At a bit past 4pm today, the grand dame of our felines, Kali, passed away. She went quietly, in her sleep, not 30 minutes after she was purring happily in Patrick’s lap. (Though, happily, not in Patrick’s lap.)

She had been in serious decline for about six months. Really, we thought we were going to lose her at the end of January. But after a round of treatment she had bounced back and was her normal, dairy product stealing, cat trouncing, human loving self, albeit outraged she was suddenly a strictly indoor cat.

I was hoping we’d have her ’til the end of summer, but suspected she might leave us soon when, last weekend, she slipped out of the house and was discovered about 5 blocks away from some very kind folks who returned her with the aid of the address on her tag. Before then she wouldn’t go more than a block from the house.

She quacked, screamed like a drowning virgin,* never met a cat she didn’t want to beat up, had clandestine friendships with German Shepards, was on constant patrol, collected people, terrorized mice, performed hammer locks on birds, was always dignified except when:

• - She jumped up on a shelf full of CDs which triggered an avalanche of said CDs. She immediately tried to run up the cascade to regain her perch. But she didn’t.
• - She’s found a particularly nice patch of sun..
• - When she met Crash, Jenn and Kevin Moore’s substantial German Shepard for the first time. She was sitting on the porch rail and, upon seeing Crash, arched up so high in rage and fear that she fell over sideways.
• - Being adored by the Boys.
• - More than once she jumped to the top of an open door and pondered vexedly how she was going to get down as she swayed back and forth.

And there’s lots more stories, she had been with us a long time. But here’s one last one: Kali never accepted the fact that she had to share her house with other cats. She tolerated the Boys, but never accepted the interlopers who lived downstairs. I reckon that with Cicely and Roslyn having finally moved out a couple weeks back, Kali figured her work was done and she could rest easy.

*Thanks for that always, Dylan.

additional

The cat page that Kip created a while back for Kali and Ranger
Christopher Baldwin’s collage of all our now ex-cats.

Here I am, doing weekly updates again! This week with page 13 of part 9 : Out of a Molehill. After reading it I’ll bet you’ll figure out why I wish I could’ve uploaded this page last week.

Then there’s the fact that I wrote this and the next scene years ago. There are some shifts and changes, naturally, but the essence is the same. which makes the timing of this page even funnier for me. And, oddly, really drives home how damn close I am to finally being done with this first Book of Dicebox.

If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe. -Carl Sagan

Walking into work today, the iPod selected “A Glorious Dawn” by Symphony of Science, featuring Carl Sagan, Stephen Hawking and lots and lots of Auto-Tune. It begins with the above quote which always delights me.

The idea that the cosmos was created solely so that one day there would be apple pie is a magnificent thought to me. That some deity sprung into existence thinking “mmmmm, apple pie” or that the concentrated matter that became our universe blew apart in a Big Bang with the of anticipation of the warm apple pastry.

I can’t dismiss the fact that these thoughts occur to me in large part because of my 15 month-old daughter’s absolute adoration for Symphony of Science songs. Along with the fact that I have a duty to try to explain the universe and the whys-and-where-fors to her. (Clearly I favor a similar approach as Calvin’s dad.)

Taran’s sheer devotion to these remixed songs of scientist celebrities is a constant source of pleasure for Kip and me. Her especial favorite is “We Are All Connected”; upon hearing the first strains Richard Feynman on the bongos, she will get the most beatific smile on her face and toddle towards the source of the sound, which is usually her poppa’s computer, hoping to see the trippy visuals that accompany the video of the song. If the song comes up while she’s riding in the car, Taran will start to bob and weave her head and flex her hands in imitation of Bill Nye’s “Really I’m just a SPECK!” hand jive.

Unsurprisingly, all these thoughts put an extra bounce in my step as I headed to work.

And is probably why, upon seeing Taran when she and Kip picked me up from work, I felt it necessary to pick up six to eight apples on our way home.

