Maternity Ward Full on Sunday Morning

I took the night shift last night and let Matt sleep all night. I stayed in my ski underwear and bedded down on the sofa so I could cat nap. I saw one ewe looking like she was thinking about it. Siobhan (Shavaun in American), Fiona's daughter, had twins last evening - two boys (!!) who are rather weak and are not up and nursing. I was keeping an eye on them, along with Moira's babies (Magnus and Magda - I'm trying to come up with good names but am I ever going to remember them?) I went out at midnight, then three, then fell fast asleep. Woke up with a start at 7. I draw the curtains closed at night to keep heat in, so there was no morning light to tickle my eyelids. Went out to find twins, up and dry, with their mom! As soon as I got them in the jug I noticed a yearling, either Goodness or Mercy, about to give birth. I thought about getting her in a pen, but then decided to leave her alone. She retreated to a dark, very dirty, corner of the barn, but close to the pens. I wince when I see them giving birth on dirt. Hay is just too precious to scatter around for top dressing. The sheep eat it up right away anyway - especially this year with it being rationed so tight. She was working hard to pop this lamb out, and it finally happened - a beautiful ewe lamb. I left them alone and worked on the other lambs. I didn't want her to bolt like the last yearling who lambed this year. I later scooped up her lamb with a towel and sure enough, she started to run. A handful of the good green hay had her following me into the pen. She was so hungry and busy eating hay she let me nurse her out...fortunately, her teenage udder yielding a nice jar of colostrum which I gave to her lamb and two others. While I was busy Matt found a nice big ram (!!) lamb outside, dry and happy. We figured out who mom was and got them penned up too. I have some udder problems left over from last year (my annus horribulus)but luckily even those ewes seem to have one side working. I have to run out with a bottle every few hours to give their babies a drink. It's "cheap insurance" (but not that cheap considering how much milk replacer costs). Can't let a lamb get too weak or I have a bigger problem on my hands. An ounce of prevention... I will try to lie down for a while this morning, then get to work. Warmer temps next week. Good for lambing, but the barnyard will be a sea of mud.