey, but he was born on a Spring day almost two years ago. You can read about him here. He sure was a great little guy, and we loved him very much! Sadly, he grew up and one day he moved to Dewig's a few miles away. They certainly were not as good to him as we were here on the farm. Once there, he ended up in freezer paper and was stamped with the words STEAK across each package!

Almost everyday for the past two years, I have driven my Littles to preschool or daycare. Every morning we drive by the barn that housed Whitey. Then every evening we drove back by and waved to him while he was eating out in the pasture. Often, we'd sneak a few buckets of feed to him when the higher orders of the farm weren't looking. Not that they'd care, but we overfed Whitey and most of his siblings every chance we got. Here one day .... and gone the next! That's how it works when you have C.O.W. for a last name.




Today I thawed a few packages of Whitey ... and couldn't bring myself to cook him. Now I'm stuck with a freezer full of packages just like this one.

So tomorrow and the next day I'll drive up and down our road and watch my Littles stick their heads out the window and wave excitedly to the big black Bull out in the field, and I'll listen to their chatter about their friend Whitey.

Do I tell them? No ... because I'm a good Mom. Do I lie to them? Yes ... because as far as they're concerned ... Whitey just grew a lot and moved across the road!

I'm not sure I'll ever get used to this farm life. Steaks are supposed to come from IGA or Schnucks or Sam's Club .... or anywhere except our barn!

RIP Whitey Cow! You sure were a cute little guy!

Steaks anyone????

Swim Lessons

Yesterday evening marked the first day of SWIM Lessons! Yes, my babies are now little kids and they are definitely big enough to venture out into the world and socialize with a bunch of other little squirts. In a pool. With strangers. Yep .. that's how it works. Every Monday and Wednesday from now on ... I'll be throwing them in the pool and walking away to sit with all the other Mom's who are feverishly watching through the big plate glass window.

Let's just say it all started off with a bang. They were so excited they danced around me as we walked into the high school to find the pool. They willingly put on their swim suits. Of course the boys wouldn't take off their underwear ... and in the end, that was the downfall.

After I guided (dragged) them through the crowd to the pool, they noticed that I was not wearing a swimsuit and they immediately knew that I was not getting into the pool with them. They clung to me like monkeys in a tree and I peeled them off me like an over ripe Banana ... six legs and six arms at a time, and handed them to a total stranger.

I could feel every eye on me in the place ... and I knew it would be this way, and I was prepared. I made sure I had every hair in place and my makeup was just perfect and I hid my frazzled look well!

Amazingly, they did well. Of course they clung to their stranger for dear life in the water ... and once I even saw them smile as they dog paddled around for the spongy balls that floated near.

THEN ... as quick as it started, it was over and I towel dried my babies and told them how wonderful they were and how proud I was of them. We headed to the restroom (where 20 other wet kids were) to get dressed and go home ... and the realization hit Jay that his underwear were wet and I didn't have a dry pair with me.

It didn't matter that he stood there naked in front of his peers. It didn't matter that all eyes were upon me and total silence overcame the room. It didn't matter. He needed dry underwear. He wasn't rationale. He wasn't coherent. He was in total oblivion to his surroundings, and he fought me tooth and nail while trying to put his pants on. Even when another Mother handed me her son's gently worn underwear ... for they were dry and that was our problem. It didn't matter ... because they weren't weren't like his, and he was beyond anything that I could do at that moment to make it better.

So I did the only thing I could do while trying to herd a set of three out of there. I wrapped a towel around his naked bottom and hoisted him up and walked towards the door with the other two dragging our belongings behind them. Yes, they all starred at me as I sat him down at the door and walked through. Yes, their mouths fell open when I plopped him on his bare bottom and walked out.

I'm sure we were a sight as we searched for my car in the parking lot ... three kids in tow .. and one was barefoot and naked from the waist down. But we were on a mission ... and again, they followed me and danced around my legs ... only this time, it wasn't as pretty and they weren't as happy, and I didn't care ... because we were homeward bound.

Yes, I'll go back Wednesday and we'll do this all over again ... only this time I will have a trunk full of Scooby-Doo underwear all warm and ready. Yes, my kids will learn to swim this summer ... and yes, I'm sure that I will take the word Dignity to new heights ....

Whacked

(Picture at the end of the Post ... No Peeking!)

