Huh?

So I go off-radar for a week, and miss an entire Blog firestorm, and am left asking just one question:

Who the Hell is Jeff Gannon?????

Friend in Need

Please keep in prayer my friend Scott, AKA Vulture 6 of Vultures Row. Yesterday he and Mrs. Vulture were involved in an 8-car pileup in Houston. V6 is sore but otherwise OK. Mrs. Vulture suffered a broken leg and is undergoing surgery today. Please remember them both in your prayers and best wishes.

If That Ain't Love I Don't Know What Is

A few thoughts percolated to the surface as I watched the Grammies last night.

I am an unabashed fan of the Late Janis Joplin. I know, I know, her music was intimately connected to a culture with which I have quite a few issues. Nonetheless, she was a soulful singer who ripped open her chest and exposed her heart to all of us with every song she sung. Having said that, I must say that last night's tribute to her was, at least for me, a mixed bag. Joss Stone is a talented young artist, and she tried valiantly to recreate the Joplin feel with the unkempt hair, bare feet, and facial expressions. But her vocals lacked the conviction and raw power of Janis. It was disappointing. On the other hand, Melissa Etheridge really did "Take Another Piece of My Heart" justice, with her growly, passionate belting out of the song.

I was pleased that Loretta Lynn won Best Country Album of the year. Least of all because the #1 hit from her album is about my home state. Most of all because she's lived the life, and sings from her own experience. That's the beauty of the singer-songwriter. Furthermore, I was amused to watch theinteraction between her and her collaborator on the Album, Jack White of the White Stripes. I don't know if it was his own upbringing or training gained working on the album, but the Detroit punk rocker sounded like a real country boy, his entire vocabulary in response to her consisteing of two words: "Yes Ma'am".

Despite the fact I'm glad he lost to Lynn, I was moved by the message of Tim McGraw's song "Live like you were dying". It's good advice for all of us.

I loved the focus on jazz, and Queen Latifah's performance was great, but her backup dancers' moves seemed a little ummm.... "modern" for the song she sang.

Again, with regards to tributes, Ray Charles definitely deserved it. If he hadn't already been one of my all time favorites, his place in my heart would have been sealed when TFR and I went and saw Ray the night her water broke.

After watching Green Day's acceptance speech for Best Rock Album (or something), I've decided that the title of their album definitely backfired on them.

Kanye West's acceptance speech, on the other hand, was quite refreshing. That's a lot of wisdom for such a young man.

I stopped watching the awards after hour 1.75 or so of 3, some entertaining performances, but after a while you reach sensory overload.

Filling in for Brian

In the absence of Brian, who's away taking care of his wife and newborn child, Im posting this story. Reading this makes me want to rip someone's heart out and have them see me feed it to a dog just before they die.

Mother Who Tossed Newborn Out of Car Found

Feb 11, 12:39 PM (ET)


NORTH LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - The mother of a newborn boy who survived being tossed out of a moving car has been identified and interviewed by investigators, authorities said Friday.

"It is my belief ... that this person is the birth mother of the child," Broward County Sheriff Ken Jenne told reporters.

The sheriff also said that the interview with the unidentified woman "puts a whole new light on this story" but he gave no specifics. A news conference was planned for later in the day to provide more details.

"We do believe at this point ... that we will soon have an admission to the birth of the child," Jenne said.

The boy, believed to be less than an hour old, was thrown out of a car alongside a busy street Thursday afternoon, police said.

The 8-pound, 2-ounce boy, whose umbilical cord was still attached, survived with minor injuries and was hospitalized in good condition Friday. Nurses at the hospital have nicknamed the child Johnny.

State law lets a mother leave a baby at any medical facility or fire station within three days of birth without any questions asked.

"That provides parents or women with an option. You don't have to just abandon your child in way that would endanger his or her life," said Veda Coleman-Wright, a sheriff's office spokeswoman.

A woman stopped and found the baby inside a small plastic bag. She scooped him up and took him to a nearby sheriff's office, and he was transferred to Broward General Medical Center.

The good Samaritan, who originally thought the couple had thrown a puppy out the window, was "very distraught, very upset," Jenne said. The woman's name was not released.

Investigators had been searching for a white, older-model large sedan that witnesses observed leaving the scene. The baby's rescuer told investigators she observed a man and woman arguing inside the vehicle. But she saw only the back of their heads, Jenne said, and could not provide a good description.

North Lauderdale is about 15 miles northwest of Fort Lauderdale.

Update

Looks like the baby wasn't tossed after all. The "witness" is actually the baby's mother who made up the story because she didn't want to keep the child.

A Voice From Out of the Haze

Just to let everyone know, I'm still alive. This past week has been just me, TFR, and The Lad. It's been an adventure.

I don't know if this is just The Lad, or astandard for preemies, but all those dire warnings I received about a new baby waking you up every four hours demanding to be fed? Well, that never happened.

