Our Babysheep gave birth to her very first lambs on Sunday night. But what promised to be a special day turned to tragedy. Both females were born premature--we do not know why. One was stillborn, and the surviving lamb was so small it was frightening--only two pounds. We named her "Bebe" and did everything humanly possible to help her get along. She was too weak to stand or nurse, so we immediately started her on the bottle and colostrum. Babysheep, bless her, was being a terrific mother who continually tended to her hapless baby with love and tenderness. It was really touching to see. She even built a nest of straw for her baby to lay in at night. We monitored Bebe round the clock for three days with regular feedings and a lot of love. For a while there she grew strong enough to stand and walk around. She drank from the bottle and gave a feeble little "baa". We hoped she had turned the corner, but by Tuesday evening, her core temperature started to drop, and she grew weaker. Eventually she could no longer drink or lift her head. Bebe died in our arms this morning before the sun rose. We're thankful that she did not suffer. And if there was a bright spot in all this, it would be the joy to see what a good mother Babysheep was. We pray that her loss will not be felt for very long. And we hope for healthy lambs for her next time. Until then, we'll love Mama Babysheep all the more and we'll treasure the memory of little Bebe, for the brief time this beautiful lamb was able to be part of the Bear Valley Farm family.
