An update on the Sweetie Pie

As we were driving in the car yesterday, my six year old daughter said, “Mama, a lot of people have been asking me if Sweetums has had her baby yet.” My daughter keeps a pretty full social calendar around town, so she interacts with quite a few adults who enjoy my column. I laughed, and thought, “If Sweetums only knew how wildly popular she has become…” Well, she has not had her baby yet, but I am pretty sure we are on the home stretch. I’m not an expert in the area of animal husbandry … (did anyone notice that I just used the phrase animal husbandry?) but from what I can tell, Sweetums has a pretty full and almost dropped udder. This is a noticeable change from all the other days of her life where you almost had to look up underneath her belly to see if her udder was there! In addition, she is doing the late-stages-of-pregnancy-waddle. Now, I am an expert in this area! Having had three kids myself, there is that time as you are nearing your due date where you walk like someone who is in pain. You walk like someone who doesn’t want to be walking. You walk slow and deliberate. You waddle. Well, Sweetums is demonstrating all of the above. Her belly is looking much more round and low. Folks, I think I have finally come to believe that she is actually pregnant! (The farmer-husband is rolling his eyes and shaking his head in the I-told-you-so way)
When we were discussing all of these recent developments the other day, the same daughter asked, “Will we have to help her have the baby?” Again, being the non-expert that I am in all things livestock related, I said, “Oh no honey, she’ll probably have the baby in the middle of the night when no one even knows what is happening. We’ll wake up one morning and her calf will be right beside her.” Farmer-husband nodded in agreement with this, so I knew that answer was accurate (whew! This is of great relief since this sounded pretty easy to me and would require absolutely no effort on my part). Of course the thoughts came flooding into my head of the worst case scenario type of situations. What if we did have to help her? What if the calf is sick? What if Sweetums doesn’t take to the calf? What if the goats butt in where they don’t belong and cause trouble? What if? What if? Oh brother! Once again I realize, this undertaking of a family milk cow is not for the faint of heart. But nothing about country life is! I take a deep breath and close my eyes. I remember the snake incident in the chicken coop and my valiant efforts in dealing with him. I remember all the bottle feedings to the goats and cows and the medicine administration that I handled with flying colors. I remember raising the chickens from babies with the heat lamp. I whisper softly to myself, “You can do this Tracie. You’ve got this. You’re brave. You are the farmer’s wife.” I open my eyes and see farmer-husband who always knows what to do in an emergency situation. Thank goodness for him! So will it be tomorrow, or a few more weeks? Don’t know for sure, so I better get my milking stool ready. Wait…. I’ve never milked a cow before!



I just can't really do the belly justice here



Ummm...Sweet Grass, please...can you just move a little to the right?!



Can I get an expert's opinion here? Is this a partially dropped udder or what?