Those are two job titles I’ve earned since deciding to engage in our homesteading adventure. The former I earned today, assisting Suki through her first delivery.
Suki had been showing signs of labor all weekend. She’d been pawing, contorting, heavy breathing, groaning, dripping mucous, contracting. I spent so much time in the goat shed. Some of it was very tranquil. It’s quite nice to take a nap with a goat. Other times, like at night during torrential downpour, being eaten alive by mosquitos dressed in a sopping hoody while staring at the goats ass…. not so idyllic. My (marvelous and infinitely helpful) WOOFer Katie took shifts. Auntie Alexis took shifts and even had the pleasure of helping hold Suks while I performed my first cervical exam as the vet was up North for a family gathering. (We were worried she her amniotic sac had burst and there may be issues with potential kids.) Through all of this Suk’s was the suckiest she had ever been, literally becoming a lap goat. Laying across my legs, nuzzling my neck, putting herself under my hands. She really wanted love. So we gave it.
This afternoon her udder looked like it was going to burst. Each teat looked like a jumbo cartoon breast from Playboy. Her hind end had gone from very puffy to sunken and she began bellowing through her contractions. Scott eventually heard this and came dashing out to the goat shed just in time to see a little nose emerging from within the fluid filled sac. With a little manoevering and a few good pushes on her part we were soon helping clean off her beautiful little doeling.
Suki took instantly to mothering; licking furiously and keeping a hawk eye on her precious one. Little Cindy Ray took quickly and easily to nursing. It was such a wonderful experience to get to share alongside my wonderful husband. He caught Bob when he was born and played a huge role in supporting me during my labour with Meeps. It was so fantastic to be able to help support our wonderful little goat through her labour, together. Definitely softens the sadness of knowing we will not be having anymore kids ourselves.
And now I will shut up and show off some pictures.
On the topic of daughters, here is a recent picture of four generations of lovely ladies.
It is my precious little daughter’s birthday tomorrow. But the Great Grandparents started their journey back to Hawaii today, so we shared presents for her yesterday. We had a Blessingway planned, but given the unrelenting rain, the 7 or 8 desserts that failed miserably and the fact that I smelled like a goat… we decided to postpone.
There are plenty of people who think we are nuts over one component of our parenting ethos or another and one of those things involves toys. We eschew plastic toys, specifically those containing BPA and pthalates. We do this for two reasons: (1) I’d rather not expose my kids to said chemicals and (2) them toys is ugly. I’ve gotten my share of “but you’re depriving them of play!” Most certainly, I am not. Mags presents included such wonders as a wooden coffee maker; a stash of handsewn finger puppets; a wool stuffed fairy and a fantastic set of felted peas in a pod, which I didn’t manage to take a picture of in daylight today, but I assure you are achingly adorable. BEHOLD!
Maggie wore the dress I sewed for her from Anna Maria Horner fabrics (so wonderful) and Bob wore the Amish pattern based shorts I sewed for him over the winter. He performed what he called Amish Dances all over the living room that day. They involved a lot of twisting and writhing, much akin to Suki’s recent behaviour.
And now it’s time for me to sleep, not in the manger, but in my own bed.
Good night all. Thanks for checking in.
Congrats on the new arrival! Congrats to you and Scott on your anniversary! And best wishes to Meep on her second birthday!
HAHA! Love the kids berry faces~great stuff. So glad to see all the exciting things you guys have going on…congrats on your anniversary <3 thinking of coming up in July this summer
see u then hopefully!
congrats on the new arrival and belated birthday to Meeps! The 4 generation picture btw is pretty striking. You all have such strong features.
What a lovely way to celebrate a birthday, much love to Meeps (and Bob, in case he’s feeling left out!).
XOXO
That is a whole lotta cuteness packed into one post
Gorgeous pics!!! Could you share some of the places that you purchase natural toys from please?
I love the four generations photo! And YAY for baby goats! She’s so cute and snuggly and now I totally want to visit an animal sanctuary to play with them.
Woo baby goats! Woo Meep’s birthday! Woo life and love!
What an awesome (albeit gross and grueling) experience with Suki.
P.S. You are so tan these days!
And the Four Generations photo is so awesome!
What an absolutely beautiful photo of the four of you! Your Mum and Gran are total foxes!
Cindy Ray? Was there a B kid that we missed?
I love it when you post about non-plastic kids’ toys. I have a ton of nieces and nephews and while their parents don’t have any rules about plastic toys, I prefer to get them toys made from natural materials or toys that inspire creativity, but I’m at a loss for ideas sometimes. So your toy posts always help me out!
i loved this entry, SO GOOD! cute kids as always.
Delma: Here’s a link to my favourite stuff on Etsy. Most of my fave toys are on there I think? I’ll have to make a blog about my faves sometime.
http://www.etsy.com/people/Twwly/favorites?ref=favorites
Priscilla: The Nubian/Boer girls I bought as babes last summer are “Betty Broadbent” and “Billy Jean Baker”. Not births here, but arrived wee.
wonderful photos all! especially the generations photo. you’re truly blessed.
Hey I’ve been reading your blog for awhile now; I caught up with it through the Sugar Shack website as I am a native of Kincardine and have a couple pieces from your wonderfully talented hubby. Anyways, I’m just wondering how you go about informing potential gift givers about your aversion to plastic. I have a little boy who is about to turn two and while most people know that we are pretty cautious consumers, I don’t really think people get that I would prefer THEY also not buy him plastic toys or stuff plastered in disney (etc.) characters. I don’t really know how to explain it to people without sounding presumptuous or unappreciative. You know, “oh by the way, if you’re going to buy my son a gift, could it please not be plastic junk?” I thought I had been very obvious about our opinions but we continue to amass quite a bit of the stuff. We have said “no gifts” as well but people tend to just giggle at that suggestion…
Hi Alicia!
For parties with friends, I do still ask for no gifts. On invitations we say “No gifts: best wishes only, please.” Some do completely disregard it, and if you have a bunch of those ask for something specific instead.
Creative ways around it I have seen are book exchanges at birthday parties. Or specifically asking for books. (You can never have too many books!)
Here’s a great one I heard of recently: asking everyone to bring a card only, with a picture of them in it and a nice note. The child (who turned 4) LOVED it.
You could ask for a little craft made by the giver. Or a tiny plant. Or puzzles. Or craft supplies. (Tie it in with party theme: it’s a CRAFT PARTY! Yee haw” ha).
For grand parents for a long time I would do the shopping, show them what I bought and then they would in turn buy it from me to give to our kids. Now they buy mostly clothes, occasionally contribute to larger “presents” (like our giant swing set) and contribute to the kids RESPs. You could also ask for help in furnishing a fish tank, or redoing their playroom or things of that nature.
Our relatives and close friends know we don’t desire or tend to keep plastic toys. I have donated several garbage bags full to shelters and charities already, and Bob isn’t even 4 yet! Eventually they get the drift, because they see (1) what kind of toys you have in your house and (2) what they have bought isn’t there. (It’s being enjoyed by a child… just not your child).
My friend Chrystel bought Meeps a little pop up tent from CDN Tire for her birthday. She was like “you guys are so hard to buy for because I know you throw most of it away, you’re a challenge!” But man, did she ever rock it with that little tent!
Good luck!!