Christmas Break Gaps

Bringing home the nog on Christmas Eve.




Winter Break shenanigans.

when i was 5

since i was the 3rd child and there were no digital cameras in the 80's, this is the best picture i have on hand. lot's of people say jack looks like me as a baby/kid. i like to think so!

Jack Snack

Jack's curiosity seems only exceeded by his own introspection. The massive reorganization of his cerebrum is a fascinating process, one I can only dimly grasp from the outside. Still, I catch him staring off towards some unfocused point time to time, and I can only conclude there's a storm of contemplation going on indoors.

I'd like to think he understands a spoon goes in the mouth, but that would be cheating. He would have done the same with a dog toy.

my angel!

this week, we changed jack's infant seat for a car seat. he is much more comfortable, but it does make keeping him warm more challenging. jack weighs about 20 pounds (more than 3 times his birth weight). he loves to watch rosey play and he is eager to touch her. i like to tell him how lucky he is to have two dogs. All my life, i have had the privliedge of sharing my life with dogs. When i was born, my family had 2 yorkies named buffy & daisy. i have fond memories of daisy's smile and buffy's attachment to my mother. when i was 12 years old, maddie came to live with us. she was a very particular dog and i have great memories of her. one day soon, jack will be playing in the yard with his special dogs while building memories that he might one day write about.

jack is now eating squash, carrots, sweet potatoes and rice cereal. i think squash is his favorite. this weekend, i will attempt to make peas for him. patrick and i are looking forward to spending christmas week with him. we have lots planned!

still no teeth. still sleeps like an angel. loves to laugh & bounce

Jumping Jack Christmas

I apologize for both the coarse nature of the video as well as the Batman-esque angle. I wanted to capture a moment and only had our snapshot camera on hand. BUT STILL.

snow is coming

jack and gracie had their photos taken today. it went pretty well, but it is difficult to choose just one pose. however, i really didn't want to leave there $200 poorer either. gracie really loves jack and wanted to show him the christmas lights at the mall and santa. this will be a great holiday this year.

I can now write off all book purchases as parenting expenses.

I had what I would consider my first conversation with Jack today.



The day went very well. He logged close to ten hours of sleep (too bad the dogs wanted to eat around 4:30) so was charming and well rested in the morning, which admittedly is fairly typical.

Jack's burbling has become rather experimental in its range. I wouldn't go so far as to say he's parroting anything we do but perhaps it is some latent mimicry buried in his subconscious. Ah well, now I'm rambling.

After his dinner o' sweeto potaytoes, Jack and I were sticking our tongues out at each other making noises. As usual, he paused when I made a noise to listen, and then would go back to the droolfest of slurps as is his wont. However, there's something in his eyes that suggests a synthesis of thought. I dare say he not only paused, but after the thought entered his mind, he considered it. It is a first order brain activity that separates we primates from almost all the rest of our animal relatives.

Getting Jack to literacy is pretty much my major goal of parenthood after using the toilet, so I'm exercising ever-diminishing patience for him to reciprocate. I know the state of literacy in this nation. As long as I keep our family library enormous, continue to read at a voracious pace myself, and ensure the digital media of our times doesn't dominate his world, I have no worries.

first food, first thanksgiving

cousins

i have great memories of playing with my cousins lori & michael. we loved playing barbies, dress up and recording our voices on a tape recorder. lori hated to go home and cried when auntie said it was time to go. we enjoyed sleep overs until we were in high school. my hope is that gracie and jack have fond memories of their childhood together. this picture was taken on gracie's 3rd birthday. i just think it's the cutest.

six months old

jack is changing daily. his hair is growing long, his legs are getting stronger! at his regular appointment, he weighed in at 16 pounds 15 ounces (50th percentile) and his length is 27.5" (90th percentile). jack is a great baby. he is photogenic and probably the cutest baby at daycare, and beyond. he likes to watch me dance in the kitchen while making dinner and he loves to listen to patrick's learnings from the day (they are vast).it is great to have an addition to the family! the best new thing is that jack loves to hug me and put his mouth to my cheek. rosey and abby are now interested in him. rosey thinks he can play with her and her various toys and abby sees him as a source of food.

it's still halloween

here is the skull onsie that patrick was talking about that we got at a fancy boutique in traverse city.

jack loves to watch rosey and abby. the dogs are interested in the cereal jack eats at night, all the time wondering when they get to lick the bowl. i really don't know where they learned their manners! puppies and babies, what's cuter?

