Last March or April, my immediate family gathered for my dad’s birthday. We cut firewood, ate, and hiked.

On the way back from the hike, my little brother Z and I sat down in the woods and had a conversation. I casually suggested that he buy an iPod for me. It would be a great tool for M’s and my upcoming road trip, plus I’d always wanted one, since they foster positive relationships, encourage creativity, and get serious jobs done.

Much to my delight, he replied, “If you have a baby, I’ll buy you an iPod.” M and I wouldn’t announce our pregnancy for a number of weeks yet, so my delight was but a secret swelling of the heart and soul.

Of course, our road trip happened long before N graced the world with her obvious (even when she was forty and a half weeks pregnant, a lady at church commented that M could still hide the fact that she was pregnant; upon my honor, it’s true) presence, but Z pulled through with his generous gift just in time for N to enjoy many audio books and mp3s as she prenatally trekked through 25 states.

But finally she’s getting to the rockin’ out age, as you can see here. Thank you, Z!

Yesterday, M brought N to school to meet and greet my colleagues. Here she is, posing with me for a promotional reading project:After a walk around the track at school, we took her shopping (my favorite department store gave me a $50 gift card to buy semi-healthy prizes for my students), and, finally, came home. She didn’t really get to sleep until nearly 11:00–and slept pretty much nonstop until 6:00. Here she is with M, thrilled to be awake once again:Next week we may introduce her to my students.

N, doing that which she does:
N with her nine-weeks-senior friend C. I don’t think they know they’re friends yet. Actually, I don’t think they know they are, yet.

My colleague D emailed three responses to N’s birth announcement:

–cool beans. n was the name of one of our donkeys. we sold her.
–other than a birthday, n and jesus have another tidbit in common…. little known fact, jesus weighed 8 pounds 2 ounces when he was born.
–however, here is a difference, jesus was not born at home.

Unfortunately, the birth announcement that I sent to the White House bounced because of the cute photos (“Message size exceeds administrative limit”). But my friend R wrote:

–Congratulations!!!!! Sometimes I like going though people’s group mail and seeing who they sent the email to. The White House (president@whitehouse.gov): I’m sure the president will be thrilled to hear about your newborn. I didn’t know you guys were tight with the president. You got a wonderful gift for Christmas. Too bad that M’s name is not Mary….but then again that would mean C wouldn’t be the father.

But as someone commented to me last night, it’s better to be born on Christmas rather than just near it, even if either means your birthday will be forever forgotten. I guess it’s better to be special and forgotten rather than just plain old not remembered.