There's a certain little boy that I can not mention his name ... because he's hanging his head in shame. So to protect his innocence and integrity, I also can not post a 'after' picture of him. (want me to sneak one?)

HE WHACKED HIS HAIR! Right off at his bangs. TWO WHACKS! Right on top of each other. Right in the front. Right where you can see it! But not to the scalp! Praise God! But almost!

... and he's cute, and he looked at me with his pitiful looking face, with his pitiful little hair-cut, and he said, (like it's the scissors fault) "We just can't have them scissors in our house no more now .... can we Mommy?" ... and I melted and told him that it would grow, and that he was beauty-full!

So this evening he wore a Red fuzzy Santa hat ... the entire evening ... and he smiled, and he forgot that he whacked his hair and that I had a camera. His name starts with the letter 'S' and in 'Pig-Latin' it goes something like this: 'Am-Say'.

So what's your hair-cut story? Who's did you whack? Or did you whack someone else's?

When I was a kid ... but way old enough to know better, I cut my sister April's hair off. She had really long hair ... way down her back. We played 'beauty-shop' under the kitchen table late at night when our parents thought we were asleep. I was in charge and made her sit there and I gave her a new style .... a 'pixie'. Kim and Robin didn't wake up Mom and tell on me ... because they were going to be next! Guess what? It didn't happen ... only because my Mom woke up because we made way too much noise and thought it was way too funny. Trust me ... it wasn't funny at all. Not at all!

Creepy Eyes

Two certain little boys were hamming it up this evening for my camera.  They ran circles around me singing, "creepy eyes ... creepy eyes ... we love you Mom!"  Well, I love you too creepy eyed little boys!

It looks like I'm going to have a snow day tomorrow with these little creepy eyed boys and their creepy eyed sister.  We're getting pelted with freezing rain pellets and the snow is starting! 

This evening Von was explaining the ice and snow to the kids and I heard him tell them that the roads were getting salt on them .... and Sam said, "will they put Pepper on them too?"  Man, you just gotta love all these little things they say and hang onto to every little word ... some day all these little things will be all grown up and our house will only echo in all these great memories ... and it's happening so quickly.  It seems like yesterday that they were just learning to talk.

O' Christmas Tree

The tree is up ... and none too soon! One lesson I've learned over the past four years with these kiddo's ... is don't put the tree up too early! I was expecting chaos again, but now that they're four years old and big kids ... the tree isn't quite as intriguing! Why didn't someone tell me?!

I was all prepared for broken bulbs and ornaments and the tree on the floor a couple times like in the past ... but it's not happening! We decided against the big nine foot tall tree that I love so much and opted to use Mom's old tree that has seen many better days. It's smaller, and practical and a piece of cake to put up.

When Mom passed away before the babies were born, and all of us were dividing up her belongings to keep, and cleaning out the house, no one wanted the old tree down in the basement. I just couldn't bring myself to throw it away. I know it's not my Mother's tree, but it was Von's Mother's Christmas tree ... and being that she touched my heart so many times over the short few years I knew her, I wanted to keep that tree.

I don't really know if she had loved her tree or not, but either way .. it was hers, and I imagine that she had lovingly decorated it year after year. What I do know, is my littles love their Grandma's Christmas tree ... and to me, it's a way to help keep her in their memories. Even though they didn't meet their Grandmother ... she's as real to them, as I am.

Mom loved Cardinal red birds and used to watch them all the time through the windows in the winter time. They seemed to be everywhere, and she was always spotting them. A few months before she passed away that February, I had found a beautiful Hallmark ornament ... a Cardinal with a little gold twig attached to it, and on the twig is three little berries. I meant to give it to her that last Christmas she was with us, but I never did. I found it again the other day, and this Christmas season ... that beautiful ornament is hanging on Mom's tree. I too now love red birds ... and everytime I see one on our farm, I think of Mom and catch a little glimpse of her in my mind, and I long for a chance to have had her to meet my babies here on earth.

Last night we heavily decorated that old artificial tree ... and there isn't a bare spot on it. All the thin broken branches are now covered with ornamanets and strung with red beads. There are glass balls and snowflakes, shiny stars, and snowmen ... and old world Santa's. The lower half, as far up as they could reach, my Littles placed the ornaments, and talked about their Grandma's Christmas tree .... and they made the tree beautiful once again ... and just outside their reach is a shiny little red bird that I treasure.

