When babies make you feel whole

Here we are, batch number 3 of my 2022 chick season.

THE DUCKS ARE HERE!!!!!!

Am I unreasonably excited? Yes, yes I am. I’ve had baby chicks twice this year, and numerous times over the past 4 years. But this is only the second time, last year being the first, with ducklings.

And oh my goodness…I just can’t with them. It’s so much cute. They make me happy, and I think sometimes I like them more than my own kids. (Don’t tell anyone I said that.)

Ducklings are cute…but messy beyond belief. No matter how hard you try, they are going to jump in their water and splash around and make a huge wet mess. And it’s adorable, so it’s worth it…but it’s definitely stinky and messy if you don’t keep up with it.

Having something to take care of, little day old babies…it does make me happy. It gives me a sense of purpose, and they make me feel loved when they respond to me positively.

We have 3 ducklings this time, a Saxony, a Welsh Harlequin, and an Apple Silveryard. They’re less than a week old now, but the time with ducklings goes soo quickly. They’ll be fully grown and feathered in just a few weeks.

I don’t know what it is about my brain, but it does well when I have babies. Maybe something to do with being needed, taking care of something else so helpless…I don’t know. But it does me good. And it’s a little sad that this is my last batch of babies this year. And with an actual baby coming in just a few more weeks…I know I’ll have my hands full for quite some time.

I don’t know why I feel otherwise useless…I mean, it’s not like I have a shortage of things to do and care for…but I do feel so completely useless and unnecessary in my life. And those feelings are very difficult for me to cope with.

But for today, at least I have a tiny purpose in these little guys (girls) lives. And I’ll take every ounce of purpose and happiness I can find, and milk it for all it’s worth.