It was a cold, white, morning in February as Farmer Mark trudged through the snow to the barn.
Brrr, it's freezing out here, farmer Mark thought as he walked wearing his long underwear, hat, coat, gloves, and boots. They probably won't have school again, since its 15 degrees below zero. BAAA BAAA! He stopped, looked and listened. BAA BAAA!
When he stepped into the barn and turned on the light, he saw a tiny baby lamb standing just outside the chicken pen door shivering with cold and crying loudly. She had just been born and was not with her mother. This is not good, he thought.
Brrr, it's freezing out here, farmer Mark thought as he walked wearing his long underwear, hat, coat, gloves, and boots. They probably won't have school again, since its 15 degrees below zero. BAAA BAAA! He stopped, looked and listened. BAA BAAA!
When he stepped into the barn and turned on the light, he saw a tiny baby lamb standing just outside the chicken pen door shivering with cold and crying loudly. She had just been born and was not with her mother. This is not good, he thought.
He picked her up and carried her back to the big sheep pen to find her mother. He melted the little ice crystals off her ears and tail as he carried her. There was her mother! And there was her sister! All the other ewes watched as he tried to give the tiny lamb back to her mother, Kali.
In all the excitement of giving birth, Kali had forgotten all about her first born baby. She didn't think this baby was hers. She didn't want her! All she wanted was to be left alone to care for the second born baby. Oh NO! Farmer Mark thought. I need help!
Holding the tiny lamb, he left Kali alone to care for her other baby lamb. He found a towel by the pen and wrapped her in it. Farmer Mark held her close as he hurried though the snow. Steam floated off of the baby and mist came out of it's nose, as he crunched through the snow back to the house.
In all the excitement of giving birth, Kali had forgotten all about her first born baby. She didn't think this baby was hers. She didn't want her! All she wanted was to be left alone to care for the second born baby. Oh NO! Farmer Mark thought. I need help!
Holding the tiny lamb, he left Kali alone to care for her other baby lamb. He found a towel by the pen and wrapped her in it. Farmer Mark held her close as he hurried though the snow. Steam floated off of the baby and mist came out of it's nose, as he crunched through the snow back to the house.
Farmer Mark burst through the door and yelled for his wife. "Kim, we have a problem!" The tiny lamb cried loudly, "BAAA BAA BAAAA!"
It was very early in the morning and Kim was still in her pajamas. "What happened? Why do you have that lamb in the house?" she asked as she ran to the door.
"Kali didn't want her and I found her walking in the barn by herself," Farmer Mark answered. "That's terrible," Kim said. "We have to try and trick Kali into taking her baby back right away." Kim put on her coveralls over her pajamas and she pulled on her warm wool socks. She put on her coat and scarf over the coveralls. She put on her boots, wrapped her scarf over her face, pulled up her hood, and then finally put on her wool gloves. She stuffed a packet of Saltine crackers in her pocket and grabbed her lambing kit. Now she was ready to go out into the cold too! BAA BAA BAA! Off they all went, back through the snow out to the barn.
It was very early in the morning and Kim was still in her pajamas. "What happened? Why do you have that lamb in the house?" she asked as she ran to the door.
"Kali didn't want her and I found her walking in the barn by herself," Farmer Mark answered. "That's terrible," Kim said. "We have to try and trick Kali into taking her baby back right away." Kim put on her coveralls over her pajamas and she pulled on her warm wool socks. She put on her coat and scarf over the coveralls. She put on her boots, wrapped her scarf over her face, pulled up her hood, and then finally put on her wool gloves. She stuffed a packet of Saltine crackers in her pocket and grabbed her lambing kit. Now she was ready to go out into the cold too! BAA BAA BAA! Off they all went, back through the snow out to the barn.
When they got to the big sheep pen, Kim and Farmer Mark approached Kali with the tiny lamb. Kim held out a few Saltine crackers because they were Kali's favorite treat. Kali sniffed the crackers and took one. She munched the cracker and looked down at her other baby. Kim picked up that baby lamb." BAA BAA!" she said. Kali became worried. "BAA BAA," she said back." BAA BAA," said the tiny lamb in Farmer Mark's arms." BAA BAA," The other sheep said.
Farmer Mark and Kim held the baby lambs in front of Kali to keep her from getting worried. Then they opened the door and walked backwards out of the big pen as the other sheep watched. They closed the door. Kali followed them complaining loudly. "Baa baa!" she cried as she followed them into her own little pen, called a lambing jug. There were heat lights in the jug, her own water bucket, her own grain and her own hay! Here she could rest and get to know her little lambs. Molasses had been put into her water bucket to help her recover from giving birth.
