Monica Weiand – Far Eastern Colorado
Hello all! It’s been a while…
Last I wrote, the crew was just getting started on corn harvest and waiting for soybeans to dry down. They did and were harvested just before a good little snow and for both of those things, we are thankful!
Corn harvest seemed to last FOREVER (but in the end both crops yielded very well)! There were delays, both breakdowns and weather. It lasted until the Saturday after Thanksgiving after starting in the last week of September. I think.
All I remember from that time was that I was adjusting to being a new mom! And that I was thankful for just a little rain or snow because they had to shut down harvest and we got a full day with my husband being home to enjoy his new little girl.
I found it somewhat ironic the majority of those days off were Sundays. It is SUPPOSED to be the day of rest but, admittedly, we don’t always follow that. It might be a short day or it may be just another day. But this year, it was like the Lord wasn’t going to give us an option…haha. I thanked Him for every bit of it.
My husband would go out early and come home late. I usually had supper, of some sort, ready. He would eat, then get his Macie baby time in by letting her snuggle on his chest as she drifted off to sleep. At first she was getting up every three hours or so. She’s now sleeping at least a comfortable six hours at night!
I’m the sole one on feeding duty. She’s nursing, I was staying home, and getting my rest in intervals. Doc suggested that hubs give her a bottle at night so I could sleep but I felt my husband needed his sleep at night and I didn’t feel overly exhausted…much. Plus, I don’t care for any more dishes! Ha!
My maternity leave was up the week before Thanksgiving. As much as I said I missed my grain cart, I had mixed emotions about getting back to it. But I did and was that cab ever full! I had my trusty Big Bag ‘O Stuff, my 2 gallon water cooler, and breast pump bag on the floor. Her car seat was strapped to the buddy seat and diaper bag was hung above that.
Macie was with me, some. Otherwise, she was getting “Grandma time” in with my mom. When she was with my mom, that meant it was time to break out the breast pump.
It is my own desires to avoid formula and needed to keep up that liquid gold supply! You all know harvest time! There’s little time sitting around so…I pumped on the go. I didn’t want to be a burden and I’m sure I would’ve been told I’m okay to stop but I didn’t ask. I had it handled! I actually found it comforting lugging that pump along, knowing that it was helping me take care of my daughter how I wished.
I’d take those quick breaks I had to assemble, then I’d pump while running. Quick break again to disassemble, store that liquid gold and clean. GPS of any sort wasn’t an option so I had to drive, too.
During the times I had Macie with me, she was in her seat most of the time. I had every intention of baby-wearing but that wasn’t working out well. She likes her car seat and slept most of the time anyways. I’d feed her on the go, if need be. Where there is a will, there IS a way!
After harvest, the weather stayed mild and my husband kept busy farming.
Christmas came and went. We finally had the after-harvest party last weekend. Anyone who helped out along the way was invited out to some drinks and grub at a local restaurant. It was a good time!
I haven’t logged any more farm hours since harvest. I was blessed to be able to stay home until after New Year’s. Now I’m working part-time at a feedlot in the office in a temporary position. My mom is watching Macie again. I find it to be a good home/mom/work balance for me. I worked for this feedlot before and I’m thankful I didn’t burn that bridge when I left!
When it’s time for field work, I’ll go back to that. That won’t be until some time in March.
It was around the three-month mark after Macie’s birth that I finally started feeling comfortable in my new normal as “Mom”. I was also feeling the affects of healing from the c-section much less. We keep busy with my step daughter’s school stuff. She’s been enjoying her sister, too.
We finished building a permanent windbreak in the horse’s pasture with the help of my dad and brother. On nice weekends, we’ve spent time in the saddles and in the past month I’d say I’m feeling fully healed.
Goodness, there was more to catch up on than I thought! Thanks for reading! I’ll keep sending updates as I can. I’m finding myself on social media much less these days 😉
1. Be ready to go at the drop of a hat...sometimes without a lunchbox.
2. Has removed the word impossible from her vocabulary!
3. Can hold a baby, take care of a toddler and drive a tractor or combine all at the same time.
4. Must be able to cook for a crew - large or small.
5. Must be able to read minds.
6. Must be able to banter with a parts man until he realizes you DO know what you're talking about.
7. Must be the entertainment director for those rainy days.
8. Be a wife, mom, friend, helper, cook, problem solver, taxi driver or extra crew hand at all times.
9. Can handle the call that makes you react, "You need what? When?" Dropping everything you're doing to make it happen.
10. At the end of the day say, "I really do love this life".