Kelley had her son today. She was due yesterday, but because of complications in the pregnancy she was certain the baby would be born in December. But her son hung on and even waited a day past his due date, and came into this world around twelve noon at a healthy seven pounds, twelve ounces. Mother and son are doing well.
Jean and I went out last night for dinner with three friends. Phil is a lawyer who worked with Jean when she worked for the Insurance Company That Will Not Be Named. Cindy worked with Jean at the same establishment. Carter is Cindy's four year old daughter who is in perpetual motion. Cindy and Phil wanted to take Jean (well, both of us really) out for dinner, so we met up at Phil's Continental Lounge (no relation to our friend).
The cheese sticks were great, the burger burned beyond all recognition as food, but the Coke was plentiful. We were there for three hours I think (the waitress was very kind). We talked about tons of stuff, but Cindy talked most. It was all good, though. War stories. Baby war stories. Phil had a few good words too, even though his children are all grown up (or at least mostly grown up).
I had fun with Carter. It took a while before she realized that I was playing with her brain, but she caught on when I insisted that the Minnie Mouse on her dress was actually Snuffy from Sesame Street. After that we were fairly well engaged for the evening. She's quite an artist, in between fidgets. She prepared sketches for Jean, me and the baby (Bumpy's napkin is currently sitting in the crib).
Today was yet another party. This time my pals from IS took me out to lunch at Fuddrucker's, where the burgers are the best. It was nice that they wanted to take me to lunch, and the presents (an outfit, socks and a bib all with a Richmond Spiders theme, and stationery and a book from Mary and Natolyn). It was also nice not to have a baby shower tone to the lunch. Just good friends having fun. Thanks everyone!
Tonight I worked until almost seven thirty catching up on some work I've been wanting to get out of the way for more than a week. I put together a web site for our upcoming hardware conversion (I'd show it to you, but it's in a restricted access directory). Jean worked late too, and didn't get home until after I'd been home for a while.
She's been working on her bag for the hospital. We're getting so close now, and we want to have everything done. If the baby's on time, we'll have this weekend to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. If she's late, we might even have the one after that. But we are both slowing down right now, taking it as easy as we can.
It is possible that my entries might be a bit more sporadic over the next few days, and I guess I'll thank you in advance for your patience. It's a temporary change in my pattern as I take this time to focus a little on Jean and living itself and not so much on the recording of living. Spending half an hour to an hour a night takes a little time away from Jean, and I want to be with her as much as possible. I don't mean to miss more than a day at a time, and will certainly post all the details, pictures and even (I hope) audio as soon as possible once the baby has arrived.
A clear night. The moon seems half-full, don't you think? It was a cooler day, and it was nice to walk the campus with a winter coat again.
news: Today we finally bid adieu to our Halloween pumpkin that has sat happily at our doorstep since at least mid-October.
© 1999 Kevin J.T. Creamer