• - I’ve posted 10 pages of Dicebox, the latest, page 11 of Part 9 : Out of a Molehill, having gone up today.
• -Patrick has posted 18 pages to the bring his epic Dicebox guest comic, “Don’t Look Back” to a whopping 52 pages (and it’s still not done).
• -Kip has added three chapters to City of Roses.
• -Taran mastered crawling and has started walking.
• -I took part in two group art shows.
• -I gave JennManleyLee.com a complete overhaul.
• -Lived through off-and-on house renovation and repair.
• -And did many other things I can’t talk about yet or are too boring to recount.

Next up, after opening the Store at jennmanleylee.com and fixing some broken things at dicebox.net, I plan to try to use this journal once a week. We’ll see how I do.

Man, I was all set to do a joke update today, sketched out the art and everything. And then, about 3 weeks back, our four month old daughter who used to sleep through til morning began waking once or twice during the night. (I feel sucker punched, here.)*

Sigh.

I really enjoy April Fool’s, look forward to smirking through out the day (example, our IT guy announced a way to reduce costs and energy usage through limited email access: Last names starting A through M will have email access 6:30 AM through 1:00 PM. Last names starting N through Z will have email access 1:00 PM through 7:30 PM.) And I was totally stoked that this year’s was on a Wednesday, my regular update day. But between the day job, freelance, baby care** and the 5 hours of sleep per night AND baby’s first shoulder dislocation this past Friday AND AND a sudden computer upgrade… just not meant to be. Not with me enjoying it, which is the whole point.

I was contemplating going with a simple “screw comics” post, but I already did that and caused unintended heartburn for some folks. And I don’t think I’m in the right mental space to pull that off, all things considered.

And I told Patrick I got this week so no update from him either, I’m afraid. Entertainingly enough, my original April Fool’s prank was to present a slick, hyper stylized, action and boob packed comic as Dicebox’s new direction. Kinda redundant now.

As penance, and a way to rev back up into Dicebox as I complete other obligations*** I will be attempting to post something in the Dicebox Process Journal at least six times a week for the month of April. I will start tonight with a one of the cleaned up and colorized sketches. And this weekend I’ll share some concept art for Book 2 that I was originally planning to share today a balm for goofiness.

Oh, and updates to Dicebox here on out: Patrick and I will be alternating every other week until he’s finished, allowing me time to ramp up fully as well for hime to wrap up this epic. And they’ll be truly Wednesday updates again! With as much material as we can manage in two weeks time.

See you on April 15th with the beginning of Dicebox Book 1: Part 9: Out of a Molehill. No fooling.

*What she really wants is to sleep in the bed with Kip and me, something I gave her a taste for when traveling–hated the crib arrangement, room temperature and we were in a king sized bed. It’s also part of her biggest growth spurt yet, not just size but mental activity and physical ability. And it’s the fact that she can now roll and hoist herself along and over things that has me firmly vetoing her sharing the bed with us. Which means a good couple of hours every night getting her to settle and go back to sleep. In her own bed/bassinet.

**By which I mean breast feeding. I produce at least a quart everyday for our little monkey girl and, man, what a time consuming, exhausting enterprise that is. Looking forward to weaning, tantrums and all. I’ve seen it compared to a part time job, seven days a week and boy they’re not kidding.

***And wean the Kid.

Across town from me, at this moment, my daughter is wearing this very ensemble. That thought pleases me. (Note the stylish R. Stevens original onesie she’s sporting.)

Who else has been rocking it is Patrick Farley in his Dicebox saga “Don’t Look Back.” I realize that I’ve neglected mentioning it here for the past couple of weeks. If you depend on this journal for update notices, you’ll wanna go back to page 27 for the last three pages.

But back to talking about my daughter. Taran is 13 weeks old as of today and is indeed rocking my world. And shaking it, rearranging it, spitting up on it…

I never really sought to be a mother but I have to say it’s actually kinda awesome. There’s nothing like watching the person she is and is becoming emerge each day. This past Sunday, she invented her first game.

Here’s how it goes: while I hold her against my shoulder, she looks at and engages the person sitting next to us. Then she squeals in delight and hides her face against my neck. Then turns back to the the person and begins again. She did this most recently with Bill; both seemed to enjoy it immensely.

Of course this whole motherhood thing has been very challenging for me, especially since returning to the day job a couple weeks ago. And frustrating in regards to getting art done. However, I’m managing and have actually figured out when I’ll be resuming Dicebox: March 4th. I might be splitting updates with Patrick as he finishes his mini retro epic, but the show will (finally) go on.