Jachronicles

Jack woke up with his usual Zen calm today. Nicole plopped him on my chest as I stole five more minutes of sleep after feeding Abby. When he's well-rested, you can see him just trying to grasp what the science he is.

What am I? Those unblinking eyes present infinite possibility to me. And that's it - Jack is a trillion possibilities, that is what makes people fawn over babies in general.

He fell asleep as usual on the way to daycare as usual and elected not to get up for the hand off.

When I came home late from getting a haircut and doing some chores, Jack seemed to recognize me from about fifteen feet away. I imagine his vision is good enough to see that far, but I imagine many other contextual cues such as Nicole's behavior, my voice, the dogs' enthusiasm and his super-baby sense of smell probably helped.

Jack had to change into his Skullsie this afternoon. I'm determined to have him wear it at least twice a week until he bursts under its ever-diminishing use. Nicole brought home an old keyboard from work to play with since he's taken to tapping on ours when we hold him near the computer.

We gave him a bath. Well, I managed logistics and custodial work and helped hold him for final washings, Nicole did the heavy lifting in the bath. He enjoys splashing now, and will furious kick his legs to experience the water. Bath was a bit hot - he sorta shivered when we first put him in and had to cool it down.

I played Peek-a-boo with him after bathtime. I've been trying to teach him how to pull the blanket off himself - I think he derives more pleasure out of the game when he's rewarded (with a smile) for doing the action. It's never too late to imprint meritocratic principles on him!

My one great task as a Father is to help him stand on his own feet, to value his independence. I suppose it's a bit ostentatious to say I need to start that now, but I can only be the Father I know how to be. I figure I just love him and the rest will sort itself out.

Here's hoping he sleeps through the night. The reversion to standard time has been helpful, he's 2 for 3 since the changeover.

first halloween

jack had an exciting time last night and today. he really enjoyed watching us carve pumpkins and trick-or-treating. this was the best halloween yet! thanks jack!

food at 22 weeks!

jack started cereal last week. when the spoon appeared he opened wide. somehow he knew just what to do. must be from all the watching he's done of patrick and i eating. i take pride in the fact that i alone have been making jack's, for the last 22 weeks. the 11 pound weight gain is from me!! however, i am happy for the help especially since jack has been spending the last 3 weeks waking for a couple midnight snacks.

he's going to love avocado,squash and sweet potato next month.

retro

jack enjoyed staying in our retro holiday inn room. one day, we will tell him about his first trip!

mission point

it was a warm day at the point of old mission in traverse city. jack was a sweet baby during our trip. more later!

4 years later

today is patrick and my 4th wedding anniversary and the first with jack, making it extra special. we are planning a weekend trip to traverse city and it will be jack's first vacation. it will be fun.

4 months

Time is a Lion

Jack visited the cider mill for the first time. He seems to be taking a greater interest in the foods Mom and Dad are eating. I can't wait to feed him avocados.



Jack and Mom were present to cheer me on at the Detroit Zoo Charity 10k. I finished a respectable 180th in a field of 2200, 49:54.



We later got a nice early entry into the zoo, and many of the animals were quite active, especially the hominids (not the monkeys).


At his four month checkup Jack is now 14lbs, 9oz and 25.75 inches, placing him in the 60th and 75th percentiles for his age respectively for weight and height. Doc says he looks like a million bucks and was dazzled how he has gained so much weight on breast milk alone. Two more months and we'll be transitioning to the spoon!

So Awesome.

Jack is quite the character these days.

An emergent personality is now quite front and center. Jack wakes up from a full night's sleep with a rather charming disposition, sleeps in the truck on the way to Grandma's or daycare, and seems curious about many things, especially dinner, outdoors and the computer. He's been testing his voice out in non-screaming modes. I'm just waiting for one of his giant silent laughs to become a world-shaking chirp.

