ozcountryquiltingmum

Mothering issues: The good, the bad...and the just plain gross.

There are a lot of similarities about motherhood in the animal kingdom and motherhood in our more human realm. One major one is that not everyone is good at it, or perhaps, it is not always second nature.

Now in humans, this probably leads to visits from child protection in a major scenario while in nature the result of bad mothering is usually grim.

Fortunately for Sigmund's new best bud, we wondered past soon enough that he was found, hollow and weak, but still with enough energy to suck the teat, and now, two feeds later he is starting to put his head up.

Is he not cute!

His mother is not young and has no excuse to have left him days ago and be socialising at the trough, so her number has been taken and she will face the full brunt of our farm law-which means she will be looking for a new place to live next time a stock truck is visiting.

Now do you think Sigmund is happy?

Going for the ear like that is close to a cow kiss.

I am thinking Heinrich for a name. A Sigmund would have a brother, Heinrich, surely! I also think my kids had a great grandpa called that, known as Harry (perhaps fortunately!) which is the name my hypothetical next boy would be...but I think a calf is about the closest that name is going to get to an airing!

And then you get a naturally wonderful mother, and here she is...........

The kittens begin to go Christmas Eve, two children who spend their days carting them around in the doll pram and calling each other Mum and Dad are going to feel it deeply. I think Isabelle the cat will as well. I am hoping santa will lull the pain.

And they are going, so indulge me with gratuitous kitten picture #2.

Now that is a relaxed Mum.

She is obviously relaxed as her babies don't get vomiting bugs.....4-5 times in the night....just spaced out enough so that his mother could fully return to sleep.... and not once in the bucket and more than once on the carpet!

And then tonight, all better, he gave away the fact that he has peeped at a present under the tree....(because neither of them has any ability to lie) and he has cried and begged for forgiveness and spent an hour walking around the house shaking his head saying, "I am just so ashamed of myself." He was just as cute as those little kittens but I couldn't really tell him that, but I did tell him not to be so hard on himself because even mothers are very tempted to do that...my fingers itch to just open the edge of Gudrun's SSCs gift....but no, I am remaining strong!

I had another good mothering moment tonight as well, after trying to get them to appreciate "The Velveteen Rabbit" for a few years I have finally hit the year when they both snuggled up...and actually got it. DD picked up straight away that her baby born with it's pink and half dislodges eyes is real to her and DS lamented that he has never cared about anything quite like that...it was only after he went to bed that I realised that his security type toy is me....which is nice until everytime he has to go to School, or I go to do the groceries, or he would like to play at someones house....and unfortunately Mum doesn't fit in his back pocket. He will grow out of it, just like his sister will grow out of Baby born....and I am not sure that is a gratitude.......

have a great day, Tracey

ps...hopefully Dad's are understanding as well, because the way I am going here, mine will get a sketch of his quilt for Christmas!