Alpaca Mother's Day

In honor of Mother's Day Wdamo gave birth today to a boy!

He is just too cute and I look forward to seeing him running around with Pomp!

Happy Mother's day to all you mother's out there!!!!

There's a Baby in the Barn!

Yesterday was an extra exciting morning on the farm. Cayugastar "Star" gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

 

Everyone say hi to the new guy.

New guy say hi to everyone!

 

 

He doesn't have a name yet, but he is the first offspring of my parents herdsire Milikigo Tka of Abenaki "Kigo".

 

Back a few years ago Star gave birth to the very first cria (baby alpaca) on the farm. On that day my mom had a good feeling Star was in labor. She sent out text messages to all of us to let us know that this would probably be the morning for the first cria. She left the field for only a few minutes to brush her teeth and in that time Star delivered Wea.  My younger sister drove up to the farm and called the house and got the answering machine and left a message "THERE'S A BABY IN THE FIELD!!!!!" It is a message I know my mom will never erase.

 

This time around my mom knew Star was in labor because she let Geneva eat out of her feed bucket. That is unheard of Star doesn't share her food!  So all the signs were there and my mom didn't go in to brush her teeth and at around 8:45 a healthy little boy was born in the barn.  Usually they have their crias in the field, but Star decided to deliver in the barn for a change.

 

Yesterday was a jamb packed morning at the farm. From a new cria, to moving the herd around and watching the other girls that look like they are about to deliver. It is exciting times at the farm!  Let the Fall cria season begin! 1 down 3 to go.

Day 18: Something New

Thank you for all your wonderful comments from my last post. I love to see all the support for knitting and fiber arts out there. I guess I was bitter because I had to agree with her just to end the conversation.  I feel much better now :)

 

On with the 31 Day Photo Challenge

 

Day 18: Something New

 

A new cria was born this morning at the farm!

 

We named him Mr. Bates. Yes like Mr. Bates from Downton Abbey.

 

 

The welcoming committee came over to say hi.

 

Swag is very happy to have a new buddy. My mom said he spent the morning right next to Maggie looking at her rear like he was waiting for his new friend.

 

 

He was up and walking so fast! After the ordeal with Swag and the splints and the not walking, nursing.... it was so nice to see him up and about so fast. 

It didn't take him long to find the milk bar. Woo hoo all on his own.

 

My sister brought him in to get weighed. His mom Maggie is doing a great job so far.

 

And in other news Swag is running around the field like crazy. Isn't he so cute.

 

Oh and Blue said I don't blog about him enough so here are some pictures of him.

 

 

Sheering day is quickly approaching and I can't wait to have his fiber! It will be the first time I will have his fleece and I can't wait to turn it into yarn.  Oh what will I knit?

 

 

 

Day 14: Movement

Day 14: Movement

31 Day Photo Challenge

 

 

Serious Swagger is now two weeks old and doing fantastic.  He had a rough start with his contracted tendons in his legs you can read about it here.  But he is much stronger and doing great.  MOVEMENT is not a problem anymore.

 

I was at the farm this morning helping out with chores.  I really love being on the farm.  I spend two mornings a week there with out my boys helping to clean the fields.  They are my two favorite days of the week.  Since I work from home and sit in front of a computer all day with endless pressure to get things done it is a nice break to get outside for a few hours.  Freddy likes to remind me that Harley has plenty of poop outside in our yard that I can go clean up, but it is totally not the same thing.

 

We are calling the new cria, Swag.  I can't help but have the song "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5 in my head every time I see him.  Woo hoo he's got those moves like Jagger.

 

This morning he was just getting up from his morning nap.

 

big yawn

Now doesn't he look so cool in his cria coat?  It was chilly last night and he needed it. My mom and I had to race around the field to catch him to get it off of him.  He is getting so fast.

Swag's mom is on the left (Wdamo the brown girl). His aunt Annaschae (aka The Enforcer) is on the right.  Annaschae gets a hundred gold stars for her help with little Swag. Annaschae is an experienced mother and Wdamo is a first timer.  Wdamo was not letting little Swag nurse, but The Enforcer would get her pinned against the fence and make her stand still so Swag could nurse.  Now all is good in the nursing department. Thanks Anna!!!

Swag, "Look at me I'm blending in with the big girls."

 

Miss Maggie is due anyday. 

 

I think Swag knows she has somebody I there for him to play with.

 

"Come out and play with me!"

In other news Prince Harry is in town!!! How exciting is that.  All morning on FB my friends and relatives are posting that they have just seen him. He is here looking at the damage from hurricane Sandy. Since we got hit the hardest he is looking at homes in our area.  I wanted to go see if I could get a picture of him, but instead I was butt watching.  Maggie is teasing us with when she is going to have that cria.  Are my priorities straight? I don't know. 

 

Oh and how could I not hang out and watch this little guy playing around?

Swag has some really good bloodlines.  His grandfather was quite a star in the alpaca world.  He could become an excellent herdsire. But for now he is just adorable to look at.

 

I probably should have been doing something productive at this point, but it is hard to leave the farm when you think there might be a cria born at any time.  Miss Maggie didn't seem to mind me hanging around.

Plus my mom gave her some extra treats.

 

Annaschae came in for some treats too.

 

 

 

Swag just hung out and looked adorable.

 

Okay now it's time to play.

 

And just incase you didn't get enough of Swag in this post here is a video of him.

 

 

 

 

 

Wdamo Had a Boy!

 

This morning Wdamo gave birth to a healthy strong little boy.  She is a first time mother and she looks like she it going to be a pro.

 

My sister helped get him all dried up so he could soak in those nice morning sun rays.

 

He started taking some steps. That is my favorite part! I left the farm before he started walking. My boys weren't in the best moods, but we'll go back later to check on him again.

 

He is beautiful and my favorite color fawn! Well maybe my second favorite to gray. But his father has a lot of gray in his background. So he could turn into a gray. That is the tricky thing about alpacas, they always keep you guessing.

 

I am so trilled to see this healthy little guy joining the herd.  We'll keep our distance as much as we can from now on so mommy and baby can bond.  Wdamo is a first time mother and we want to keep her as stress free as best we can. But maybe one more photo shoot :)