Life has good meaning. I always try to ask myself that each night. Recently it's never an issue.

and it was a hot labor day

labor day

day off for jack and daddy today. they came to lunch at zingerman's.

daycare begins

what a difficult week!
but jack did very well the last three days. usually babies don't sleep well during this adjustment period, but jack proved everyone wrong. yesterday he power napped in the morning and played, ate and slept in the afternoon. i spent my lunch time visiting the daycare which was the only way i was gonna get thru this tough week. jack has made a few friends including rowan, molly, & sarah. the baby girls like to smile at my boy.

jack's eyelashes are getting darker and his hair looks kinda like a mohawk. he is smiling and cooing a lot and loves to suck on his hands, arms & my shoulder. besides that, he spends a lot time grabbing objects (& putting those in his mouth).

astro jack

jack turned 3 months last week. he is a sweet boy–smiling at his momma (and crying). we had a nice weekend at the zoo. jack slept thru the entire day though.

Pod Baby

jack & ellie

jack is 2days older

roll over

jack rolled over from his back to his side this week. his strength amazes me, especially when he is fighting sleep!

july 21, 2007

jack is sleeping thru the night (sometimes). after he wakes up at 6am, the best thing is to lay with him and enjoy the weekend! being jack's mom is the best thing to happen to me along with marrying patrick!

2month checkup

our boy is growing. he weighed in at 11 pounds 10 ounces. our doctor is really great. she seems to be able to relate to things that i have been going through. it helps that she is a working mom. of course, she tells patrick all the things we like to hear (and already know) like jack is going to be tall and strong and very smart. he likely will be taller than me in 12 years. patrick and i are having lots of fun with jack. he turns his head toward me when he hears me. he smiles when he sees me.

smiles

jack is almost 9 weeks old. time does fly, i am back at work. i do miss this little guy when i am away, in fact it is hard to think about anything else.

playing

jack is a sweet, hungry baby. we played on the floor yesterday. he cooed for mommy and gave a little smile.

Midnight Ramblings

I love Jack a lot. I look into his Blue Steel eyes and see someone that might just understand me. That makes sense, afterall, I spent much of my life looking for Nicole, who understands me in a way that I never thought another could. He is the direct product of that union and though I deign not to suggest I can influence his personality, I have irrational hopes that he will one day come to understand his father in a way the rest of the world save his mother never could.

finishing the series

i'm gonna make a little book for jack full of pictures of the pregnancy.

Test

Podcast Test.

my little man

this week i am starting to prepare to go back to work in 3 or at best 4 weeks. it's not the work i dread, but just as i have figured out nursing, i have to figure out a way to keep it up while jack and i are apart.

my milk must be doing something right, even if my soothing techniques are less than perfect. jack weighed in at 8 pounds 10 ounces. not bad for 4.5 weeks. he also grew 2" in length.

this time with jack has been very special to me. i never knew that it could be so much work but also be so rewarding. he has started to respond to my voice and my tickles. kissing him is so sweet.

almost a month old

jack, patrick and i went to the park for a picnic today. it was a great day. i love watching him grow and change. on wednesday, jack weighed in at 7 pounds 12 ounces (2 pound growth!)

3 weeks old

i wonder what he is thinking. jack is awake a lot more often. yesterday he was really awake for 4 hours. some of those hours were crying but some were pleasant.

many people ask me how things are going. my usual response is that there are good days and there are bad ones. hopefully there are more good ones. today was one of our good days. we made a visit to zingerman's which included a stop at human resources to visit the ladies and then lunch at the loft. it was great to see everyone, but i am not ready to go back, yet. i also got a package in the mail from zingerman's mail order. i must work in the best place ever. great day!

Gotta start them early.

He's Softimus.








He's Softimus.

Promiscuous Teleology, hoooooo.

I ramble a bit about the Tabula Rasa that is not a baby's mind.

What Lions are for.