A peek from the latest page of Patrick Farley’s Dicebox Aside, “Don’t Look Back.” (permalink) I predict punches real soon.

There was also a two page update last week that I neglected to mention here due to my current reason and excuse for most things these days: Taran. I am getting the hang of her (and her me), and a rhythm is emerging. Even so, I get frustrated at not being even remotely on top of things. Hell, a good day is when I manage to do all the dishes if nothing else. But I have very few if any regrets in having her; it does help that she is pretty darn cute:

This photo shows another reason I’m grateful for Patrick’s epic page count for this guest story (up to 23 pages and still going!). That’s me holding her and the hand brace on my right hand—a.k.a. the drawing hand—is due to the carpal tunnel injury I’ve had for seven weeks now. Apparently this is a common side effect of pregnancy and delivery, even more so with a c-section, though it ought to have gone away by now. So it’s off to the hand specialist I go.

I went about 5 weeks without drawing a damn thing, then gradually began sketching again as I couldn’t stand it anymore. It’s a bit clumsy and slow going yet, with frequent breaks, but getting better. I even managed my first bit of cartooning yesterday (and did all the dishes to boot!). As with everything else these days, it involves the Kid:

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Specifically I gave birth to a 10 pound, 5 ounce baby girl named Taran Jack Manley, 22 and a half inches long with a full head of hair and eyebrows (the delivery team seemed the most impressed with the eyebrows.)

I’ve already posted the log of Twitter posts that Kip, Dylan and I made during the process. This here is more about the whys-and-where-ores and my feelings about the whole thing.

First off, I’ve known for quite a while that Taran was a big baby and there were already concerns about my delivering her via my birth canal at 34 weeks, given the information gathered at that week’s ultrasound. So I was being prepped for the idea of an early induced delivery or a c-section from then on.

My doctor and I decided to plan to go to full term and see how things developed, deciding that if I didn’t deliver by my 40th week, we’d induce then. Which is exactly what happened.

So we started inducement, my cervix being “ripe” but not effaced nor dilated. Over 24 hours later I had achieved active labor but my cervix was only 50% effaced dilated one centimeter–you need to be at 10 centimeters before you start pushing.

I was given a choice–keep working towards full effacement and 10 centimeters or c-section. Oddly, this threw me, I didn’t expect to actually have to chose. Even though I chose inducement and was prepared for c-section, I ultimately believed birth to be a random event that was out of my hands.

I was glad to be able to talk it out with my support group–Kip, Mom, Dylan, Patrick, Bill and Katie–before coming to the decision that a c-section was probably the best way to go. I was exhausted and and uncomfortable and couldn’t see going another 10 to 20 hours of labor with no guarantee a successful vaginal delivery.

Quick side note– I was glad of my support group, period. Besides all the words of support and errand running, having them around, kibitzing in the background, throwing out commentary on what was on the TV and making bad jokes was very comforting and relaxing to me. It made the birthing suite feel homey and friendly in a big way, countering any anxiety I might have had.

The c-section seemed a very remote way to give birth. I had no feeling form my sternum down and there was a sheet between me and the action. (Thankfully my mom, an RN of 30 plus years had no qualms of taking pictures of the entire procedure for me)

But I only really felt anxiety and frustration in the ten minutes between Taran’s delivery to when I could actually see her. Meanwhile everyone else in the room not only got to see her but touch her. i didn’t even get to hold Taran until the recovery room and then after they did some tests on me first.

I felt much better when I could finally hold my little passenger of the last nine months. And I was right, holding her on the outside is so much better than holding her within.

I also felt better about making the decision for c-section when my doctor told me there was no way she would have delivered Taran vaginally. The reason my cervix didn’t efface and open was that Taran was never engaged in the birth canal, she was basically bouncing on my pubic bone, her head was transverse and even though the doctor felt that she might have had success in delivering our daughter’s big head, her line backer shoulders would’ve been impossible.

More pictures of Taran’s arrival can be found in sets made by Bill Mudron, Kip Manley (aka Poppa) and me.

