31 for 21 - the PIGLETS have arrived!!

      Well, well . . . today was the day! I went down this morning at about 7am to check on Mama Pig. She was lying in her pig palace, like usual. I went in and started to rub her belly (like usual). She grunted and moaned some and continued to lie there. Most of the time, she will perk up her head and look at me but this time she did not. I asked her if she was alright and then realized that she was straining rather hard. I looked down and saw a red nose . . . oh no, what to do? Here I was about to experience my first piglet birth by myself . . . I hesitated and then decided to go back to the house and wake up my son and the other sleeping kidos. It is about 800 feet or more, uphill, back to the house. I ran full speed dodging the goats and dogs as I headed for the gate.
     In the front door and up the stairs I bounded saying, "She's having her piglets!" The house came alive and various kids bolted out of their beds and into their boots. I grabbed O and put him on my back and headed back down, just about as fast as I had come up. I Yo, his twin sister, was hot on my tail in her sleepwear (a t-shirt and undies!!) and a pair f pink boots!! I also managed to call Stacy (my nephew's wife and the local pig expert) and told her it was time.
     When we got back to Mama Pig, she had birthed the first piglet - a little red girl. Excitement was in the air as she began to push her second one out. By now, there were 9 kids present in various outfits and Stacy was running down the trail (with some blood on her hand from the wipeout she had just suffered!). Running over these Oklahoma rocks can be quite treacherous.
      Over the next few hours, I went back and forth along the 800 foot path to the barn to get various supplies - a bulb syringe, more rags, dental floss, water bottles and some food (for the human watchers).
      Here are a few pics to show the excitement of the morning. The first pic is Todahyah with the first piglet:

 Here is the first piglet starting to nurse:

 Another piglet is about to be birthed in this pic:

 Here is another red one just out of Mama:

 Four piglets at the "Piglet Bar":

 Osiyyah and others watching the piggies being born:

 This is the 5th piglet out. We didn't think this one was going to make it. My daughter and I rubbed this one hard for about 10 minutes straight just to get him to breathe. It still took him several hours to figure out how to nurse. But, at the last checking, he was nursing good and strong!

A few hours later, petting the piggies:

 Awww, now doesn't that look like one content little piglet?