12:04pm

Well Maggie's due date has come and gone. It was Tuesday the 14th. Nope, no calf. But with the last two she has had with us she has been 9 and 10 days late. So... we wait.
We had thought she was going to go early due to the fact that her udders swelled up so. So we have been watching her and staying close to home. Well, I'm usually always home, but you get the picture. We even checked on her in the middle of the night a few nights. No calf. Not to mention she wouldn't come in the barn. Not even for me!! She always comes in for me. Stubborn cow. I would have felt better having her outside and calving in the field. More room and I didn't have to worry about anything happening to the calf outside.
So today I was doing school with the kiddos when  looked out the window and checked on Maggie. She was way up in the pasture, and it looked like she was dancing. I grabbed the binoculars to get a closer look. She was dancing. I know that sounds weird but that is the only way I can think to get a picture in your head. She was moving slowly in a circle, her hips slightly swaying and her back legs moving slowly around the front. Her head was low to the ground and then she would stop and take a few bite of lush green grass. Then sway her hips and back legs would move again. I stood in the window watching. The kiddos were watching me wondering what was going on. I smiled and grabbed the phone. I told the kiddos that "I think Maggie is gonna have a baby today." They cheered. I called my husband. He's been working out of town. I told him what was going on, and he said to keep him posted. I hung up and tried to get the kiddos back to school, but we were all too busy wondering about Maggie. We went outside and stood quietly watching with the binoculars. Each one taking turns and chattering excitedly as Maggie would lay down, and stand back up and dance around again. We came back in the house and got lunch ready, and peeking out the window. Not really wanting to eat, but getting it out anyways. We looked out the window and Maggie was laying down with her butt in the direction we could not see. Bummer. Then as she stood up and turned out came the baby as she stood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I saw it!!!!!!! The kiddos saw it!!!!!!!!!!!! How excited we all were!!! I called my husband again and told him she had just had the calf!!!!!!!!!!!!! I looked at the clock. 12:04pm. We gave her about 10 minutes and then we walked up the path to see her. We kept our distance because she gets real upset and pushy and will try to knock you over. We saw such a beautiful, wet, red looking calf laying in the grass soaking up some love from her mama. It shook it's little head and tried to stand up. Fell over and tried again. It laid there and rested. Mama Maggie mooed her special moo to her baby and licked the baby's  face. She pawed the ground, and kept her eye on us. Reluctantly we walked back to the house. I didn't get a look at the hind end of the baby. I still didn't know what it was. But I was happy to see it getting loved and dried off, and trying to get up. I knew they both needed some time. A few folks driving by stopped to see the new little calf too.
Within the hour it was up and nursing like a champ. I was pleased. And relieved. Still I did not know what the sex was...and dying to know!
Maggie delivered the afterbirth and my oldest daughter saw that. She thought it was gross. So I explained it to her, and then it wasn't so gross. Well Maggie decided to eat the afterbirth. I know that can cause them to choke and was worried about it. I didn't dare go out in the field alone, even with a stick. My father in law came over and we drove his jeep out in the field and I had a stick and a bucket. Well by the time he got here and up there Maggie had eaten all the afterbirth. We sat in the jeep and watched her for maybe 20-30 minutes. Not really sure what was going to happen. I do know she has eaten it before with her first one she had with us. But as we were sitting in the pasture watching the miracle of life and motherhood it stood up and wanted to eat...I held my breath and hoped it would turn and give me a nice shot of it's butt...it did!!!

We are pleased to announce we have a new little heifer calf!! Her name is Daffodil aka Daffy. Our oldest daughter named her. A fitting name for a spring baby. She is also the full sister to Dandie!!

Isn't she the sweetest thing????????!!!!!!!!!!! She say "hellooooo"
Her and mama are fine so far. We'll be keeping an eye on them and making sure they both stay fine. They are in the barn for the night. Maggie is all milked. My husband said it was nice to be milking again.

I didn't have the camera, my husband took it with him, so I had to wait until he got home from work to get any pictures of her. She is super cute.
We feel blessed and are very thankful.
Have a great night all!