This bit helps me understand why Jack seems to stare at his hands for minutes on end in marvelous stupefication:

The main source of resistance to scientific ideas concerns what children know prior to their exposure to science. The last several decades of developmental psychology has made it abundantly clear that humans do not start off as "blank slates." Rather, even one year-olds possess a rich understanding of both the physical world (a "naïve physics") and the social world (a "naïve psychology"). Babies know that objects are solid, that they persist over time even when they are out of sight, that they fall to the ground if unsupported, and that they do not move unless acted upon. They also understand that people move autonomously in response to social and physical events, that they act and react in accord with their goals, and that they respond with appropriate emotions to different situations.

Of course, that preloaded software has more significant impact down the road:

One of the most interesting aspects of our common-sense psychology is dualism, the belief that minds are fundamentally different from brains. This belief comes naturally to children. Preschool children will claim that the brain is responsible for some aspects of mental life, typically those involving deliberative mental work, such as solving math problems. But preschoolers will also claim that the brain isn't involved in a host of other activities, such as pretending to be a kangaroo, loving one's brother, or brushing one's teeth. Similarly, when told about a brain transplant from a boy to a pig, they believe that you get a very smart pig, but one with pig beliefs and pig desires. For young children, then, much of mental life is not linked to the brain.

Behold

I have carved you in the palm of my hand. With the use of a totipotent cell and self-replicating molecules completely divorced from my own cognitive volition. But still...

Parenthood in a nutshell

Now listen to it about a hundred times.

feeding challenges

i never realized what an art breastfeeding can be. jack and i are trying to figure it out. we have good ones and bad ones. all involve screaming and sometimes they begin with us both crying. we'll get the hang of it soon.

he is so precious and i am so lucky to have a boy like baby jack.

rosey has become a big helper. she follows us everywhere and is very patient. i am so proud of her.

Oh, hello there.


The last six days have been a bit busy. I've been thinking it's Wednesday for about three days now, and I thought it was Sunday on Wednesday. This is the sort of thing that happens when you sleep no more than three hours at a time.

Jack is about to clear his first week of life with fairly good progress. It's an insane cycle of eating, sleeping and soiling, and you kind of lose track of time, as I mentioned. Some hours stretch on for eternities while others slip away before you notice.

I've changed about two dozen diapers now. The first one was pretty spectacular, what with all the meconium. It looked like someone had tried to pave an asphalt road down the middle of his tartan. My technique has been sound from the onset, if not a bit mechanical and inhuman. Still, the efficiency is getting there: I went through about fifteen wipes the first time, I can field the whole operation in one now.

He's more novelty than a person right now. Aside from his nipple hunting head movements, instinct-driven hand clasps and neurological development-related chin quivers, he doesn't do much. He will occasionally look around the room, but I know from my years in the neuro field that his vision is likely still black and white, only good for about 18 inches and he can't recognize faces much less reality as we interpret it. Still, it does a lot for a father's heart, so there's something there.

The dogs have adjusted admirably. Abby immediately stuck her head into the bassinet when Jack got home, gave a cursory inspection and returned to her normal schedule. I detect some changes in her overall behavior, keeping a somewhat reserved distance from us when Jack is on the couch, but she certainly doesn't hesitate to come when called. Rosey actually missed Jack's arrival and didn't realize there was a new member of the pack for almost three hours when I changed a diaper, at which point she went beserk and she was going to shut that thing up. Fortunately, she's Rosey, incapable of executing her rather brutal foreign policy. By the second day, she'd adjusted to Jack's frequent cries and things seem to be going well as the dogs accept him as a member of the pack.

Life has become a pastiche of unfinished things. Unfinished videos, unfinished books, unfinished meals, unfinished conversations. I think that's just what life is like on the plain of true adulthood, full of constant appraisals and challenging decisions. In truth, I don't think it a big deal.

My attractive graphic designer wife, however, has been a big deal. The labor alone was an awesome sight to bear witness, but I was not prepared for the wellspring of inner strength she called upon to begin motherhood. She carries herself with a magnificent sense of purpose that stuns me. Indeed, I've always envisioned my role in these first weeks as a pillar of strength, but she rarely needs such encouragement in providing for our son. It is I who draws needed resolve and strength by watching her.

