Baby "M"--7/9 column

Up until Tuesday, I owned the world’s most pregnant cow.

Being a 4-Her for so many years, there are a few “projects” I’ve yet to give up: flowers, photography and, most notably, dairy. When I moved to northern Wisconsin a few years back, some of my cows came with me shortly after. A few milking cows stayed at my parents place, payment for feeding them all these years, but the four heifers I had moved north. I had two Holsteins, Tasha and Dana, and two Ayrshires, Greta and Marnie. The Holsteins are not fairing so well. One refused to have a calf until she was more than three years old. She just doesn’t milk. In Nate’s barn the cows pay their own way or they don’t stay. Dana hurt her back in a stall after she freshened and hasn’t been the same. The only thing saving both of them is that they keep having calves.

I’ve had more success with Greta and Marnie. I have to admit Greta is my favorite if only because she goes back to my old show cow, Willie. She’s also given me two heifer calves and is just pretty to look at. Marnie is pretty much the opposite of Greta in appearance: short and fat. But, she milks well, is pleasant to work around and keeps having calves.

After having her first calf in June of last year, Marnie bred back right away and was due May 2. The day came and went with Marnie looking as fat and dry as ever. By June we were really worried, but she wasn’t acting sick like there was a problem. Nate swore up and down he wrote her breeding date down correctly, and she could not have gotten near a bull in the freestall barn. The vet was out for pregnancy checks the second week in June, so we had him ultrasound Marnie. Yes, there was a calf. Yes, it looked good and was alive. We would just have to wait. As time went on we came to the realization someone didn’t write down the second breeding date (first time it has ever happened since the farm has been using artificial insemination).

On Tuesday I finally got the happy news: Marnie had a calf, and it was even a heifer. In Nate’s words, she is only about 50 pounds and “cute.” Now comes the tough part: what to name the little bugger. Tradition dictates she will have an “M” name like her mother and grandmother, Marita. Meanwhile, I’ll be combing the breeding records trying to figure out who her daddy is so I can register her. We only keep a few Ayrshire bulls in the tank, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. If all else fails, maybe one of the daytime talk show hosts would invite her for a paternity test on the show.

If only...

The Fourth of July was on a Friday every year. It was nice to have a three day weekend, especially on a holiday that was "assignment light." We stayed busy though. Here's what we did.

Thursday: I get a call from Nate, "When are you going to be home? We've got hay to unload." So I unloaded five (? I lost count, but I think that's what we did) loads of hay when I got home from work. Whoop-dee-do. Then I soaked the dirt and crud off in a hot bath and went to bed early.

Friday: Cheryl and I picked four gallons of strawberries. I got some groceries and Sure-Jel and made two batches of strawberry freezer jam. I've still got a whole gallon left and I need to buy a chest freezer before I can do any more. We went to the fireworks in Medford Friday night and had a couple at the bar afterwards.

Saturday: I got up early and made two salads, then Nate and I went to my grandparents for lunch. We met my mom and Kaitlyn there to hand off Jacob. Boy, was he excited to see us! We spent a good part of the afternoon there, then headed back north. That night we all went to the NTPA pulls. Jacob fell asleep on Grandpa Tony's lap still wearing his ear muffs.

Sunday: Jacob and I headed to Eau Claire and met Jen and Cindy for lunch, arcade and shopping. Jacob hit the 250 ticket jackpot on a wheel game (he pulled the handle then hit the stop button). After we spent all our money we putzed around the mall for a while, then said our good byes and headed home. Cindy sent a new toy for Jacob: a red Powerwheels Chevy truck. The battery is on the charger now and Nate can't wait to teach Jacob how to drive it.

Also, I got some big news over the weekend. It's still hush-hush, so it will stay quiet for now, but there will be a big announcement in the future! I will say we're thrilled Jacob will finally have a playmate. And no, I'm not pregnant.

Gone to Camp Grandma (7/2 column)

I believe I write nearly the same, exact column every time this happens, please bear with me.

I am childless this week.

Once or twice a year, Jacob gets to go spend a week at “Camp Grandma.” He’s been doing it since he was about nine months old but I still can’t quite get over the shock of not having him around. The house is quiet when I come home at night. There’s no Sponge Bob theme song blaring, no sound of the toy box getting dumped in the middle of the living room floor and no commotion of kid and dog wrestling on the floor. (Typically, this ends with one of them crying, but then they are back at it 30 seconds later.) Speaking of the dog, even Lucy seems to be depressed. The pup has done little but sleep the entire time she’s in the house. Outside she seems bored. Or maybe she’s enjoying it.

As much as I miss Jacob this week, there is a certain freedom in his absence. On Monday I didn’t have to rush out of work to get him from day care before the deadline. I haven’t had to stop in Stetsonville to drop him off at the babysitter, or worry about who will watch him Wednesday night when I’m at the Dorchester village board meeting. I’m also not finding so much stuff out of place at home. Toys are staying in their places. Pudding cups aren’t left at random around the house. The floors don’t even have as much dirt tracked in from outside.

Since he left Sunday after lunch, I’ve been trying to keep myself busy getting things done I wouldn’t normally be able to do (at least as efficiently). Sunday afternoon I took out the weed whacker and attacked some tall grass south of the house that I’ve been too scared to take the lawn mower through. A cement block won’t damage the trimmer nearly as much as the mower. I’d never run a weed whacker before Nate and I bought one a few weeks ago. I’m learning it can be very therapeutic.

When I was done I was even able to shower without a single interruption.

In the evening I treated myself to some peaceful shopping. OK, I admit it was just to Medford, but it was relaxing not having to chase a toddler through the aisles or worry about what expensive chunk of glass he might pull off the shelves. Monday evening I was able to get more flowers planted without needing to keep one eye on Jacob to make sure he didn’t wander too close to the road.

I almost feel a little guilty sometimes that I might not be missing him enough. But then it gets to be time for bed. Lately Jacob wants to snuggle with me or Nate before he drifts off to sleep. Not having him there at bed time has made both me and Nate miss him a lot. Still, I’m not going to feel too bad about enjoying my little vacation from motherhood. I have been calling my mom and dad’s house a couple times a day just to check up on the munchkin. Thus far, I’ve barely gotten a word out of him over the phone. The most response I’ve had was Monday night when my sister handed him the phone and asked if he wanted to talk to mom.

“No,” Jacob said. “I’m watching Sponge Bob.”

I see where I rank at Camp Grandma.