This turned out to be surprisingly useful thing for us to have done, not only to let family and friends how it was going as it was going, but when some medical person needed to know when, say, my waters were ruptured or when I stopped having solid food, it was right there, time stamped in our twitter logs.

I had a few folks expressed surprise we were doing this, using twitter to live blog the birth of Kip’s and mine daughter, but a large reason of why I joined Twitter was in anticipation of doing just this.

OCTOBER 30th
kiplet: [07:08am] Houston, we are go for pre-flight check.
jemale: [06:14pm] Begin phase one of Induction-the Prostaglandin Gel.
BZedan: [06:24pm] @jemale—All I can think to say are theatre things. Like about being off-book.
krisdresen: [06:31pm] @jemale And with that you’ve successfully brought whatever faint biological ticking I may have had to a halt. Godspeed, Jenn!
rstevens: [06:40pm] @jemale If you have a Halloween baby, you are officially even cooler than I thought.
kiplet: [06:57pm] Taran’s heartbeat jumps when she hears us speaking.
kiplet: [06:57pm] (Also, there’s commercials for metal detectors on the teevee. Yup. Recession.)
mamavandiver: [07:05pm] @jemale are you still at home? Hope you have Gayla tomorrow.
kiplet: [07:43pm] Gel insertion. (But first: pibroch!)
BarryDeutsch: @kiplet I have only the fuzziest idea of what that means, but good luck!

