Day 4 in the Big and Small Brother's House

Day 4 in the Big and Small Brother's house. My mother has discovered that it was very foolish of her to pretend that after having given birth that it is alright to carry on as if she was a milkmaid in the fields. It would have been a far better idea to have left the heroics daddy and stayed in bed, all warm and snuggly with me, while he takes care of us, and Oisin and the guests and the house. (Also sitting up to watch Batman Begins was not a good idea, even if Christian Bale is a bit of a dish and that batsuit is something else.)

Daddy has been set a task today to roast the chicken she defrosted last night. Mummy is not sure if he has never roasted a chicken before, but she has never done so either. She says that it isn't rocket science and the instructions are on the back of the label the bird came in. We shall see. I look forward to chicken latte for dinner today. If it looks great, there may be a picture of a cooked dead bird on the page tomorrow.

I wonder what chicken latte tastes like?

Mama in Singapore has just told Mummy that Yati, the neighbour next door, and in Indonesian, so they know more about these things because they haven't been subjected to the overt consumerism and medicalisation of birth, has said that she is not to eat anything spicy, acidic and not too much fruit. Mother says she feels a bit stupid not having read up about breast feeding, after concentration so much on the birth. Of course what you eat is as important as what you're not supposed to eat/do - beyond the usual alcohol, drugs and smoking. She has been downing smoothies which showed up in my very wet and green diaper last night at 2 am. Umm...lovely. I didn't enjoy it much either. I think Mummy may have enjoyed it less.

In Singapore and Indonesia, women wrap themselves up in herbs and badanges for a month to get the womb to shrink back to the way it was. Mummy thinks this is a good idea, because she saw herself in the mirror yesterday and discovered that she no longer has a bum or a waist, or anything else. It's early days yet, i think, and plenty of time for all that, but still, it would be nice, she thinks to have something wrapped around you to keep you warm, the way she keeps me warm.

But she's taking arnica and beginning to put some clothes and socks on. She still hasn't had a bath yet, but towelling herselef at the sink. Mama says that women shouldn't bath for a month after giving birth - a week is the furthest she's compromised on. However last night when she was having the sweats, she saw the wisdom in not taking that bath. Mama arrives on the 19th, it should be good fun then. Be nice for her to see me in person finally.

X Amhairghin