Miracle of Life

It seems as if everyone I know is having babies. February 25, 2008, my first nephew was welcomed into the world, Mr. Preston Douglas Taylor. 7 lbs. 3 oz. Good work Nate and Becky. He is adorable, and I am a completely unbiased source. See my sister-in-law's blog to see amazing pictures of a future famous person (I mean, with a name like that, he has GOT to amount to SOMETHING. Having great parents won't hurt, either).

Anyway, so I'm sitting at home tonight watching a Sex in the City rerun and Miranda is giving birth, with Carrie at her side. Then I get to thinking about my dear friend Shayla, who was due to be induced today. All of a sudden, I get a call from her. She was at the hospital, dilated to 9 cm, and wanted to know if I wanted to come. I live literally around the corner, so I figured only a crappy friend would opt out. So I run over (still wearing my boyfriend's over-sized sweatshirt) and arrive at the hospital, breathless with the anticipation of seeing my first-ever baby delivery (and I'm sure jogging the 5 blocks didn't hurt).

Within a half hour (and 2 1/2 pushes), beautiful Cameron Carson Shumaker was born (6 lbs. 13.3 oz. and 19 inches long). 10:49 pm.

I was given the task of taking pictures. It was my debut as a medical even photographer. I think it may be a new career choice. The whole thing was absolutely amazing. Anyone who has seen a delivery knows what I'm talking about.

I'm glad I saw this. I think I may actually have kids of my own now. I think I'm ready. I mean, I wasn't even grossed out by the doctor pulling out the placenta.

Finally

Edit Posts
I ordered a Mika CD on e-Bay January 26, 2008. It was shipped the next day--unfortunately to the wrong address (e-Bay provided the seller with an address 2 years old, even though I specified my current address). Apparently, this happens quite a bit (well, the exact same thing happened to my roommate, so I may be extrapolating here). Anyway, I contact the seller about 3 weeks ago to say it still hadn't arrived, and he said to wait. If it didn't arrive, he'd refund. I waited and waited and finally contacted him the day before yesterday to say that it still hadn't arrived. His response?

"Hello...It was returned to me by USPS. I have it here and want to overnight to you. Please send me the address. For some odd reason the address listed in ebay got this returned. I am ready to overnight right now." Really? And so I wonder, when had it returned? And WHEN, exactly, was he planning on informing me that he not only knew the package's fate (which I had inquired about weeks previously and had paid for the day I won the bid) but that he was, in fact, in possession of a CD I had been waiting for for 37 days!

I provided him with the correct address and, to his credit, he overnighted it. I happily received it yesterday. The CD case was broken and the little manual thing was damaged, but at least it's here.

I am really not upset about this whole scenario, but I'll admit it makes me reluctant to use e-Bay again...

But on to better things: Grace Kelly and Big Girls.

And now for a non-sequiter: For a small giggle, see http://www.careerbuilder.com/age-o-matic/?mid=26202239

A-Z

My friend (you know who you are) pointed out to me that I seem to have a thing for M-names. Mika (see post below), the current man in my life, the last man in my life...

Hmm.

And then I remembered the summer I went through J-names. I won't even begin to list them all. Is there a problem with this? Picasso had his red and blue phases. DeBussy had his different phases (Chopin, impressionism). Really, artists go through phases. And aren't men my medium?

So with this (vaguely) startling notion, I wonder, do I date the Man or the Name?

Well, if things with M are any indication, I won't have to find out. Because I think he's a keeper.

Warm weather?

Living in Utah provides one with many diversions, the weather being foremost on my mind right now. For example, in what other state can you begin a hike on a beautiful, sunny morning wearing shorts and a t-shirt, and end the day with snow and a calf-length winter coat? And that's not even mentioning the wind.

I have to say, though, that despite the duplicitous weather, I can't say I mind too much. I do have someone to keep me warm after all...

I'm just waiting for the unbearably hot summer weather. And then this weather will be remembered with fondness.