Misty gets the best auntie birthday present of all: a nephew born on her birthday … the newest bald member of the Granade family.(*ducks*)

Congratulations to Andrew and Joy, whose first child Samuel Nathan was born today. We're still trying to figure out how someone as small as Joy managed to gestate an eight-pound child without, uh, exploding. (Does the C-section count?)

Of course, it turns out that little Sam scored a 9/10 on his Apgars. Nothing like starting a pattern of high achievement from the start.

…to Jacob Kekoa Tsark, who apparently took his sweet time getting here on Friday, April 8th. I'll just quote these parts of Kara's email: "20 hours of active labor" and "emergency c-section."Yep, she's definitely got something to hold over this one during his teenage years.

I posted a similar entry, 'Happy belated birthday…,' in January 2003 announcing the birth of Kara and Matt's first son, Danny. A couple of years later, I can follow up what I said there: yep, Kara's a great mom. There's something inherently satisfying and cheering in knowing that the people who should be having kids are having kids. (Time to place yet another round of bets on whether or not the child of two engineers is destined to become an engineer. Check back in about eighteen years.)

first breath:
joy, laughter, jubilance, tears
photo ops
congratulatory cards
bassinets and sleep deprivation

first love:
nervousness, sweating, jubilance, tears
and everything in between
photo ops
secret letters
stolen kisses and forever promises

first loss:
disbelief, numbness, anger, tears
no photos
just flowers
and wondering how it all went so fast
from that to this

Jody's father passed away this morning. The expectation of a thing does not always ease the sorrow of its arrival, though. Details soon.

We would like to extend a very belated welcome to Miss Elizabeth Jordan, the true subject of the June 5 entry "You've got me. I'm listening.". She made her entrance on the evening of June 17th, weighing in at a whopping 9 pounds 10 ounces.

It's about damn time you got here, girl. We've been calling your daddy about you all week! (Of course, it would have helped immensely if someone's father *ahem* hadn't forgotten his cell phone, which most of us have been tastefully bombarding with "Where's The Kid" messages all week. Like bloodhounds, we are.) :)

We will be counting the days until 2033, when Elizabeth turns 30 and is finally allowed to date. In the meantime, we promise to teach her how to dye her hair blue and how to wear studded leather for the most parental shock value.

Jody, you're so owned. Congratulations.

(For those of you who don't recognize the name, Jody is EvilOompa. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this man is now a father.) :D

…to Daniel Hi'ilani Tsark, who, at 4 lbs. 15 ounces, made his entrance to the world at 3:52 p.m. on January 4th way, way out there in Arizona.Those of you who haven't met Kara have probably seen her comments (as kltsark) here on 'cat.net, and those of you who have known me for a while know that Kara was partly responsible for Jeff and I meeting in the first place. She was my maid of honor in the Great Grand Circus™ that was our wedding, and during Dad's illness last year she, having lost her mother-in-law to cancer, was one of those knowledgeable and understanding friends who made getting through each tough day … possible.

Mom, dad, and little one are sleepy but healthy, and for that, I'm happy and relieved. As a friend, I can't ask for anything more than that.

Kara's going to be a great mom, and damn if I'm not sniffly even thinking that as I write this.