The Weekly Belly 3/10/12

For a little while, it has seemed to me that the progress of Emma's belly has slowed down a bit.  However, this afternoon I realized that the belly is indeed still expanding at a rather alarming rate.  It just hasn't been as obvious because Emma has also had a growth spurt.  She has gained an entire inch in the last month and has made it up to 43 inches tall.  I do wonder and worry about how Emma's growth might affect the baby and vice-verse, but all I can do is keep giving her good food and lots of attention.  She seems happy and looks good so I guess we're doing OK.  I do tend to worry more then I should as you all have probably noticed by now.  Oh well, it is the nature of donkeys to have long ears and clever minds and it is my nature to worry about my donkey (and everything else in the known universe and possibly a few things outside of it as well).

The Weekly Belly 2/24/12

The Belly Revealed

We had a rare day of sunny, warm weather yesterday and Emma got to run around naked all afternoon.  It was kind of a shocking sight.  You all know that I have been taking pictures of the progress of "The Belly".  However, my poor attempts at getting pictures of her during brief moments in the barn when I take her blanket off, has not done it justice.  It has been a while since Emma was outside, moving around without her blanket so even I was a bit surprised to see her yesterday....

Make way, WIDE LOAD coming through....

Emma: You better get busy on that maternity ward....

Practicing for Motherhood

Hey you in there...

Yeah YOU...

Knock it off!!!

 Quit kicking me!

The Weekly Belly 1/20/12

Emma was thoughtful enough to hold my glove for me while I tried to take some photos.  Donkeys are ever so helpful...

I finally had to tie her up though because she was certain that 2 inches away from the camera was far enough.

The extra food has helped a lot.  Emma is happier, has more energy and has gained back a few of her lost pounds.  I think her weight is just perfect now so we'll try to keep it there. 

Bundled up and back to work...

Baby pool and baby pictures

I finally saw some baby pictures this afternoon.  My vet got her hands on a special attachment for the ultrasound machine and we were able to see the baby.  Well, at least a leg and part of a head anyway.  We know that junior has at least one leg, a nose and that he is alive and knows how to kick.  Baby is well on the way to becoming a donkey.  Actually, quite far along to becoming a donkey.  I have been thinking that Emma is much more pregnant than I had initially thought.  In the last couple of weeks her belly has really blossomed while at the same time she has lost a lot of weight.  This makes perfect sense if she is entering the final trimester when 80% of the fetal protein is laid down. 

What I was really hoping for from the ultrasound was an idea of when to expect Baby.  As a result of my observations, much chin scratching, speculations and backwards math we all agree that the baby is most likely to make an entrance sometime in April or May.  Gulp.  Emma would have been about 8 months old when bred.  Double gulp. 

Here are some pictures of "The Belly" taken this afternoon...

The only good news as far as Emma is concerned is that she gets to have LOTS more food now.  She is now up to getting a handful of the 10/10 sweet feed three times a day along with 2 flakes/day of second cutting hay to go with the free-choice first cutting.  She also get a 1/4 scoop of Accel vitamins and a 1/4 scoop of selenium/E because New York is profoundly selenium deficient.  We'll stay there for a bit and adjust as needed.

I had to make some temporary changes in the barn in order to feed her.... 

The creep feeder arrangement is to protect her from the circling sharks....

Sometimes it is helpful to be short.



And finally, what you have all been waiting for...a contest.  Leave your best guess as to the arrival of Emma Junior as a comment on this post (that way I'll be able to find them all).  The winner will get one of my handmade (by me) cutting boards.  It will look a little (but not exactly) like this...

It is made of hard maple and/or cherry and the back is grooved so it also acts a bread board.  If you leave your comment anonymously, make sure to include an identifier so I can figure out who you are.  Good luck to all of us!  I know Emma and I are going to need it.