*WARNING: This post contains graphic images.*
I don’t think there’s anything in here that any of you can’t handle but I have to throw this out there just in case anyone is squeamish or queasy right now.
So today started like most other days. Scarlet woke up hungry somewhere in the 7:00-8:00am hour and we began our day. Hers included two naps with Daddy. Mine included a much needed haircut and an eyebrow threading.
Scarlet watched me apply lip gloss and then decided she wanted to try it too. She couldn’t quite figure out how to use it, though:
Then we set off for Amma Peggy’s house. She lives in a sweet bungalow right near UConn-Storrs and had made us delicious carrot soup, garlic bread and chocolate chip cookies. Peggy and Scarlet shared a bowl of soup and then rolled a ball on the floor. They love each other very much:
We rounded up Peggy’s dog, Chloe, and set off to visit the barns at Uconn’s Department of Science. They are open to the public and had many visitors since it’s baby animal time! We saw many cows with their newborn calves, most of the calves under a week or two old. A lot of the mother cows were wary of us and made groaning noises. That’s ok because I had Scarlet with me and I was wary of those cows as well so I groaned back at them.
We snuck into the sheep barn and saw tons of baby sheep. They pranced and danced for us. Some of the adult sheep didn’t like our intrusion and bleeted angrily at us. One hothead in particular jumped up on the fence and yelled obscenities at us. What a silly sheep. Finally an employee busted us for sneaking into the sheep barn and with a baby to boot, so we went back to the cow barn and saw a mother cow about to give birth. However, the farmers (read: not vets) had reason to believe the baby was both upside down and breech so help was called.
This took a lot of time and we got bored and went for a nice walk with the stroller. We came back to load Scarlet into the car but curiosity got the best of me and I went back to see the cow in labor. She was still in distress but now help had arrived – a farmhand with tons of cow knowledge and zero cow bedside manner. After he skittishly checked the cow out, he announced, “Let’s take her to the shoot!” Some children there were scared and said, “What’s a shoot???” He had to explain that he wasn’t going to kill the cow but needed to take her to an area called “the shoot” so they could pull the baby out. He looked and sounded a lot like Buddy from “Ace of Cakes.”
At this point, Scarlet really needed a nap and we had dinner plans to get to but I had to see this cow’s birth through. I was told, “Upside down and breech? The baby is most likely dead.” Why, oh why, did I not leave then? I guess I needed to see how the story played out. At this point, you could see the calf’s feet sticking out of the mama cow:
Poor, poor cow.
Two people then tried to pull out the baby:
Then there were three:
The cow dropped to the ground and the three people lowered themselves as well. They pulled and they maneuvered and they pulled and…
There he was. Welcome to the world, little cow. Are you ok?
Yes, yes I am ok. But brrrr…..It’s freaking almost April, for God’s sakes!
I’m cute. I’m small and I’m new and I’m skinny and I’m cold. Do you think they’d consider changing the school mascot to me?? I’m much more common around these parts than the elusive white husky.
The End.
Amma Peggy promises to update me on the mama and baby cow’s conditions. It was a rough birth and the poor mom had had enough. I hope they got to bond later.
We took a quick trip to the big UConn bookstore for hot coffee and a UConn Huskies dress for Scarlet.
Afterward we went to Grandpa Larry’s house for an absolutely delicious dinner of (inappropriate) corned beef, salad, potatoes and carrots, and noodle kugel. He also made chocolate mousse pie for dessert. Uncle Sam and Aunt Jess were there for some ridiculous and fun conversations. Scarlet has decided that she loves them very much and that she wants a lip ring just like her Uncle’s:
Bedtime.