Details to come.

jack everett arrives!

mother's day is a day i won't soon forget. our son was born yesterday 5.14.07 at 5:14AM and weighing in at just 5 pounds 12 ounces.

Driven Activity

19 days. Oh my Science.

I suppose this is the calm before the storm. I cleared out the last of the construction and irregular furniture from Baby Chaud's room yesterday. The crib is built, my journalism class concluded, and there's only three more episodes of Lost until next February. Life seems to be giving me a few weeks respite before I'm expected to care for a another human being for the rest of his life.

In terms of delivery, everything is in place. The kid won't be so big as to complicate things, he's in the proper Life Ejection Pose and I have a cell phone to call people.

Of course, there's always room for questions. My classic education as a scientist has only reinforced my inquisitive nature. I like to find answers, only second to asking questions. I don't worry about passing this nature on to my son, as he will be saturated in my daily behavior. I relish the day he asks me, "Why?" Hopefully I will never be able to give him a satisfying answer. Satisfaction is the opiate for the masses, yes?

To be perfectly honest, I knew last summer I was finally ready to raise a kid. There's been a certainty behind that ever since. I don't care to disclose the reasons behind that, but the differences are distinct for me. I've never cared to do something according to protocol or tradition, especially if I'm told without reason or denied an experiment. In fact, most of the conflict in my life comes from those situations where I'm hamstrung or outright denied such activity.

I'm certain I'm ready to be a father. It's a feeling I've only had one other time in my life, and that was the day I told Nicole I loved her, about 30 days after we started dating. That's worked out pretty well for me.

Time for a little more throttle.

almost there

rosey and i both look forward to being done with pregnancy! although, it really has been pretty easy. babychaud is in the correct position now with little room to change that. this time around, dr. beck said he is going to be a little guy no bigger than 7 pounds. yeah!!

final preparations

i have convinced myself that i can work up to the due date. there is a lot i need to still see to at work, however things at home seem to be almost ready. mom brought over the bassinet today–it's very pretty. mom refurnished it for gracie by painting it and making a beautiful eyelet laced skirt. for our baby boy, she decorated it with a big blue & green bow. mom also made a diaper holder with handmade trim that matches the crib bumper & skirt. this week, i also began washing clothes and preparing the diaper bag. one can't be certain when babychaud will arrive. in the midst of the baby activity, i bought rosey a new kong and abby a new tennis ball. both are very happy with the new toys and each other.

hospital tour

today we visited the hospital so we know where to go on the day of the big event. it was kinda scary. i've was there for gracie's birth, but this time around it's a little different. it's only temporary, right? to ease my mind, i try and just think about how exciting it will be to hold our little son. may 26th!

Huttah!

Finished!

making room for baby

my body is finding more room for baby chaud. these last two days, i have been sick with a cold. it takes a lot more for it to recover from illness than it used to. during the last 8 months, i have been sick 3 times. that is 3 times more than i usually am. here i am at 33 weeks 5 days. how can i complain? only a few nights have i had to made the journey to the bathroom downstairs. either my bladder is pretty strong or my will to ignore it is. my doctor said this week that our baby will not be a big baby, a mere 8 pounds. i said, "that is a big baby." i guess not compared to the 10 pounder she just delivered. my birth weight was somewhere around 5.5 pounds and a baby's weight is closer to the mother's birth weight.

preparing the dogs

after the two showers, patrick and i have ended up with a lot of baby things. while we anticipated the amount of gifts, we didn't anticipate abby's reaction to the items in her space. usually during the early evening, you can find abby on her back on the couch. this week, i found her upstairs in her bed. i think she got nervous with all the boxes and new things in the living room. maybe she thought she was being adopted again. patrick quickly moved all the items out and since then, abby is once again enjoying her couch. rosey doesn't notice anything!

patrick and i say i am growing outward. babychaud is likely 4 pounds and 16 inches long (according to the internet). i will get the doctor's opinion monday.

Last Lap

The supermajority of the carpentry was finished last night, with the crib ends assembled and glued into their final shape. What's left is a number of decorative pieces but once those are cut it will be time to put down the first coat of stain, likely on Easter.

