We took the kids to the county fair last week. Being the suburbanites that we are my kids don't get many opportunities to see livestock up close and personal, so we make a point of going every fall to see the cows, ducks, chickens, goats, sheep, and pigs. Since we don't exactly live in the country, it's not quite as big as I'm sure some county fairs are, but a fun learning experience none the less.
This year I saw something I'd never seen before. A calf nursing. And as I looked over at it I thought to myself how I could relate with that poor mama cow as the life was being literally sucked right out of her in front of the whole world. But then I watched the little calf head but it's mama as he nursed. REPEATEDLY. My husband laughed because he said my mouth just hung open and it was quite obvious the feelings of sympathy that were running through my mind. My nursing days are through for now, but I'll think twice before complaining to anyone about the discomfort. While I often did eat my meal while nursing, I NEVER had to go to the bathroom while nursing (yes, see that nice deposit down there by mama's feet, my poop loving kids got a kick outta watching that action) and thankfully I wasn't head butted repeatedly during the process.
That is one picture and anecdote that I'll save just for my friends at THAT family's carnival. I think I'll just put this picture in my scrapbook instead and keep the anecdote between me and you.
Ha ha ha....funny how we nursing mom's notice things like that. I too felt like the life was being sucked out of me too. Thank goodness those days are behind me!
ReplyDeleteLove the cows!
Ha ha your poop lovin' kids! Poor mama cow, that's how much we love 'em though.
ReplyDelete*Girl Power!
gee, you make it sound so great. i can't wait! and i love that the poop thread gets to continue through the week! as always, great pictures. :)
ReplyDeleteSix months after I had my second c-section, I found myself at the Alaska State Fair. We were looking at a pig who had just had eight babies. And the sign proudly proclaimed she had to have a c-section, too. I never felt so much sympathy and connectedness to a pig in my life. I still think about her - lol.
ReplyDeletePoor mama cow. At least she gets to have a leash and some kind of head-strap-leader thing around her little one and no one will call her names! Do you really want to know how often I wished for something like that when my twins were small?? Would have made life SO much easier!
ReplyDeleteI can totally relate to this post since I have been knee-deep in manure this week!
ReplyDeleteHi, I'm a new reader. I think I found your blog through That Family's site. I just had to say that I have the EXACT nursing story from my first child. He was less than 2 weeks old, we were at a family wedding we had to drive 2 1/2 hours to get to, and it wasn't until it came time to nurse that I too realized the same thing....dresses aren't good for public nursing. I found a corner of the kitchen that was far from the crowd and sat with my dress hanging around my neck. :) The things we've done as mothers... I love your blog. You have a precious family and I love how much fun you have together!
ReplyDeletePah!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is nursing while hanging over the baby's carseat in the backseat while hubby is driving and giving all those passerbys a little sneak peek! (One time I used my Pump In Style in the backseat and my sister was driving and I forgot I left an interior light on and she said, "Arent' you worried about people seeing in?" I was like, "Privacy glass is a wonderful thing." Then she reminded me about the interior light being on and people being able to see in. I just looked out the window and waved!
The first time I saw a calf nursing I was pregnant with my first. I wanted to vomit! Needless to say, he was a preemie and couldn't suck so I got out of breastfeeding. Instead, I was slave to a pump, and MIL told me that I looked like a cow in a dairy being milked.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my "Fro entry. As for the bright colors, it used to take me forever to fall asleep at night. I used to "see" things in the crazy flowers.
Thanks for the laugh! As a nursing mom, I do relate!
ReplyDeleteI love going to the fair. I'm glad you got to have fun with your kids.
: ) Becky
Ahh poor mama cow. I have nursed my kids while I was on the toilet. Hey it was that or pee my pants. My poor kids :)
ReplyDeleteThe head butting would have to hurt, or maybe cow mama's are used to it? My kids much preferred tugging at my neck.
And for once I feel grateful I was unable to nurse our little Tongginator...
ReplyDeleteYou would not believe how many baby cow's get kicked by there mama, because they are getting a liitle to big to nurse.
ReplyDeletethe life lessons one learns at the fair! Cute picture of you and your gang!
ReplyDeletePoor cow...I guess I never thought about being head-butted repeatedly! I'm sure she prefers it to a milking machine though. :)
ReplyDeleteSee, you can find a story in anything! I, too, thought the life was being sucked out of me when I nursed ... I remember that after my first child was born, I was thinking, "wow, I have milk dripping out of me, her diaper leaks on me all the time, sometimes she spits up on me, I need to just live in the bathroom." Funny ... I miss those days!
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