OCTOBER 31st
jemale: [01:15am] Back at Good Sam for Phase 2 (which will hopefully not suck as much as Phase 1)
jemale: [01:16am] This time we aren’t leaving until we have a baby.
BarryDeutsch: [01:25am] Jenn and Kip are having a baby! Wheeeeeeee!
kiplet: [01:50am] @BarryDeutsch It’s an old Jethro Tull joke. —We’re back for the long haul now. IV’s inserted and the first dose of the next stuff is ready.
jemale: [02:25am] So the placement of the misoprestol wasn’t so bad, but the I.V. start was unfun–especially as it took two attempts.
rstevens: [ 07:11am] @jemale I heard the hot moms club is taking new members **today only!**
jemale: [08:30am] @rstevens then I’d better get my game face on–or at least brush my hair.
jemale: [08:34am] My doctor is Johnny Cash today.
kiplet: [09:12am] The contractions make a lovely mountain range on the chart. —Also, Jenn is now a cyborg.
jemale: [09:13am] Phase 3 of induce Taran has begun–the picotin drip.
jemale: [09:14am] Also a side order of anti biotics due to my having strep where I never had considered having strep before.
jemale: [09:17am] And that’s pitocin-damn one handed typing.
kiplet: [09:46am] It’s like Christmas morning except all the presents are antsy and waiting for the kid to come open them.
jemale: [10:25am] So that’s a contraction!
gmcneely: [10:45am] @jemale yeah. they’re not bad at first, but they…get old.
quirkybird: [10:47am] I will now concede to micro-journalling, as I’m listening to the amplified sounds of a nervous fetus post-contraction, & it’s quite a thing.
quirkybird: [10:53am] Jenn did not take me up on my suggestion that she treat her IV tower as a lamp-post and do a Gene Kelly impression on it. Whatever, Jenn.
kiplet: [11:18am] Apparently, http://longstoryshortpier.com/ is PORNOGRAPHY! Who knew?
kiplet: [11:19am] Earlier, Dr. Murray was very enthusiastic at the idea of making Jenn “painful.” (To whom, I’m not entirely clear.)
quirkybird: [11:21am] There is a topiary shaped like a bunny in the hospital garden down below. Delightful.
kiplet: [11:31am] Love is tying her gown shut in the back.
kiplet: [11:32am] Jenn’s IV stand is nicknamed “Bob.” Short for “Kate.”
quirkybird: [11:50am] Jenn says these contraction things are like period cramps from hell. Only the Food Network can ease her pain.
kiplet: [12:06pm] When Paula Dean says “boil,” she says “boale.” When she says “clothes,” she says “cloaothes.”
jemale: [12:21pm] I’ve just been forbidden solid food. Progress!
krisdresen: [12:24pm] @jemale It’s the little victories, eh?
quirkybird: [12:30pm] Nothing like being told “Oh good! You didn’t miss the doctor coming in to rupture my membranes” upon stepping back in the room.
kiplet: [12:32pm] Dr. Johnny Cash only knows the words to “Ring of Fire.” Distressingly appropriate, you ask me.
kiplet: [12:56pm] And now for the breaking of the bag of waters…
quirkybird: [01:07pm] 1 centimeter of PURE CERVICAL GLORY.
jemale: [01:14pm] Bag of waters: ruptured. Meconium spotted. Also! a whole centimeter of dilation.
goraina: [01:14pm] @jemale I can’t believe you are Twittering your child’s birth. I love it!
kiplet: [01:20pm] Hoo-hah is at one centimeter. Repeat: hoo-hah is at one centimeter. Developing…
quirkybird: [01:28pm] Jenn seems to think I am grossed out by amniotic fluid goosh. She does not realize that this is dinner table conversation where I come from.
quirkybird: [01:28pm] (well, at least until my dad goes pale & begs my mom and me to change the subject)
jemale: [01:38pm] Try BAGS of water. I mean, wow. There goes Taran’s swimming pool.
quirkybird: [02:35pm] Birth-day burritos for everybody! Except Jenn. And Taran. Only cranberry juice for those jerks.
kiplet: [02:48pm] Jenn dozes. Or at least her eyes are closed. Mostly. —Also, the topiary rabbit in the garden? Topiary velveteen, baby. Topiary velveteen.
quirkybird: [03;03pm] Dude on the Food Network says: “Tomatillo salsa? MONEY.”
quirkybird: [03;04pm] Also, every time Jenn says that it’s hurting more, we all say “yay!”
quirkybird: [03:06pm] Inevitable variation arises: “Taran Jack Manley? MONEY.”
quirkybird: [03:06pm] (“healthy white babies are a recession-proof commodity”)
kiplet: [03:24pm] @quirkybird Please. Like Gramma would ever let that happen.
kiplet: [03:26pm] Mantastic? —I haven’t been watching enough teevee. My immune system’s way way down.
kiplet: [03:39pm] More pain! Yay!
rstevens: [03:40pm] @goraina @jemale Seriously, there is nothing more hard core than a mother Tweeting during childbirth. Is this a first?
jemale: [03:43pm] Ah, to think I asked Dr. Murray only two days ago “how will I know when I’m having REAL contractions?” Ah, youth.
kiplet: [03:57pm] Painkillers! Yay!
quirkybird: [03:59pm] Man, just WATCHING that last round of contractions made ME want to ring the nurse for some sweet opioid relief.
quirkybird: [04:14pm] Even the nurse is horrified by the skeletal lady on the Food Network dressed up as Marilyn Monroe and cooking with satin gloves on. AUGH.
kiplet: [04:17pm] “That’s the first buzz I’ve had in seven months,” says Jenn.
kiplet: [04:18pm] “Stay high!” says the nurse, on her way out the door.
kiplet: [04:22pm] “I love everybody right now,” says Jenn. “Except Bill Sizemore.”
douglaswolk: [05:06pm] also, @jemale + @kiplet (and their housemate @quirkybird) are currently livetwittering the birth of their daughter! I <3 THE FUTURE
quirkybird: [05:27pm] Pregnant lady on an exercise ball: MONEY.
quirkybird: [05:33pm] This part of Casino Royale is FAR too quiet for Taran’s preferences.
quirkybird: [05:34pm] Any world that contains Daniel Craig and Eva Green is one worth being born into.
quirkybird: [05:36pm] Still just 1 centimeter. Damn you, cervix! The graph of the contractions is looking very pretty, though.
kiplet: [05:37pm] The birthing ball has arrived! “Much better design than the birthing pyramid,” says Bill.