Konstruction Kontinues

busy march

we are making progress with baby chaud's bedroom. the walls have been painted, there's a rug & curtains. the crib is almost ready and we have picked out a nice maple armoire that we will have stained to match the crib. i am also making art for the walls, which has been so much fun for me.

last weekend we had the first of our baby showers. everyone has been so gracious to patrick and i. we can't thank them enough (mom, peggy, janelle, aunt kelley, lisa & julie).

this week marks the 31st week. my body feels tired, something i am not accustomed to since my first trimester was relatively unnoted. baby chaud is growing fast. he takes up more space making it hard to breathe and eat. with the unusually warm days so far, i am very happy we are expecting a may/june arrival.

lamaze class

so, patrick and i are certified in lamaze.
what does that mean? i guess it means that patrick will remember all the details for the three of us, beacuse i am pretty sure that in the moment i am not going to remember anything. but the class was a good one to take because i may need to wait a while before the epidural can be administered. i am not one of those people who want to be a hero. i hate pain! i hate pain so much that when this pregnancy began, patrick had to hold my hand for the first blood draw. of course it really wasn't painful, but the anticipation made me really scared. lamaze class didn't ease my fears nor did it make the idea of birth scarier. i was at the birth of my niece 2 years ago, so this class just provided me with written material of what i already witnessed. all i hope is that i have the 8 hour labor my sister had, not the 24 hour typical one! some things are hereditary, right?

The Myers-Briggs presentation

I was mining some neuroscience data for the ol' Ripsaw, my science blog, when I thought I might toss my Myers-Briggs evaluation out here for anyone that's never seen it. The Myers-Briggs typing is a personality test based on the foundational work of the psychiatrist Carl Jung. It has a few things to say about parenting styles.

I myself over the last thirteen years or so since I first took the test have almost always came out as ENTP. The 'NT' aspect being the dominant portion:

RATIONAL NTs, being ABSTRACT in communicating and UTILITARIAN in implementing goals, can become highly skilled in STRATEGIC ANALYSIS. Thus their most practiced and developed intelligent operations tend to be marshalling and planning (NTJ organizing), or inventing and configuring (NTP engineering). And they would if they could be wizards in one of these forms of rational operation. They are proud of themselves in the degree they are competent in action, respect themselves in the degree they are autonomous, and feel confident of themselves in the degree they are strong willed. Ever in search of knowledge, this is the "Knowledge Seeking Personality" -- trusting in reason and hungering for achievement. They are usually pragmatic about the present, skeptical about the future, solipsistic about the past, and their preferred time and place are the interval and the intersection. Educationally they go for the sciences, avocationally for technology, and vocationally for systems work. Rationals tend to be individualizing as parents, mindmates as spouses, and learning oriented as children. Rationals are very infrequent, comprising as few as 5% and no more than 7% of the population.

But perhaps there is a peak into what I have in store for Baby Chaud:

Most Intuitive-Thinkers learn by discussing and challenging, and this is especially true for ENTPs. They get pleasure and intellectual stimulation from arguing both sides of a subject, or from doing something unusual or unexpected just to get a reaction. ENTPs can be fun to be around, but their competitive, testing nature can be intimidating and tiring, particularly to those of a different type.

In relationships with an ENTP, one can expect to be challenged--usually by whatever comes along that is new, different, or on the cutting edge. Just coping with an ENTP can be stimulating, a fact attested to by ENTPs themselves ("I find myself very interesting--but tiring").

The ENTP sees the parenting relationship as one more opportunity for the growth and development of everyone involved. The ENTP's house may be crowded with the latest books, gadgets, fads, or all of the above. Children will be introduced to all of these things, which are used to challenge them--something far more important than neatness, schedule, and order. The ENTP's parenting model is "Stretch thyself," and successful parenting involves whatever helps the child to achieve this goal. Most ENTP parents generate more ideas and possibilities per day than their children will ever be able to complete. This in itself can be tiring and, to a child of a different type, very frustrating. It was probably an NT parent, most particularly an ENTP parent, who first said, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." Helping the child to realize and expand the self is the ENTP's most basic principle of child-rearing. This quest may be made at the expense of hugs, kisses, and expressions of affection, although for the ENTP parent the process itself is the ultimate expression of love.

