He's laughing!

Can a 1 week old baby laugh? Benjamin was taking a nap yesterday and I heard the strangest sounds coming from the baby monitor. I checked on him and he was fast asleep, but he was grinning from ear to ear and emitting a sound that I can only describe as laughter! He did it again and again as I watched him. He looked like he was having the time of his life. I told Kelly when he got home and he said that he laughed in his sleep when he was younger too. Maybe that really was it! How cute is that?! Benjamin is doing great. We had another pediatrician appointment today and he's now passed his birth weight, after having dropped to 7lbs 3oz. He's now at 7.12. So, he's "thriving" as they say and that makes a mommy happy. Also, his circumcision is finally healed so diaper changes have become much easier. I'm just waiting for his cord to fall off so I can see if he has an inny or an outy. One thing's certain, though - he's got my toes. My father's side of the family has pretty distinct second toes (the toe next to the big toe). The tip of it curves outward on my feet, my dad's, my gradma's, and who knows who else's. Well, it now also does that on Benjamin's feet. So adorable. I was so amazed when I saw that for the first time. How incredible is it to have this little being who's part of you and part of your husband and yet his own distinct personality and life?

Something I've noticed about his preferences is that he loves baths. I can't give him a real bath until his cord heals, but I've given him sponge baths and he seems to really enjoy the warm washcloth on his head and body. He stays very calm and stares at my face as I wash him. It's one of my favorite things to do. I'm so glad he likes it too. I can't wait to see how he reacts to a real bath. Another thing I've noticed he likes is when I sing. I haven't figured out exactly what he likes about it (because it could just be the vibration of my chest as I sing and nothing more) but every time I start to sing, he looks up at my face and noticibly relaxes. The only issue is that I only know a few kids songs - Old MacDonald, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Bingo, Row Row Row Your Boat, and The Wheels on the Bus. After that, I'm out of ideas and I don't really like those songs a whole lot to begin with. So, instead, I've started singing hymns and primary songs. It's been wonderful. It brings the spirit and I can sing for hours without running out of songs. I never thought, when I memorized so many hymns, that it'd one day be to sing to my baby. I just figured it's handy not to have to have a hymn book around. The baby whisperer suggests a simple, set bed-time routine that you do every time they go to sleep. So, I've incorporated singing "Adam-ondi-Ahman" into ours. It seems to be his favorite. I start singing it as I'm swaddling him and then I get softer and only hum it as we're sitting in the rocking chair. It's amazing what a calming effect it has on him. I really love the hymns and I really love my little boy.

Of course, things haven't been all roses. This little guy can let out quite a wail and I often feel horribly inept when I'm unable to stop it. Especially around 3am. There have been mornings following rough nights when I've felt depressed and overwhelmed at the thought of doing it all over again for another day. I know - you're saying "He's only 10 days old!!" - but I can't help how I feel - blame the hormones, I guess. I've been reading "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" like it's holy writ and that has been the single biggest help so far. I can't believe the author has passed away, because I would make a pilgrimage to her home to learn from her, if possible. The biggest challenge we've faced with our little boy has been setting up a regular sleep schedule. As all newborns, he's reversed day and night. This makes life during the day wonderful, but when night comes, it's disaster. So, we've been working at correcting that and setting up a better routine. This requires us to wake him during the day - not an easy task! I feel like a monster when I take my precious little boy from his warm swaddle and try to wake him up. He scrunches up his face and groans in discomfort. However, I persist and eventually, I think, he forgives me. :) Also, I've been trying to get him to feed longer so he won't be as hungry at night. This again, requires me to keep him awake. That oxytocin is strong stuff and he's always conking out during feedings. However, a few times a day I've pumped before I nursed, thereby taking out the foremilk (the one high in oxytocin) and letting him nurse the hindmilk first, then giving him the pumped milk in the bottle afterwards. That worked really well. It added 10-15 minutes onto his nursing time and now, he feeds longer even when I don't pump. These two things combined - waking during the day and eating more - resulted in a wonderful night last night - he only woke up one time at 2:40am and then slept again until 7:00. It was amazing. I actually woke up twice besides that and checked on him, just to make sure he was okay because I was shocked he was still sleeping! We'll see how tonight goes. I'm sure there will be occasional retrogression, and that's okay, but at least I know I'm headed in the right direction.

Well, enough talk. Here's a few pictures I took during his nap. I didn't swaddle him that time because the house was way too hot, but can you see why I hate waking him? He's adorable!