Oh, no, this is much worse. You see, because he's a preemie, he needs to be fed ever 2-3 hours. And he'd much rather sleep. This means we have to reset our alarm after every feeding, then get HIM to wake up, then spend an hour getting him to eat (we were taught a new bottle-feeding poisition that has cut that time drastically, and he's right on the cusp of getting the hang of breastfeeding, so things are looking up there).

He caught his first cold this week, right at the same time that Yours Truly did, so you can imagine how THAT made me feel about my quality of dadhood. I had to be reassured by the medical professionals that I wasn't to blame. Thankfully, the cold turned out negative for RSV, but we had a nervous night waiting for the test results.

In response to those of you who pointed out my conspicuous absence from the photos posted, this was in YOUR best interest. Trust me.

There's been so much happening politically in the week I've been gone, and I've wanted to post oin it, but, wel,, you know how that goes.

Monday I'm back to work, and hopefully, at that point I'll have more non-baby topics on which to post. Until then, thank you all again for your prayers, your support, and your friendship. It's been more than I deserve.

More Pictures!

Enjoy. Coo. Marvel at the frighteningly high levels of cuteness.

Go ahead, you know you want to:

Literally:


Ready to Go!



Free at Last!


Home is Where the Baby Is:


Little Big Dog Meets the Newest Pack Member:

Won't You Come Home, Chay Baron!

HE'S COMING HOME!!!! HE'S COMING HOME!!!!! O FRABJOUS DAY! CALLOO! CALLAY!

TFR just called, and the horsepistol is releasing The Lad today! He has displayed a bit of apnea, so we have to take a respiration monitor with us, but he'll be HOME where he freaking BELONGS!!!!!!

Oh, thank you all for your prayers and love and support and all the kind words and encouragement! Please keep praying, as this is as frightening as his birth was for me! I can't say when I'll blog again, but in the meantime, Vulture Six has the helm.

Charlie Is My Darlin'

I've never been much of a Beatles or John Lennon fan, but today I think I get John a little better in a small way. Let me explain.

I was restless all night last night, worrying about things I suppose every new father worries about, especially the father of a surprise preemie. Mostly worries about how our already tight budget is going to survive the month early loss of TFR's income, how the hell I'm going to provide for my wife and son, how long until he comes home, will I be a good father. The fears, like the freaks, come out at night.

I couldn't sleep past a certain time this morning,so I left the house arly and stopped at the hospital on the way to work. I took Chay out of his crib abd "Kangaroo Care" held him -- skin to skin against my chest. He fussed for just a minute and then snuggled right in. After I was done "Having something in my eye", I looked down and just watched him sleeping against my chest. It was the sweetest, most reassuring thing I'd ever experienced, and it made me feel better. No, it made me feel wonderful.

You got it right, John.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, Beautiful Boy.

Dads Unite!

Today I was both honored by a compliment I received and heartened by the theme of the Blog from whence the compliment came.

The Inner Dad is dedicated to all things fatherhood-related. Capital idea, and one I had a bit late (last night). Thank you again for the honor of being blogrolled and note I have returned the favor.

One request of you and of Cameron. When you link to me, Trackback so I can give YOU proper thanks.

Sign of the Times

Thanks for the Memory to The Urban Grind via The Unabrewer.



Indeed.

Feel The Burn

Blogmother Da Goddess has apparently had enough. Today she tears into her archnemesis Carl Muhammed, leader of the Communist Party in San Diego. It's a post chock full of ranty goodness, and by God, it had to be said.

Update:

Apparently, 'Tis the season to be angry. Ace also has some ranting to do, this time aimed at Ward Churchill and Eason Jordan.

Random Thought of the Day

Ironic, isn't it?

The one item that is currently my most prized possession is also the one I am most eager to finally be rid of. It's the badge that lets me in to the NICU.

Sorry if I'm dwelling on this a lot, and I know that there are others in far worse straits, but dammit, I miss my kid. I was sick and in the hospital a LOT as a child, I now have a much deeper appreciation for what my parents went through.

Quote of the Week

Vinegar tastes sweeter to the Free Man than does honey to the Slave.

- A commenter on the Blog Free Iraq, reflecting on the elections

Indeed.

A Little Advice

If you're a new father, and your child is in the NICU, and your wife sends you to the pharmacy tp fill a prescription, do NOT kill time waiting for the medecine by perusing the Children's Books section of the store and reading Love You Forever.

Just saying, is all.

A Wee Bit of Doggerell

The following poem was written several years ago, long before The Lad (I like that better than The Wee Bairn) was even a twinkle. At the time, I fancied myself quite the poet. This poem was written in an attempt to be "influenced" by a more famous poet (I'll let you guess who), but soon took on a life of its own. It's a reflection on the how each of us, as a descendant of our ancestors, both receives and passes on their lineage. It seemed appropriate to post it now in honor of the biurth of my son. The original is stored away in a box somewhere, so this is from memory. It may not be as polished as I had it. In any case, enjoy:

Inheritance

I dwell within the cirle of the existence of my ancestors
and am both their heir and their heirloom.
I am the recipient of their legacy,
and I am the legacy received.
And some day, I will bequeath this inheritance to my son,
even as I bequeath my son to the world.