Additionally:

With their fun and upbeat natures, there's a little bit of kid inside all ENTPs. They approach parenthood with a fun-loving attitude which has a serious underlying goal: to make everything a learning exercise (for themselves as well as for their children) which promotes the child's growth into an independent, logical thinker.

The ENTP is likely to be somewhat inconsistent about spending quality time with their children. One minute they will exhibit a lot of interest and enthusiasm towards being around their kids, and will display a great deal of affection for them. However, as soon as they get caught-up in one of their grand schemes for improving a system somewhere, they're likely to inadvertantly neglect their kids.

Heh heh...any of that sound familiar?

baby kicks

a couple pregnant friends of mine say they can tell what baby body part is moving in their tummies. i have no clue. baby chaud seems to always be tickling me in my lower tummy but i have no idea if it's his toes or his hands. however, at 29 weeks and 3 pounds of baby, my doctor tells me that he still has plenty of space to move around even if his feet are down right now. this is not an indication of a breech baby.

besides being a little more tired, i have found that i must eat smaller portions. my tummy has either an on or off switch–starving or full. this makes eating a little less enjoyable.

Apparently all that babbling is important

Babytalk key factor in language development.

While it may sound repulsive, baby talk and its associated driveling sounds have an opposite effect.

When the researchers compared oxygenation levels when the babies were exposed to baby talk compared to adult speech, they found that baby talk increased the blood oxygenation in the frontal area of the brain. Concentrations of oxygenated hemoglobin rose an average of 0.25 millimoles per liter (mmol/l), while these concentrations decreased an average of 0.23 mmol/l when the babies heard their mothers reading to the adult researcher.

I guess reading to Baby Chaud in my news anchor voice isn't going to top sounding like a circus clown when it comes to developing his language centers. See? Science delivers the truth, not what you want to be true!

Gah.... I mean googly-mooooooogly.

3rd trimester!

lamaze

patrick and i start 2 days of lamaze this coming weekend–even though i am planning for the epidural! we also painted baby chaud's room a nice shade of baby blue on sunday. the curtains are up too…now we just just need everything else. on monday, we visited a day care around he block from my office. our search continues throughout march, as we will likely visit 8 or so around ann arbor. it's a big decision, one that neither of us take lightly. abby and rosey will love the alone time, i am sure.

Rollin' to the crib, getting no-Z.

Construction on Baby Chaud's crib has begun in an official capacity. Uncle Scott (out of his love for his nephew) is lending his considerable skill and time along with a generous gift of the wood itself for the project. Last night was an Evening of Sawdust featuring an endless parade of slats.

At cost. AT COST.
The wood has a thrumming texture to the feel that plastic just can't compete with. So far we have no finger casualties.

56 feet of wood started off pretty big but that pile there is almost all of it. The basement has poor ventilation, and I'm still coughing up expensive Sapindaceae cellulose today.

Next week: Routing!

Prebiotics - or how I became friends with my gut flora

Enjoy here a very technical paper on the significance of breast milk as a prebiotic substrate.

We as humans cooperate with a wide variety of organisms to complete tasks such as keeping our skin healthy, driving away pathogenic diseases and of course, digesting our food. Of course, we don't start out with these great bugs in our guts - we're just full of black stuff. Those vital bacteria must be introduced and in order to persuade them to move in, we need something they want, in this case a food source.



Essentially what this shows is that the gut flora (B. infantis) grows much quicker and greater on the HMO substrate(the squares), the unique sugar found in breast milk as opposed to glucose(the triangles), the simple sugar found in most foods. Inulin (the diamonds) is a ubiquitous prebiotic you find in foods like yogurt and acts as a control for selective growth. The second figure is a control bacterium not normally found in the gut. It appears Mom drives gut flora population, because without all those decent, respectable bacteria taking up all the gut space, you might have some ah, undesirables move in.

Of course, lots of things can disrupt gut flora, including something as innocuous as antibacterial soap. It's not surprising that there's a correlation of antibacterial soap usage with sick kids and adults, eh?