In that old tree, what I've found is a treasure ... and the treasure is my kiddo's celebrating the season of Jesus ... and treasuring the memories of red birds and a Grandmother that they would have loved.

Waiting on Santa

We're starting early this year! We're waiting on Santa!

Yesterday morning the littles woke up at six o'clock in the morning ... way too early for me, but what do you do when a smart little kid comes and crawls in your bed and jerks your face towards yours and says, "I've gotta go poop." You get up! You come downstairs and you poop!

Only in this case ... that little kid was pulling a slick one. His name is Jay and he only wanted a piece of gum. In his meltdown because he didn't get his way ... he woke up his cohorts in crime!

SO ... we sat on the couch, all in a row and covered up with Sam's green monkey blanket and we waited on Santa. We talked about toys and presents and reindeer and that man that has white hair (who they say they will talk to this year)

We decided that we have to give away all the old toys that they don't play with anymore because Santa might not come here if he sees that they have too many.

So starting this weekend ... my kiddo's will be gathering up toys and sorting things back together to give away. I'll be cleaning toys and bagging them nicely because we're going to take them to a teen pregnancy center for little kids to play with. We did this on their second Christmas ... with a lot of the presents that they received, and it felt so good. Not only to declutter ... but to give something away to others.

We want them to learn that for everything you receive ... you too have to give. So what is a better time than now, when they're so excited and they're waiting on Santa!

So this is our new tradition for every Christmas here out ... and we'll make it a family time. A time to talk about how fortunate we are, and a time to thank God for all that he gives us ... and a time to share. We're going shopping next weekend to find a new present for someone that we'll give along with the used toys that we're donating.

SO ...what are your ideas on this? Do you have any traditions that involve life values? Do you think they will do it? It's going to be touch and go when it comes right down to packing up their toys. BUT .... they might just surprise us!

Dear Megan

Dear Megan,

It just doesn't seem possible does it?  You're four years old now ... and you think you're so grown up.  In retrospect to how small you were four short years ago when you were born, weighing almost 3 lbs, you are big.

Last night you clung to me.  Every move I made ... you were there.  Underfoot, beside me, on me ... and with me.  You're always with me.  Even when we're apart ... you're with me.  You wanted to help me and we made a game out of it ... you unloaded the dishwasher, picked up the laundry and you even washed the kitchen floor.  I was right there with you ... and I saw you in a different light.  Right before my eyes, you transformed from the baby girl I delivered back then ... to a beautiful little girl that is growing up fast.

We hardly spoke to each other, as you were so involved in your task.  I couldn't help but stand back and smile at you as I watched you, and as I assigned you more work to do.  It wasn't that I wanted you to do my work ... you're only four years old, but, it was that I wanted us to be together.

For the first time, you and I had that same unspoken sense that you have with your brothers.  We didn't need to speak.  Your eyes said everything ... you love me, like you should ... I'm your Mother, and we were spending good time together. 

I love you Meg ... more than you can know right now ... but I'm sure less than you'll think in a few years and certainly when you have a child of your own.  It's amazing how love grows and how much I love you more and more every day. 

Every day turns into something even more wonderful being your Mother ... and I want to thank you for making my job easy.  You're only four now.  I can't even imagine how this will feel when you're eight ... or all grown up at twenty-two.  I love you no more than your brothers and your sister ... but you are one of the greatest blessings that was bestowed upon me ... and for that I'm so very grateful.

Meg, I'm looking forward to many more years being your Mother ... and I have many plans for us.  The very same plans I had for your sister ... and the very same things that I'll do with you.  Juli still remembers ... and so will you.  It's called love, and it's beautiful!

Love,

Mom

Happy Halloween!

Hi Firefighters!  Hello Tinkerbell!  Have fun at school today!

This is the first Halloween that they 'willingly' dressed up and were excited about Halloween.  But of course, the magic word 'candy' was spoken to Jay and he led the pack in the chase for the party at preschool this morning.

So here's my little cuties all decked out for some good trick or treating!

Oh by the way .... Tinkerbell said to tell everyone 'Hello!'  The firefighters were only interested in the loot!

