New Picture

A new picture of Owen.

Owen's new favorite song

London Calling by the Clash.

Isn't that cool?

Name thoughts

You guys have been very helpful in sending in suggestions for names, and we really appreciate them all. Both the ideas that have been sent in through the comments and through email are really helpful. We're finding that folks tend to suggest girls' names for Baby Y (do you know something we don't?) and we're running a little thin on names in case Baby Y is a boy. So, if you have boy name suggestions, please send them along. We're mainly looking for something a little off-beat (like Owen) so it's not in the Tom, Dick, Harry, or Matt kind of frequency, but not so offbeat that Baby Y will have to be either a celebrity or a freak (like Prince, Orlando, or Bono).

Thanks for any help you can provide with the big decision!

Happy, blurry Owen on his bed

 

Owen plays with his new bed

Here, Owen plays with his new bed. We're having a little trouble keeping him from jumping on it, but it seems to be working out pretty well other than that. 

Toddler Bed

Here's Owen's new bed! He's a big boy! Yippie!! 

Hospital Information

I know you're all aware that Baby Y will be coming sooner than we know it.  So you have the information, the hospital we'll be using is Holy Cross Hospital.  It's about 8 minutes from our house.

 

If there's time, I'll email a post to this blog when we're going to the hospital from B's Blackberry.  Apparently there's no way to call in to a phone in the birthing room, but when there are new developments, I'll try to get a message posted here, assuming I can do it without compromising my other duties.  We aren't supposed to use cell phones, but no one told me I can't use a Blackberry at the hospital.

 

When B moves to a postpartum room, there will be a phone you can call in to.  I'm not likely to post that number here, but I'm sure we'll be in touch and I can just give it to you on the phone or by email (provided you're not some creepy guy in Austria).

 

And, unlike last time, we're bringing a camera to the hospital.  When there are pictures of Baby Y, they'll be posted here (again, provided I can do it consistent with other obligations at the time).

Baby Y

And, behind door number 2, we have Baby Y. No one yet knows what Baby Y's sex will be. No one yet knows what Baby Y's name will be. No one yet knows when Baby Y will knock on the door and say "Let me out, Mommy."

Stay tuned, for more details as we learn them. 

Cuddle-dance

Sometimes, Owen likes to snuggle up during a song. Here, we're dancing to, I believe, "Comfort Eagle" by Cake. 

Truckin'

Owen's new favorite song is "Truckin'" by the Grateful Dead. I think he heard it from some bad kids at daycare. Anyway, he and I spend a lot of time dancing to it. Indeed, here we are doing just that. 

Happy Owen!!!

Owen was playing the new "show me how you touch your knee" game with B. It makes him REALLY happy. 

Surly

Owen, pounding blocks, surly. 

Mom

is purple my color? 

What's up there?

I'm sure he's not looking for what it looks like he's looking for. 

The precious?

After Owen found this, he got kind of emaciated and freaky talking. Also, he lost his hair and became immortal. 

Pensive

Owen, in the living room, pensive. 

Happy boy!

Owen, in the living room, happy. 

Take me to the Mardi Gras!!

Owen loves mardi gras beads! It was, of course, a sad mardi gras for us this year, thinking so much of New Orleans. But it was at least fun to have Owen play with the beads. And we didn't even make him lift his shirt. 

Happy Birthday!

As you may know, today is Andy's birthday!  Happy Birthday Andy!

 

In other news, B is out for a girls' night dinner tonight, so I should have plenty of time to work on the blog.

Annoying

There's nothing more annoying than having a big stack of Owen photos set to post and then running into technical trouble. I can't seem to make either Picassa or blogger load these photos. I'm going to give it another try, but if it doesn't work I'm going to bag it and try again tomorrow.

Very sorry for the technical problem.

Not Guilty

Are there two words in the English language more beautiful than "not guilty"? Happily, I got to hear them today from a jury foreman at the conclusion of my very first jury trial. I couldn't be more pleased.

Also, for you the blog viewing audience, this means I now have time to update this blog with pictures from its main attraction, Mr. Owen V. Kaiser.