Kali was happy to have her little lamb, but not the one Farmer Mark put in front of her! She sniffed her and then butted her with her head as if to say---"go away, you don't' belong here". She knocked her down. "Baa Baa," the baby cried.
Farmer Mark held Kali by her horns and Kim picked up the rejected lamb to comfort her. The other lamb tried to nurse off of her mother. Kim tried to put the rejected lamb down so she could nurse too, but she was too weak. Kim squirted Kali's milk on the rejected lamb so that she might smell like her mother. Sheep mothers smell their babies so they can tell which ones belong to them.
Kim put the lamb down in front of Kali again and hoped the trick worked. Farmer Mark let go of her horns. Kali looked at the baby, sniffed her, and BAM! knocked her over again." Baa!Baa!" It was no use, Kali wasn't going to take both babies.
Farmer Mark and Kim held the baby lambs in front of Kali to keep her from getting worried. Then they opened the door and walked backwards out of the big pen as the other sheep watched. They closed the door. Kali followed them complaining loudly. "Baa baa!" she cried as she followed them into her own little pen, called a lambing jug. There were heat lights in the jug, her own water bucket, her own grain and her own hay! Here she could rest and get to know her little lambs. Molasses had been put into her water bucket to help her recover from giving birth.
Kali was happy to have her little lamb, but not the one Farmer Mark put in front of her! She sniffed her and then butted her with her head as if to say---"go away, you don't' belong here". She knocked her down. "Baa Baa," the baby cried.
Farmer Mark held Kali by her horns and Kim picked up the rejected lamb to comfort her. The other lamb tried to nurse off of her mother. Kim tried to put the rejected lamb down so she could nurse too, but she was too weak. Kim squirted Kali's milk on the rejected lamb so that she might smell like her mother. Sheep mothers smell their babies so they can tell which ones belong to them.
Kim put the lamb down in front of Kali again and hoped the trick worked. Farmer Mark let go of her horns. Kali looked at the baby, sniffed her, and BAM! knocked her over again." Baa!Baa!" It was no use, Kali wasn't going to take both babies.
Kali licked the other baby and moved her body so that Farmer Mark and Kim couldn't come near her. It was too cold to keep trying. The rejected lamb needed warmed up and fed. Kali needed to rest and take care of the other baby. "I guess we have to take her into the house," Kim said to Farmer Mark. "But first we have to take care of Kali's baby."
Kim opened her lambing kit and took out the scale, lamb paste, scissors , and gentle iodine. They weighed the lamb who weighed 7 and one half pounds. Next they snipped and dunked the umbilical cord in the iodine so it wouldn't get infected. Finally, they squirted lamb paste in her mouth to give her extra energy. Baa! the lamb licked her lips. Kali watched worriedly the whole time. She nickered to her lamb. Farmer Mark and Kim picked up the lamb kit, wrapped the rejected lamb back up in the towel and tromped back to the house. "Baa Baa", the lamb cried. She was cold and hungry.
Kim opened her lambing kit and took out the scale, lamb paste, scissors , and gentle iodine. They weighed the lamb who weighed 7 and one half pounds. Next they snipped and dunked the umbilical cord in the iodine so it wouldn't get infected. Finally, they squirted lamb paste in her mouth to give her extra energy. Baa! the lamb licked her lips. Kali watched worriedly the whole time. She nickered to her lamb. Farmer Mark and Kim picked up the lamb kit, wrapped the rejected lamb back up in the towel and tromped back to the house. "Baa Baa", the lamb cried. She was cold and hungry.
Once back inside the house, the dogs Buddy and Indie greeted them at the door. Baa baa baa! What is this creature doing in the house? The dogs sniffed her. Now on the floor, the lamb walked toward Buddy. He backed up. Farmer Mark and Kim quickly took off their coats, hats, gloves, coveralls, and scarf and put their boots in the tray by the door. "Baa baa!" The lamb cried as she followed Buddy into the living room. "No you don't," Farmer Mark said, as he picked her up and put her on the kitchen floor.
"What are we going to feed her?" Farmer Mark asked Kim. Kim put her robe back on over her pajamas and stepped into her slippers and then went into the basement. "Here" she said when she got back up to the top of the stairs. "I have some special baby lamb formula to feed her." Farmer Mark put his glasses on to read the directions. "Baa baa baa!" the baby lamb cried impatiently. She was very hungry, and she shivered.
"What are we going to feed her?" Farmer Mark asked Kim. Kim put her robe back on over her pajamas and stepped into her slippers and then went into the basement. "Here" she said when she got back up to the top of the stairs. "I have some special baby lamb formula to feed her." Farmer Mark put his glasses on to read the directions. "Baa baa baa!" the baby lamb cried impatiently. She was very hungry, and she shivered.
