Baby Mateo
I recently went to visit my Mom in Montana--in fact I got back last night after a refreshing eleven hour drive. I missed calving season in Montana, which is labor intensive, even with only eight calves coming. My folks used to have 80 calves coming every spring, which is a small operation, but difficult for two people in their sixties, because it often involves a lot of emergency veterinary medicine in the wee hours of the morning, coupled with protective mother cows crazed by maternal hormones. Anyway, I may have missed calving, but I arrived for the donkey foaling season. All one of him. And I have photos...
When I arrived at Mom’s place she took me out to show me her only pregnant critter—a Mediterranean donkey, who is about 36 inches high—and at this point about 48 inches wide. I’m not kidding. I wish I had a photo of her pregnant. In fact, I fully intended to have a photo of her pregnant, but when I went out to take it, half an hour after checking her status before dinner, there was a little red donkey wobbling around.
I’m always amazed at how little time passes between when these little guys hit the ground and when they’re up, looking for something to eat.
It takes a little while before the babies get the hang of nursing, but they see to know what they’re looking for. It’s just a matter of where to find it. It’s pretty amazing to watch, and such a relief when they finally figure it out and their little tails start making happy circles as they eat.
Here he is trying to figure out where lunch went when his mama laid down to rest after feeding.
Here's mother and son the next morning.
The neat thing about these donkeys are they are almost as cute when they're grown up as they are as babies. This is Mateo's auntie.
This is the baby in my life right now. Do you have a baby in yours?
OMG
He is the CUTEST thing! I want one! LOL
Thanks for sharing the pictures... How lucky you arrived just in time!
Glad to have you back, and wanted to sneak in for everyone to know that tomorrow is Jeannie's b'day -- when she came into the world as a cute little babe herself. ;)
Happy Birthday to you and Mateo!
Sam
Why, Sam...I had no idea you
Why, Sam...I had no idea you knew it was my birthday. Thank you! And these guys make excellent yard pets. They wander around and eat grass and when you come into the yard, they want to be petted. One of Mateo's relatives goes to the retirement homes to visit the elderly there. They really get a kick out of him.
Happy Belated Birthday, Jeannie!!
Mateo is absolutely adorable! I'd love to see him in person. Loved the pics.
Kay
Kay Stockham
www.kaystockham.com
Thanks, Kay. He is a doll.
Thanks, Kay. He is a doll. :)
He's ADORABLE!
Jeannie, that little guy is so sweet!! I want one, too! That's amazing that mama delivered so quickly and, I'm guessing, without assistance? Excellent. Eleven hours on the road?? You must be wiped out, too! Happy Birthday to another June baby...hope the coming year is filled with wonderful things for you!
Thanks for the birthday
Thanks for the birthday wishes, Karen!
Wow!
Jeannie, he's just adorable!! I'll show the photos to my kids, but I'll have to brace myself for requests for one of our own ;) We don't currently have any animal babies right now, and our human baby is almost 3 so he isn't so much a baby any more either--whew! (As cute as they are, I don't think I have the energy for another one!)
And happy happy birthday!! Do you have fun plans for some celebrating?
It seems like yesterday when
It seems like yesterday when my own kids were three, but now I have a three-year old in a story and I'm at a loss to remember what three is like, lol. I'm going to borrow a kid and do some research. :)
We're going to Reno for my birthday. Three days of luxury hotel while my son holds down the fort at home and feeds the animals. Thanks for asking, Fedora.
Excellent!
Your birthday plans sound lovely! And uh, feel free to borrow any or all of our kids any time you need to research :) (Or you can feel free to ask questions and get an earful ;))
Thanks, Fedora :)
Thanks, Fedora :)
Awwwwwwww!
So sweet! Almost as cute as my little man. ;) He's almost 4, so I don't think he counts as a "baby". We went through a stage about 6 months ago when I was roundly and repeatedly chastised for calling him, "Baby". "I'm not a baby, mama. I'm a Big Boy."
Well, yes. When I want you to use the potty or stop waking up in the middle of the night, you're a Big Boy. But you'll always be my baby.
Try explaining that to someone with eyes as big as that donkey's, and Thomas the Tank Engine on his underpants.
Happy Birthday, Jeannie!
Margaret
Awww...Thomas the Tank
Awww...Thomas the Tank Engine undies. And they always are your babies--especially the boys. They will try to take advantage of that later, though...:)
Awww
He is the sweetest thing ever! Looks so cuddly and soft!
Happy Early Birthday Jeannie!!
Maureen
How freaking cute!
Thanks for sharing Jeannie...that's verrry cute!
Thank you, Kim and Maureen!
Thank you, Kim and Maureen!
Awwwwwwww!
So cute! I got two babies--as everyone is prolly sick of hearing, lol--and as they are blissfully sleeping, I'm enjoying looking at this one. But I can't help but notice he's a little more than half the size of his mother.
Hope someone has pet HER, lol!
Dee
PS--Happy Birthday!!
Dee--My thoughts exactly!
Dee--My thoughts exactly! Give the mama some attention. She was huge before she had him. I don't know how she packed all that weight around. Being a donkey probably helped, lol.
Cutie
He's such a cutie. No babies in my house, but my cousin's wife just had twins two months ago. Both parents are probably operating on little or no sleep.
I'd go with none.
We didn't get any at all the first month. Probably not the second, either...lol, thankfully, I don't remember a lot of it. If the babies were premies...they DEFINITELY aren't getting any sleep.
Happy Early Birthday, Jeannie!!
Your birthday plans sound like fun!
One of the architects in the office had a baby girl in late March. So she shows up on occasion and it's always fun to pass her around.
That's the closest I have to a baby right now.
ani
Baby Mateo
Happy Birthday, Jeannie!! Baby Mateo is so cute he almost upstaged your big day....
Carrie
Babies are sooo good at
Babies are sooo good at upstaging, but he's so cute, I don't mind. Thanks, Carrie!
Jane and Ani
Vicarious babies are so much fun! I also enjoy vicarious pregnancy, lol.
Those donkey's are so
Those donkey's are so cute!
No babies in my life.
Mateo
What a cutie, Jeannie! Are they as gentle as they look?
Hope that your birthday was a great one!
LindaC
Oh sooooo sweet! Baby
Oh sooooo sweet! Baby (almost!) anythings are adorable. I think my 2year old's pretty cute too... most of the time:) Have a great birthday Jeannie!
Thank you Estella, Linda and
Thank you Estella, Linda and Allison. These little donkeys are as gentle as they look. Real bums when it comes to getting attention! They push each out of the way to get their pets, lol.
Ha
Just like my dogs. :)
S