A non-Owen post

I am now irrationally obsessed with Ultra-Mobile Personal Computers. You might think, and you'd be right, that with a trial next week, two violation of supervision hearings tomorrow, a motions hearing Friday, a sentencing Monday, another sentencing the following Monday, and yet another sentencing hearing the Wednesday after that, in addition to a new baby on the way, a day-long session retreat on Saturday and a busy schedule of stuff to do on our church's Pastor Nominating Committee, that I don't have time to be obsessed with Microsoft's new gadget. And you would be right. But obsessions aren't rational.

Also, I think this looks cool. And weird.

Clinton is out

Ok, I hear you. Clinton is out. I think the point Sue and Mom made is spot on; the only viable nickname is "Clint." It would inevitably be "Clint." I can't handle "Clint." I've known some nice Clints, or, well, one nice Clint. But I'm not sure he isn't an outlier. For what it's worth, the tacit assumption of Mom's post and Sue's post, that the associations with Bill Clinton are accidental, is kind of off. I like the name because of the association with 42.

And, I feel your pain Jess. If we bring the next Varner girl into the world with Baby Y, I'd be psyched too. Although I'd also be psyched if Baby Y is a boy. It's kind of nice how much Bridgette and I have kept our thoughts about which sex we'd prefer from creeping in. I really think we'd both be happy either way; which is nice for whatever Baby Y is. Unless, of course, Baby Y is Portugese; I can't abide that.

But, if you have a particular name that you think is particularly nice, feel free to post it here. We're coming up on the home stretch so things are kind of starting to lock in a little bit, but I'm always eager to hear a good suggestion. You may want to test drive any such name here first, it's a nice popularity meter for names. We're kind of trying to stay away from the very popular names (apparently like Owen, which was the 66th most popular name in 2004).

V-Dog and the O-ster

Uncle Andy has always been, and I hope always will be, a favorite of Owen's. Here, Andy puts his finger in Owen's mouth to keep him from crying. I don't recall whether his finger was clean. 

Lisa

Lisa again holds Owen and manages to avoid having her face displayed on camera.

This is about Owen's fourth week of life. 

Stepping out

This was our first meal out with Owen. I ate the entire meal with my finger in his mouth so he wouldn't cry.

And, Gran, if you're reading this, yes, I even washed it first. 

Seriously?

This photo captures the moment when Owen realizes there wasn't a mistake at the hospital; Bridgette and I are really going to be his parents. I'm sure if he knew how to fill out the paperwork he would have filed a motion for reconsideration. 

Second week visits

We were lucky that Greg and Lois were in town during Owen's second week of life. Lois's daughter had just had a baby down in Virginia, and they were on their way back home when they stopped by. 

First photo?

I think this is the first photo of any kind that we have of Owen. My dad may have an earlier one from his visit the day after Owen was born, but I don't think we do. Of course, when we left the house to go to the hospital, we didn't have a bag packed, so while we did have the remote control to the VCR, we did not have a digital camera. I can tell this one is earlier than the others posted tonight because of the IVs in B's arm. 

First picture with me

I think this is the first picture we have with both me and Owen. 

Pre-Owen

The freaky thing is that I think B is about that size now, with four weeks to go.

Oh boy, this is coming soon. 

Happy boy!

I don't think I've ever looked this happy. 

He's awake!

Here's an early one after we got home from the hospital. I remember so very clearly how much I couldn't wait for him to wake, and then how terrified I felt when he finally did. 

The early days

We've been thinking and planning a fair bit for the arrival of Baby Y lately (I just toured the hospital where Baby Y will likely be born; Bridgette tours the place on Thursday night), and figuring out who'll watch Owen while B is in labor and I'm "interacting" with the hospital staff (it'll be our good friend Lisa), and other, similar issues. I thought it would be fun to have a retrospective of the early days of Owen's life. Here, for example, is one of the earliest photos of Owen there is. I think that here he's about 3 days old, having just been released from NICU. Doesn't B look rested?