Puddy Sunny Poo

This "Puddy Sunny Poo" came to our house today. First of all, she's a little baby Puddy ... so she didn't come to our house on her own. Chances are, since I live way out in the sticks and since she didn't arrive with a big bow around her neck, I know that The Neighbors did not gift us with her presence. But, anyway, she came. Here.

When I picked up the littles after work today, I told them that there was a surprise at our house waiting for them ... and the surpise was black and had four legs and was a baby girl. Yes, at first they thought it was a cow, but I quickly dismissed the idea of them rolling around in the barn with the calves today.

Sam was so excited, and who is always the quickest to reply said, "Is it a crocodile?" He just knew it was. He wanted to know if it had a rubber band around it's mouth so it wouldn't bite him. I think that trip to the Zoo a few weeks is still haunting him.

Jay on the other hand always puts some thought into his questions and answers. After he told Sam that Crocodiles don't come to our house because they have to live in the pond by the barn, not in our yard, then he asked, "Is it a big bird that will poop on us?" No Jay! You've never had a big bird poop on your head. "Yah Huh" he said, "Once time a long time ago, a big bird came down to where I was working on my tractor and my little boy got bird poop on him." Jay and Sam both have imaginary little boys these days ... little farm boys that work in their barns. Too Cute!!

Meg, being the little Mother and the practical one, said "Did you have a baby in your belly?" No Meg, I didn't have a little black four legged baby in my belly. Not today anyway.

Just as we were pulling into our driveway, I told them. It's a puppy. A baby girl puppy. They were so excited and instantly started jumping out (after undoing the carseats of course). I have never seen three kids so happy and so excited to see a puppy in my life. Of course, the puppy loved them too. The four of them rolled all over the yard in a tangled mass of legs and yelps and giggles.

Then I ask them what her name was. So between the three of them ... Puddy Sunny Poo got her name.

Now, to the stranger that drove the 4-wheeler by real slow today and dropped off this adorable long legged awkward cute little puppy, if you read my blog .. just let me say this to you, "It's not cool to dump puppies in the country just because you know some kids live there." Not cool at all.

So now we have to figure out what is to become of Puddy. We already have a Sam, Molly and a Katie ... and of course a few too many cows. Then we have to figure out what and how to tell the kids why Puddy isn't here tomorrow because I know MM thinks we're on overload with the three that we have now.

I'm wondering if the neighbors up the road a bit, the ones with six kids need a puppy .... No, I'm not going to take her there and dump her off ... but I am going to take her there when the kids are home and ask if they want her ... that's not cool either, but I'm between a rock and hard spot here. Maybe I should tie a big red ribbon on her neck and paint her toenails red and say, "Merry Christmas Neighbors!"

Oh Poo! What's one more dog??!!!

Mousie and The Littles

How do you teach your children not to smash an innocent wolly worm or a harmless little bug outside because it too has a life, and we don't kill things?

Then you teach your kids to kill those cute little fluffy little mice that look up at you so pitifully when they're stuck on a sticky trap, and they're begging with those shiny beady eyes to please don't kill me ... please just let me go!? Just how do you explain that to a three year old that loves bugs, worms, snakes and all the creatures of the world.

How do you tell them that Daddy is going to take Mousie outside and put him out of his misery ... and Mommy's misery too?! How do you explain that they live on a farm surrounded by fields and Mice is a way of life here and a forever battle, and all Mice go to Heaven.

How do you explain that to three little kids that are standing around you so excitedly trying to see the cute little mouse that is squeaking in fear, that they have named Mousie, and want to feed it a hotdog? What do you do when they want to keep it in their room forever and they are already gathering up toys for it to play with and blankets for it to sleep on? How do you tell them that the little fascinating creature is a MOUSE ... and all Mice go to Heaven?!

Tell me .... how do you teach them that it's okay to kill one animal and not another? In their little eyes and heart they love him ... just like the kitties and calves over at the barn, and just like Sam's Bug.

I'm really stuck on this one because right now they are so engrossed with this little brown mouse and we're waiting for them to go to bed before Mousie goes to Heaven. Forever.

If only Mousie hadn't squeaked so loudly .... and if only the Littles hadn't heard him and, well, you know the rest of the story. If only ....

Poor Littles. Poor Mommy. Poor Mousie!!

Can You Remember?