Overnight Changes in the World

Just a quick, random roundup of the few thoughts that have slipped out of the fog that is my brain these days:

So apparently, while I was busy being a new daddy and husband to a new and very sore mommy, Iraq gave birth too, to a democracy. I really can't find the words to express how happy I am for the people of Iraq. Congratulations. Let's hope the next step is to help you establish your own muscle to back up that democracy, so that our boys can come home soon.

TWB is eating on his own now, they removed the IV today. He's up to 33 cc's per feeding, and also nursing some. His Bilirubin is under control, he's been breathing on his own since birth and they took him of the O2 sat monitor on Saturday, and he's done a good job of maaintaining body temp from the get-go. We're hopeful he'll be home by this weekend.

Once he comes home, I'll be taking time off from both work AND Blogging. That's a warning, not an apology -- I'm not in the least sorry to put everyone else aside to get to know my kid.

TFR came home Saturday. She is still in pain, please pray for her recuperation. Her mom is in town for a week, so that's a big help.

I had to call a friend to make sure yesterday wasn't the Superbowl -- you lose track of time. Is it just me, or is there something very wrong about a February Superbowl?

UPDATE:
11:45 AM PST
Just got off the phone with TFR, and The Lad is out from under the UV therapy, his color is looking pretty good.

Meet the New Boss

(Held by the old boss).

Finally got some pictures of the Wee Bairn burned from memory stick to CD, and appropriately enough, the best one of him is when he's being held by his momma. Allow me to introduce you all to my son.

Now, Anchorman was, IMHO, a lame movie. But I was inspired to borrow from Ron Burgundy's introduction to the movie video found on the DVD.

If you don't agree that this is the most beautiful baby ever born, I will fight you. That's no lie:

IT'S A BOY!!!!!

Chay Baron B. was born last night, Thursday, January 27 at 9:26 PM PST. The Wee Bairn weighed in at 6 pounds, 9.5 ounces, and measured 18.5 inches. He's breathing on his own, his heart rate and O2 sat are good. Mom is sore but happy. Oh, and he's a damn fine looking kid, thank you for asking.

My deepest thanks to everyone who has prayed for TFR and TWB over the past week. Your prayers were felt and, obviously, heard. Please continue to pray for his continued development and mom's recovery. No details for her privacy, but suffice it to say it was a long, difficult labor.

Say Hello To TFR

I just learned tonight that the hospital where The Feared Redhead is staying has a service where they'll print out emails sent to a patient. I would encourage anyone who wants to send one. For security reasons, I would prefer to have them posted to the comment section here, and I'll ask my good friend Vulture 6 to copy & paste them into the form.

Thanks.

BS, PHD

At the U of O, That's Bull$#!*, Piled Higher and Deeper.

Thanks for the Memory to the Political Teen.

A few days ago I blogged over at Head West, Turn Right on the Yellow Ribbon Incident. This was the situation where the U of O ordered an employee to remove a yellow ribbon style "Support the Troops" magnet from the state vehicle he drives at work.

Apparently, the whole issue has blown up in the U of O's face, and it's not going away. According to a KEZI report, the school has been inundated with letters, emails, and phone calls. Their rationale is that "truth is, they're only against the ribbons (or anything for that matter) being displayed on state-owned vehicles (which is state policy)."

But as Kevin McCullough points out, that wasn't the original tune that was being sung by the President's office. In the original KEZI report, the rationale was, "Under state law... public employees can not use state resources to spread political messages." The U of O rationalized that the stickers were political. You can read my post at HWTR for my response to that.

Apparently, along with the public firestorm, a personal protest occurred. An anonymous U of O employee tied yellow ribbons up around Frohnmayer's offices. KEZI reported that the U of O would let them stand, but McCullough was contacted by the employee, who confirms that the ribbons have been removed.

This really saddens me. Since when was an appreciation for the sacrifices of those who defend our freedom a mere political statement? Furthermore, even if it WERE a political statement, McCullough mentions the UO employee pointing out the numerous bits of pro-Kerry paraphernalia allowed to be displayed on University property. Is it assumed that any yellow ribbon must be a sign of a certain unpopular political position? And if so, are they being selective in their enforcement of this policy? Or was the conservative UO student recently shown on thew school paper wrong when she holds a sign saying "Free Speech Isn't Just For Liberals"?

I've been a UO Ducks fan for a very long time, but I'm not sure I can be any more. I'm not sure I can proudly display my U of O beanie, or the shirt I bought when my late father and I watched them win the Holiday Bowl, if they cannot proudly display their support for our troops. If they decide a yellow ribbon and a yellow O can't coexist, I know which I must choose.