Farmer Mark read the directions as Kim took out an old soda bottle and a nipple from the package in the lambing kit. "Good thing I bought these years ago," Kim said, as she tried to figure out which ones to use. "I'll use the smaller ones now and the bigger ones later," she declared."One scoop of powder to one half cup of warm water and mix well," Farmer Mark read out loud. “Baa baa BAAAAA!” the poor little lamb said as she stood by the sink waiting for her milk to be mixed.
When the water was the right temperature, Kim bent down and held the bottle out for the little lamb. She sniffed it. Kim put the nipple in her mouth. The lamb didn't know what to do with it. Kim dropped some milk on her mouth. The lamb licked it. She wanted more. "Baa Baa!" she exclaimed. She couldn't make the milk come out. Kim squirted milk in her mouth with the nipple." Baa baa," she bleated. Finally, the baby lamb took the nipple and drank! Then she flopped down onto the floor and fell asleep. She had drunk about a quarter cup of the milk.
"What should we name her?' Kim asked Farmer Mark. "How about Annie, since she is an orphan? Farmer Mark said. "But she is a fighter too and has a strong spirit like, Annie Oakley who was from Ohio. It’s also February and we celebrate the Presidents’ birthdays. Ana Harrison was a First lady who was married to William Henry Harrison and he was an Ohio President. OK, its settled. Annie it is! "But what about her sister?" Farmer Mark asked. "She can be Dolly for First Lady Dolley Madison who was married to President James Madison." Kim replied."But why her?" Farmer Mark said."That's one of the First Ladies I can think of right now," Kim explained, "besides, there will be more lambs born and we'll need a lot of names." Presidents and their wives can be part of our name theme for this year.
When the water was the right temperature, Kim bent down and held the bottle out for the little lamb. She sniffed it. Kim put the nipple in her mouth. The lamb didn't know what to do with it. Kim dropped some milk on her mouth. The lamb licked it. She wanted more. "Baa Baa!" she exclaimed. She couldn't make the milk come out. Kim squirted milk in her mouth with the nipple." Baa baa," she bleated. Finally, the baby lamb took the nipple and drank! Then she flopped down onto the floor and fell asleep. She had drunk about a quarter cup of the milk.
"What should we name her?' Kim asked Farmer Mark. "How about Annie, since she is an orphan? Farmer Mark said. "But she is a fighter too and has a strong spirit like, Annie Oakley who was from Ohio. It’s also February and we celebrate the Presidents’ birthdays. Ana Harrison was a First lady who was married to William Henry Harrison and he was an Ohio President. OK, its settled. Annie it is! "But what about her sister?" Farmer Mark asked. "She can be Dolly for First Lady Dolley Madison who was married to President James Madison." Kim replied."But why her?" Farmer Mark said."That's one of the First Ladies I can think of right now," Kim explained, "besides, there will be more lambs born and we'll need a lot of names." Presidents and their wives can be part of our name theme for this year.
Later, Annie woke up and walked around the kitchen. She followed Kim around and wouldn't let her out of her sight. Kim was now her mother. Farmer Mark and Kim got out the lambing kit. Annie's umbilical cord was cut and disinfected with the gentle iodine. She was given a squirt of lamb paste and weighed. Annie barely weighed 6 lbs. She was almost one and one half pounds lighter than her sister, Dolly.
Annie shivered. Kim found her a partially felted piece of wool. She picked Annie up and put her in a storage bin and put the wool around her. Annie seemed contented for the moment. Kim had to figure out something else to keep her warm when she got out from under the wool. Annie needed a coat! Hmm, she's too little for any coats we have here, Kim thought.
Annie shivered. Kim found her a partially felted piece of wool. She picked Annie up and put her in a storage bin and put the wool around her. Annie seemed contented for the moment. Kim had to figure out something else to keep her warm when she got out from under the wool. Annie needed a coat! Hmm, she's too little for any coats we have here, Kim thought.
I have an idea!Kim rushed up stairs. When Kim left, Annie cried, "Baa Baa Baa" and stood up and tried to get out of the bin. Kim was back in a minute. "Here I am Annie. I'm going to make you a coat." Kim got out her scissors and made a few cuts in a big red sock. She lifted Annie out of the bin and put the sock and matching hat on her. Annie stopped shivering. Kim gave Annie some more milk to drink.
Annie knew what to do this time! She drank hungrily and wagged her tail as she drank. Annie walked over to the dog bed in the corner of the kitchen and flopped herself down. She curled her legs under her.
She dozed with her head up.
Soon her head fell all the way down to the bed. She was sound asleep. It was a tiring day being born, but also such a wonderful feeling to be warm, full of milk, and loved. And so began Annie's entrance into the world.