quirkybird: [05:39pm] Kip’s brilliant plan for distracting Jenn from a contraction: running over her toe with his swivel chair.
kiplet: [05:46pm] Dylan’s man-crush (?) on Daniel Craig is also brilliantly distracting.
quirkybird: [05:47pm] @kiplet: any world that contains Daniel Craig is worth bringing a child into.
BZedan: [06:00pm] @quirkybird—And yes, most definitely.
BZedan: [06:00pm] @quirkybird @kiplet @jemale The Future: tweeting the labor of soon-to-be Queen of All Saints Taran (and being the primary thread of my day)
quirkybird: [06:12pm] Daniel Craig is having man contractions on the TV. Jenn is having lady contractions on the ball. It’s a rich life.
kiplet: [06:15pm] We need printouts of the contraction tape for Taran’s baby-book.
kiplet: [06:15pm] “Look! That’s where you made mama swear like a sailor.”
jemale: [06:20pm] Quote my mother “fentanyl is nice.” I concur. And given my last several contractions, I think some more might be in order.
quirkybird: [06:38pm] Jenn is apologizing for sighing with relief. Isn’t she precious.
quirkybird: [06:41pm] “If only the cats could be here.”
kiplet: [06:52pm] Photos! http://kiplet.livejournal.com/27286.html.
quirkybird: [06:58pm] Taran’s Lullaby: the Bond theme.
rstevens: [07:00pm] @kiplet @quirkybird I still can’t believe you guys are liveblogging a birth.
looori: [07:04pm] @quirkybird @kiplet @jemale I’m very happy that Daniel Craig is an integral part of the birthing process.
quirkybird: [07:06pm] @looori – and now we’ve moved on to Barbara Stanwyck.
quirkybird: [07:07pm] @rstevens – yeah, neither can I. Did I mention the mucus plug yet? Enh? Did I?
quirkybird: [07:13pm] Contraction chart now looks like “Hill” setting on a treadmill program rather than earthquake readings.
quirkybird: [07:17pm] Woop. Never mind.
quirkybird: [07:43pm] For some reason the new nurse seems to think we’re kind of weird. I have no idea why.
quirkybird: [07:53pm] Yay, the doctor and her reassuring sense of humor have returned. And those are some yucky damn contractions over there.
quirkybird: [07:53pm] Curse you, cervix.
quirkybird: [07:59pm] I love this doctor. She tells Jenn “this is YOUR gig.”
quirkybird: [07:59pm] Natural or C-section? I smell an INTERNET POLL.
quirkybird: [08:02pm] The 6 of us are actually actively discussing this with Jenn. It is like a reality show where the judges confer about the contestants.
BZedan: [08:05pm] @quirkybird—Alas that there are no video confessional booths.
quirkybird: [08:05pm] @BZedan – I like to think that the womb is the ULTIMATE confessional booth.
rstevens: [08:06pm] @quirkybird I vote that Chief O’Brien locks onto the baby in-womb and transports it directly into @jemale’s arms.
BZedan: [08:07pm] @quirkybird—If we could hear her, there would be much deriding and sass.
quirkybird: [08:13pm] Epidural on the waaaaaaaaaay.
nfagerlund: [08:19pm] @quirkybird—I’m gonna second @rstevens’s suggestion
quirkybird: [08:20pm] TARAN FOLLOW THE SOUND OF JON STEWART’S VOICE
BZedan: [08:25pm] @quirkybird—TARAN! There is a world of biting quips out here that you’ve so got to be part of.
quirkybird: [08:38pm] Jenn is currently being a total Amazon in the face of some seriously gnarly needles.
quirkybird: [08:44pm] Jenn has asked that we say something scandalous on the internet about Taran, since she is being so annoying.
quirkybird: [08:44pm] I hear that Taran was having an affair with Heath Ledger and then dumped him and that’s why he OD’d.
quirkybird: [09:00pm] Kip, on the epidural’s effectiveness: “Houston, we have achieved warm and tingly.”
kiplet: [09:04pm] Jenn is making all sorts of interesting new beeping sounds.
quirkybird: [09:17pm] Phrase of the hour: “space catheter”.
quirkybird: [09:22pm] RN: “Now you’re set, except for your shave.” Jenn: “ug.” Me: “we’ll get a barbershop quartet!” Kip (sings): “Goodnight, sweetheart…”
kiplet: [09:33pm] “Good night LADIES.” —Somebody hasn’t watched enough Music Man.
looori: [09:33pm] @jemale @kiplet @quirkybird http://tinyurl.com/5pvr32.
kiplet: [09:34pm] Tasty tasty ice chips!
jemale: [09:34pm] I totally lost it with the numbing shots for the epidural. I’m tired in all ways.
kiplet: [09:38pm] @looori FTW! FTW! FTW!
looori: [09:41pm] @jemale Scott has been told that his kidney stones thing will be more painful than childbirth. I’m sure this is very reassuring to you now.
jemale: [09:42pm] @rstevens that’s what I’m talking about.
jemale: [09:48pm] @looori I love you.
jemale: [09:48pm] @looori well I do get a baby out of it and all Scott gets is some stones.
quirkybird: [09:58pm] Kip: “why did the ghost go to the bar? …For the BOOS.” And so the dad humor begins.
looori: [09:59pm] @jemale Scott says, “Yes, but my stones only wake me up in the middle of the night *once*.” Lori says, “\/\/”
quirkybird: [10:01pm] The doctor adds: “A skeleton walks into a bar and says, ‘gimme a beer, and a mop.’”
quirkybird: [10:01pm] C-section it is!
quirkybird: [10:02pm] (damn, I think I owe my mom some money now)
quirkybird: [10:03pm] (Jenn is SERIOUS about the Halloween birthday.)
looori: [10:03pm] @jemale @kiplet @quirkybird Scott says, “But we were hoping for a B+ section!” More dad humor.
quirkybird: [10:14pm] @looori The ENTIRE ROOM just said “boooooooooo” as a single unit.
quirkybird: [10:14pm] Kip and Jenn’s mama Kathy are gonna go down the hall to help Jenn out, while the peanut gallery chills out here.
quirkybird: [10:22pm] Jenn admits as how, on the surgery consent form, she started to fill out the “PRINT NAME” field by writing “print name.” Little bit tired.
quirkybird: [11:04pm] That’s one pretty kid.
quirkybird: [11:19pm] 11:08pm, 10.5lbs, 22in, a little cap of swirly black hair, a nice set of eyebrows, and one heck of a grip. Welcome to the world, kiddo!

