Another Drama Unfolds

Okay, so let me get a grip on the last 24 hours. Writing it down and sharing it with you somehow helps me make sense of my chaotic and wonderful world here. Remember I talked about the ewe gently pushing night before last? Well, after my new friend, Laticia, had gone home with her new wheels, and we went to town to run errands, I came back to the barn to notice "Eve" with a big balloon coming out the back of her. I called Matt and while we approached her she jumped and ran, bubble bursting and spraying amniotic fluids everywhere. The chickens moved in to gobble up the membranes while we tried to corral Eve. No good. She has four legs and we have two - and we didn't want to unduly upset her. We did our chores, which takes about an hour and a half, then I putter and do more, and noticed that she ate with everyone else, grain then hay, then stood apart. Great, I thought, maybe it's happening now. Nothing happened, no pushing. I called Matt to hold her while I examined her and felt a big head with two hoofs on either side, ready to dive out. But Eve won't push. Now this is a case for Oxytocin, a hormone that MAKES the uterus contract and the ewe has to push. Nasty stuff, but definitely helpful in some cases. My vet says it only works for 15 minutes, and I thought that would be all that we needed. Still no pushing! Matt and I got her in the jug, set up with hay, for the birth. Still no pushing. An hour passes. Another shot of Oxytocin. I go away so she can relax...then finally! A great big giant black ram lamb slides out and Eve licks him off! Hooray! She had him - she likes him! If a sheep doesn't lick, we have problems! I let them bond, then do my clip, dip strip. She has tons of milk. This looks better and better - but no placenta! I say to Matt, she's GOT to have another one in there. But she drank her molasses water, which some shepherds say is a sign they are finished. Not here. I go away again, make dinner for Matt, come back and there are two little hoofs sticking out! But no pushing! It's late now, I am tired, she must be tired, and I wait. And wait. Finally I say, okay, this is ridiculous. I do my Rulan Gardner Olympic wrestler move on her and gently push her up against the wall with my body, arm around her neck and hold her firmly there. With my left hand, I slide my hand into her, over the head and shoulders of the second lamb and cup my hand over it's shoulders, pull down firmly. A long, warm, black shiny torpedoe slides out with no effort. Another ram lamb, bigger than the first one! Don't boys always give me trouble...I moan to myself. She licks him off but it becomes apparent she doesn't like him like the first one. I have to milk her out myself, more wrestling moves, but the second lamb comes up under us both and tries to nurse! I hold her, trying to let him get a bellyfull before I call it a night. She butts him away! Oh, no, it's going to be a long night. And it was...As of 10 AM the next morning, which is now, she is tolerating him, I am supplementing Charity's second lamb with a bottle, and might have to do it with Abel. I call the black boys Cain and Abel - Eve's boys. Oh, Boy!