It was Thursday evening. I was tired from a long day of baking and bread delivery and a long week of calf checks. A few nights of midnight alarms to run out to the barn to check on Charlotte and see if the calf was on it’s way. Cyril was looking for something to do and Mike and I hadn’t even finished eating supper.
“Go out a check Charlotte. That will give you something.” I told him. He wasn’t thrilled but it was something to do. He grabbed a flashlight and headed to the barn. We watched from the kitchen window not expecting much. Well it wasn’t too long later that he was running back to the house.
“There’s a little leg behind Charlotte!”
Mike and I put on our boots and flannels and headed out to the barn. I didn’t really give a thought to the rest of the kids to be honest. They all found their way out there too. It looked as though little miss Quinn had help zipping her coat and she got her own boots on but whoever was helping her forgot to put her pants on.
Either way, we all made it out and gathered by the dim light of a lantern I had set in the corner of the loafing shed and waited. The kids, completely out of character, stood so quietly and just watched intently. Charlotte didn’t mind us there at all. We all took turns petting her as we waited. Finally the baby was on the ground. I’d like to say that we gave her some space to meet her first baby but there was way too much excitement and the kids gathered around to find out it was a heifer and pet the new slimy calf.
We named her Bernadette and the kids held their breath and she tried to stand on her wobbly legs. It would take a little while longer before she would make it and it was well past bedtime. Disappointedly the kids were sent to bed.
Once they were in bed we snuck back out to check on the girls. I needed to make sure Bernadette was eating before I would be able to sleep. It took some coaxing but she found her way well enough that I went to the house too.
The next morning the kids were out before first light to go see “Bernie”. We’ve been blessed with another good mama. She’s never balked at the kids being in her yard before or after the calf. It’s been a great learning experience for them!