NOVEMBER 1st
looori: @jemale YAAAAAY! and love from all of us. Paul Smith is going outside to smoke two cigars because your baby is so big.
jemale: [01:20am] Overwhelmed, relieved and feeling very surreal.
jemale: [01:28am] For those of you not following @quirkybird, 11:08pm, 10lbs 5oz, 22.5″ via c-section with a full head of curly brown hair and eyebrows.
kiplet: [02:17am] She’s here. (You knew that.) We’re tired. Thanks to everyone who followed our little show. We have the best friends.

Patrick gamely assisted in clearing out basements, hauling fallen air conditioners, wrangling cats, cleaning house, picking up and dropping off folks at the airport, shopping, cooking, co-hosting a baby shower, getting food for pregnant ladies with headcolds and participating in a faux wedding as ceremony DJ. Nevermind breaking in the new computer that he got gratis to replace his clearly defective one this past weekend. I’m actually pleased he found time to get the bitchin’ tattoo he had planned on months ago.

So, yes, Kip’s Baby Shower happened this past weekend. Here’s the guest of honor himself:

It was a very nice shower, organized by Dylan and co-hosted by Patrick. I think the most notable thing was how most everyone showed up precisely at 1 o’clock–unknown to me after 12 years of having parties in Portland where I calculate the fact that folks will arrive about an hour after the start time. My only regret was being unable to chat with everyone (I guess it was kinda my shower too)

We had all just about recovered from the shower when we had to get prepped for a LARP wedding Tuesday evening in which I got to play the bride thanks to Taran. A very awkward and dumpy bride to boot. Here’s a lovely photo of Dylan in her role in Barry’s dream wedding:

She’s my second favorite groom ever.

Actually, thanks to Brenna, there’s a nice contrast between my ring exchange with Kip and the one with Dylan.

Kip and Jenn’s ring exchange:

Michael and Margo’s ring exchange:

That’s Brad officiating at Kip’s and my wedding up top; he’s also onstage at Michael and Margo’s wedding as Best Man and brother to the groom.

Barry, in who’s honor this was all put together, has a post about his impression of the faux wedding that include links to other folks entries and pictures. I imagine Dylan will add her two cents after she returns from her trip for work. I certainly hope so.