This evening, well actually about five minutes ago, while I'm sitting here in the recliner (with my laptop) in The Little's Room (that's another story) trying to get them to sleep (instead of having a disco party) .... Sam, who takes after me and is a night owl, got up and was peeking over my shoulder, and he said,

"Where is my Brown Bear with the green on his neck? You got him out of the mailbox when you were on the lawnmower and you gave him to me. You gave Jay the gray one and Meg the white one. My took him with me to the Willis barn in the wagon when Kristina was here. She pulled us in the wagons down there. My was in the orange wagon with my Brown Bear. Where is he now?"

How can he remember all those details exactly? He's not yet four years old and that was months ago. I am so amazed every day with some of the things these kiddo's say and do.

So I started asking him questions, and here's our little conversation:

ME: Do you remember when you were born?

SAM: Yes, My was in the hospital. My Grandpa was holding me. (I just love how he says "my" instead of "I").

ME: Sam, your Grandpa was not holding you in the hospital. Only Mommy and Daddy was holding you when you were in the hospital.

Sam: No, my Grandpa was holding me. My Grandma was sitting in the chair. Then he made me Bob the Builder Movies.

ME: (this is very eerie) Sam, you can't remember that because you were only four weeks old.

SAM: My Grandpa did hold me when my was a baby in the hospital. Pappy Keith hold me. (that is my Dad who visited once)

ME: Do you remember what you were wearing?

SAM: I had on long pants and my boots.

Okay ... he just blew it! I was starting to believe him there for a minute.

ME: Sam you didn't wear long pants and boots when you were a baby in the hospital ... you were little bitty and we didn't have any long pants then, or boots.

SAM: Yes my did! (Emphatically) My weared my long pants and boots in the hospital and my had my green truck and trailer. My worked on my baler by the pond and my Daddy was driving my tractor in the corn field. Meg was in the house because she's a girl and she doesn't do work. She goes shopping. (the boy is just a bit confused there)

ME: Where was Jay?

SAM: Jay was in his bed in the hospital.

ME: Jay got to come home from the hospital a week before you.

SAM: No, my leaved the hospital to help my Daddy farm. Then my go back to the hospital to sleep in my bed.

ME: Did the Doctor say it was okay to leave the hospital and go farming when you were a baby?

SAM: He told me to wear my boots because it was cold outside. My weared my coat too.

ME: Okay Sam ... it's bedtime. Let's kiss goodnight. I love you Sammy.

SAM: Night Night Mommy. My love you. My love Jesus too. Jesus hold me when I was a baby in the hospital too.

ME: Yes Sammy, I know he did. He held you real tight and didn't let you go did he?

Goodnight Sam!

A Cow is Born - Revised

For all you that have me on feeds ... sorry you're getting this again, but due to the higher power of the farm, aka the upper management, or my husband if you may ..... I am revising my post to be a little less graphic with what only represents a beautiful loving birth! I am only doing this to keep peace on the farm since I do have to live here. Talk about an infringement of my rights ... and Mama's. Ha!



I shall speak only of the gentle wonderful birth of a sweet baby calf that my kiddo's named Cloudy. I shall not speak of "assistive devices," and we shall only visualize a natural birth and not get the farm shut down. Okay?! ... and this shall make the neighborhood happy.


Meet Mama. The Littles named her Mama after they met her this evening in a dark barn while she was giving birth. I'm sure she could have done without our presence and an audience ... but being that my Littles live on a Dairy farm and Cows are our bread and butter, and someday soon they'll be out there in the mist of all the excitement, I thought they might want to witness the miracle of birth and the beginning of new life on our farm. Plus, they always get to name the new babies.

They watched with big eyes and had lots of questions. One question in particular that was really cute came from Meg. She asked, "Where are the rest of the babies?" I don't think she has the concept that not everything born is a triplet. Then once we got home this evening, they fired off questions like a rocket.

First of all, they wanted to know where the baby's Daddy was. I just couldn't add to their confusion, but I did snicker when Marlboro Man caught my eye. You see, this sweet little calf doesn't have a Papa. His Papa lives in a Nitrogen tank with about 100 other frozen straws of Cow DNA (semen). MM artificially inseminates all our ladies, and BINGO .... he was successful with Mama about nine months ago!

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Cloudy was just your ordinary miracle that happens in a straw filled barn. Her Mother, aka Mama, Moo'd loudly with each contraction. Push push push Mama! Being a Nurse and Mother myself, I wanted to pant for her and teach her Lamaze, then give her a shot of Morphine and get her an Epidural as fast as I could. Then I wanted to call 911 and have her air-lifted to a real hospital with real Doctors.


