April Fools!

So, for the record, I am not 'sympathetically lactating'. And don't think anyone is :) APRIL FOOLS! Although by the sound of it I don't think many were fooled. Which is a good thing cause a friend at work recently asked me how that study with our twins is going (see last year's post here: http://bit.ly/g1hujT).

Anyway, I had great fun putting this together while also feeling really uncomfortable with it all, powering through all sorts of hesitation. Should I actually be taking a picture of me shaving my nipple? Well of course I should! Special things to Jessica for taking the fake breastfeeding photo and for the sleeping baby (Netta or Bailey?) who posed for it. Now I get to see how long it takes to regrow chest hair, something I've always wondered.


For the record, here are the past three years of April Fools posts:
-Last year, 2011, we wrote about a study we volunteered for where a camera was attached to each of our newborns heads 24/7. And we made an especially hilarious little video to boot.
-In 2010 I posted about a DNR-led child hunting expedition with my nonviolent son, complete with ripping out and eating bloody deer heart.
-In 2009 we posted about a horrible name for our as-of-yet-unnamed son Lewis.


Today I spent a good chunk of time deleting comments off my Facebook post as to preserve any believability of my silly scheme. The deleted comments shall live forever below, followed by other comments no deleted. My favorite is from Kate, who apparently believed it for a good chunk of the day....

Jeremy Entner wrote: "Best April Fools Story yet! Ben Garvin is my hero!!!"
Dennis Lien wrote: "What's the date today?"
Jim Graham wrote: "Nice! (Still, I have to confess that the April 1 thing finds me raising an eyebrow...)"
Erin Harley-Tsongtaatarii wrote: "Hmmmm...whether this is true or a product of today's date, it's awesome :)"
Kimberlee Whaley wrote: "Hey it's April 1st!"
Deb Parker wrote: "You had me for about 27 seconds. Good job!"
MaryJo Sylwester Webster wrote: "Hilarious!"
Laura Yuen wrote: "Hmmm .... I think the season is upon us. This is too trippy, even for you, Ben."
Kate Grossman wrote: "You completely had me for about four hours. Told my husband about it and everything . . ."
And from Katy Miller, an actual lactation export, who posted on our blog: "Be sure to let me know if you need any lactation support. Can I have pics, maybe even some videos for my breastfeeding class?"

Lastly, here are the posts I didn't delete:


Andy Boss: You are such a weirdo!
Deb Parker: OMG ... That is weirdly awesome.
Todd Melby: You are a brave man!
Brandi Jade Moore: Wow...that is amazing! I'm curious about the milk...is it just like breastmilk, or more like colostrum? Can you produce enough to pump? Do you risk getting engorged? Does feeding help ease the joint pain? So many questions! Did the male species regularly breastfeed at some point in our history...I've always heard jokes about why men have nipples, and this would explain it.
(Love this one!) Ian Bicking: You are an inspiration! Is this something you think can be learned?
Lena Cicha: I'm with Brandi...is this evolution at work or a reignition of a long disused function. Thank you for your bravery in sharing this!
Charles Rex Arbogast: Wow.......Wow...
Bob Parker: Reminds me of a joke in the old National Lampoon issue on racism; they were making fun of Martians as a new demographic to poke fun at:
"What do you call a Martian breast-feeding its young? Daddy."
Brian Longley: Thanks for over-sharing...
Laura Scher: Wow, brave man for sharing this beautiful gift. Your girls are so lucky, the bond with them will be amazing!!