As some of you know, I have been blessed with the opportunity to raise a little lamb this summer! I also raised two last summer, however this summer sheep is a little different.
One day we were at the ranch having a work day, it was spring time and lambing season was in full swing! Which means we had to make a lot of lamb checking trips to make sure everything was going well with the mama sheep and their lambs. Well this particular day my aunt said one of the sheep had a "big bag" meaning she had so much milk that her lambs couldn't get milk from her. So what does this mean? We have to catch her and milk her! So we start rounding up the herd and as she was running with the herd she split her milk bag open. Needless to say, blood was everywhere. We feared that she would bleed to death if we didn't catch her soon. Well shortly after my uncle lasso'd her up and we loaded her and her little twin lambs on the trailer and headed back for the barn. It took three of us to hold her down, she was a big mama and she had horns! Once we got to the barn we only had one option, and we had to act quick. We had to stitch her on up. Luckily, we had sutures, however we didn't have a suture kit. Everyone thought since I was a trained MA that I should do the honors, and so I did. With some pliers and my suture I acted quickly and stitched up the tear as best I could. It was one of the moments where you know your stuff and you just go for it. After I stitched her all up we put her in a box stall with her two lambs. We bottle fed the lambs, knowing that they hadn't eaten since they were born earlier that day. We left the lambs with their mother and headed home. Knowing we had to come back and check on them the next day. Baby boy didn't make it through the night. And my heart ached. Did I do everything I could? But realizing that we did and that this kind of this happens often during lambing season we moved along. Baby girl however, was still going strong. For a whole week we went up to the ranch everyday to check the mama and baby. We bottle fed the lamb a bottle everyday, hoping that mama would be able to take her back. Due to the trauma of her bag she was unable. So that left one solution. Nessa and fam gets to raise a baby lamb!! Last summer, we had the opportunity to raise two lambs and man it was quite the chore. But we loved it, or at least I loved it. So thinking about only raising one, psh, piece of cake. Lizzie lamb. That's what we call her. I decided on Lizzie because this lamb, was different. She's a very well behaved, sweet and hilarious lamb. So, Lizzie is the name, why? Cause we called my grandma Lizzie. And so the name stuck.
Lizzie has been living in the ville for about 4 weeks. She drinks 3 bottles a day, loves nibbling on everything in her site and likes to cuddle. She is a spoiled little sheep. We take her on morning walks, she gets to come in the house occasionally, ( mostly cause she runs in right after you) and she enjoys car rides and scooter runs. Although it may all seem like fun and games, cause it mostly is. Lizzie is A LOT of work. She acts like a dog, but she can't be potty trained (I've tried) you have to bottle feed her, teach her what she can and can't eat, how to drink out of a bucket, and she needs lots of love and exercise. But other than that she is a pure ball of fun!! I know I have been blessed with the lamb angel for a reason. I am her mother, she follows me everywhere, when I am not home to let her out and my mom and sister does she goes crazy (but she really loves them too). I like tot think it's to teach me responsibility. If I can raise a lamb I can raise a baby? Maybe. Maybe not. I am not sure. But I know I have definitely learned a lot from this experience and I wouldn't trade it for a thing in the world. I hope my future children love me as much as this little lamb and I can't even imagine the love I'll have for my children, I mean I love this baby sheep a ton, and she's a sheep. Lizzie also loves visitors, so feel free to swing by and say hi :) thanks for reading!
Xoxo, Nessa
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