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Our entire family stood on the other side of the fence watching this beautiful miracle unfold.

No one had electricity out here due to the wind storm we had today .. and the only lights were run by a generator on our farm. So this evening, we all just hung out in the barn and Mama just happened to be in labor ... so we had a cheering and pushing party.

After Coudy's birth, my first question was, "Is it a boy or girl?" MM just grunted at me and got busy reviving the baby after they laid Mama's little 100 pound bundle of joy in the center of the birthing room.

Keep in mind, this is entirely different than a human birth. Marlboro Man was kneeling down doing something to the calf's nose, and I couldn't see what he was doing ... so I had to ask. He said that he was tickling it's nose with straw so that it would sneeze. WHAT??? No one did that to my babies after I delivered them. Instead, they got flipped upside down and received a first class massage. I guess MM does the tickle technique since baby calves are born so big and there is a 1,500 pound Mama standing by watching his every move. They do that so that when the calf sneezes, it sucks in air and starts to breathe. Pretty amazing, eh?

Once the baby started breathing, they let Mama have him. She immediately took over and started licking him clean, and giving him some well deserved loving. Licking a calf stimulates circulation. That's very similar to how when human babies are rubbed and dried ... it too stimulates circulation. So close and yet so far ....


Mama, your baby is beautiful, and you did such a good job!











Our babies aren't generally put to the teat of the Mama. Mama's milk goes to you instead. Well, maybe it goes to Sam's Club or IGA, Buehler's or Kroger's or some where. They will give the calf a bottle about an hour after it's born and then it will get up and walk. This little calf won't be living on our farm in about three days ... he just happened to be born a little guy. Little guys don't stay here since we have no need for bulls since we have a Marlboro Man and a Nitrogen tank. He'll be sold to someone who most likely will raise him and ... well, you don't want to know do you?










I also don't want anyone to think we're cruel out here on the farm. As soon as I post this, I'm going to call our local Animal Psychiatric Clinic and schedule Mama an appointment to help her process her lack of bonding time; and the fact that she didn't get to nurse her first born baby boy, related to the fact that she wasn't allowed to make a choice whether to breast feed or bottle feed.










Then next week , Mama and I are going to fly to Washington DC to lobby in congress to change the farm laws of bovine dairy births. We want them to get to room-in for at least the first 48 hours after giving birth, and we want to do away with the mandatory adoption of baby boys! A Mama should have a choice! Just don't tell MM my plans okay??!!











Anyway, my kiddo's went to bed tonight talking about the fluffy little Cloud they saw take his first breath tonight, and they thanked Jesus for letting him be born. Tomorrow evening we'll go visit him and take pictures of him, as we go to feed animal crackers to the Goats!

Saturday Morning Date

Bright and early this morning our phone rang. It was for the kids. The Neighbors were at the end of our road with Jax and were heading our way to pick up the Littles for a early morning walk and breakfast at their house.

I don't know if they were more excited to see The Neighbors or Jax, but either way they were loving it, and rearing to go. We set a world record on getting three kids dressed and out the door this morning.
They were so happy to leave me that they took off running and only Jay glanced back ... but I'm sure he didn't mean too. I think he was only looking for Jax. Now they're gone, and here I sit twiddling my thumbs and wondering what I'll this morning.

Bye kids! You can stay as long as you want too this morning. Don't worry about me ... I'll find something to do. I won't miss you too much ... no, not too much at all. (heehee-yeehaw)

These kiddo's of mine get around. They have a very active social life flitting from one set of Aunts and Uncles to another. This is their third date this week. I think I need a calendar book to keep up with them!

What you can't see in the light at the end of the tunnel (my road) is Grandma Pat walking up the road to meet them. Grandma Pat is Uncle Mike's Mother, but she's Grandma Pat to us!

The Girlfriend

Overheard through the TV monitor while "The Dad" was putting the Littles to bed.

Jay: My girlfriend is not home. She has to work late tonight.

Dad: Well ... you tell your girlfriend that her boyfriend is going to get his little butt spanked if he doesn't get in that bed! Now!!!

Jay: I don't have a girlfriend!

Gotta love that quick wit and the mind of a three year old!