Can you read this?

A few yeras ago a mesgase mdae its rdunos of the ineerntt sanyig taht "Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe."

While this is not always true, it is amazing how many times it is. If you want to try jumbling a message and reading it go here: http://www.stevesachs.com/jumbler.cgi

Ben's Funny Faces

Breastfeeding

I had just assumed this would come naturally, but it sure hasn't. I read that there is a "breastfeeding high" that nursing mothers get because their bodies release oxytocin when their babies are feeding . So far I've mostly experienced pain. It seems Benjamin is crying to be fed, or I'm crying because he's feeding. I'm not sure what I'm doing that's causing all the pain - if he's still not taking in enough of the breast, if he's just positioned wrong, or if he's just a little barracuda with jaws of steel! Perhaps it's a combination of all three. I'm sure we'll get it worked out eventually. In the meantime here's something funny that I identified with - particularly number 7! (I did not write this and I have no idea who the original author is.)

How to prepare for nursing:

If you really want to feel ready to breastfeed, here’s what to do.

Day 1: Gently rub your nipples with sandpaper.

Day 2: At bedtime, set your alarm clock to go off every two hours. Each time it rings, spend 20 minutes sitting in a rocking chair with your nipples clamped in a pair of chip clips.

Day 3: Draw branching lines all over your chest with a blue-green marker, then stand in front of your bathroom mirror and sing “I Feel Pretty.”

Day 4: Open your already-crowded freezer and make room for five dozen plastic milk bags.

Day 5: Fit the hose of a vacuum cleaner over one breast and set on “medium pile.” Turn off vacuum when nipple is three inches long. Switch breasts.

Day 6: Obtain “DO NOT CROSS” tape from your local police station, then wrap firmly around your chest. When your spouse asks about it, say, “Get used to it.”

Day 7: Tape a water balloon to each breast and squeeze into a nursing bra. Repeatedly hook and unhook the flap with one hand while using the other to balance a sack of squirming puppies.

Day 8: Dine in the fanciest, snootiest restaurant you can afford, making sure to arrive with a big wet spot directly over each nipple.

Day 9: Record your mother proclaiming, “Just give the baby some cereal like God intended, and she’ll sleep right through the night.” Play in an endless loop at 1 A.M., 3 A.M., and 5 A.M.

Day 10: Slather your breasts with peanut butter, top with birdseed, and stand very still in your backyard.

Day 11: Go someplace public-a museum, a courthouse, the steps of your office building- and stuff a lifelike baby doll under your shirt. Use the doll’s arm to suddenly hike the shirt up past your collar bone. Lower shirt. Feign nonchalant smile.

After bath

Benjamin is one month old today!

This is Benjamin at 3 weeks (picture taken last week). He can hold his head up pretty well, but doesn't have much control over it. If you hold him in front of you he often tries to look at you, but ends up head butting your chest. He's been able to turn his head from side to side when lying on his stomach since he was a week old.

One month ago...

It's hard to think that just one month ago Karen and I were traipsing through the rice fields and mountain trails trying to get labour going before I had to be induced. Our walk became somewhat longer than expected when we couldn't figure out how to get from the rice back onto the trail, but a little bushwhacking solved that problem. Although labour didn't start, Karen did get this lovely picture of a dragonfly on some rice.

Happy Baby

After he's finished eating and just as he's drifting off to sleep Benjamin often gets a blissful look on his face...

Well, we're slowly getting the hang of this parenting thing. Every day teaches us a little more about our baby. He's already made himself clear about some of his likes and dislikes. He dislikes the carseat and being naked - including getting his clothes or diaper changed and having a bath. He likes being bounced or rocked, being sung or talked to, and being carried in the sling. Other than feeding him, the sling has been most useful in calming him when he gets crying. I guess being in a warm dark place must remind him of the womb. In any case it's an easy way to carry him, (though it does start to hurt the back after a while) calm him, and keep him away from all the people who are curious about him if we are out and about. Sometimes we manage to position him in the sling better than others. Occasionally his head is scrunched up -although this seems to bother us more than him- or he keeps kicking his feet out. He also likes to get his feet free when we wrap him in the "swaddling blanket" which has thus far failed to keep him swaddled for more than about 10 seconds.