In which we recieve the worst corking of our lives

On Friday, the Professor, Gawain, Froggy, and I all enjoyed a nice evening at Green Lake. The weather was beautiful, although a little chilly, and it was nice to be together. The only problem was that Professor X was coming down with a cold, and coughing, and making me quite anxious to finish the 2.8 mile loop around the lake and get him in the nice warm car and home. Once in the car, we stopped at Kidd Valley and enjoyed some burgers and a shake in the car, and then proceeded home. We decided to cut through the city because there was horrible Mariners traffic on our usual way home.

Lucky for us, while stopped at a red light, we noticed a huge entourage of bikers going through the intersection. We realized it was some biking club that went through the city every month. Last year, we had seen them with some of our friends and one of the bikers was riding his bike NAKED! I sat up a little straighter and tried to pay attention so that I could tell my friend if I saw anything crazy. Our light turned from red, to green, and the bikers continued to go through the intersection. Gawain started getting impatient. It was a green light, and the Professor was coughing more and more. We were both a little anxious to get our precious 4 week old home. The light turns from green, to red, and we wait again for the next green light. When it comes, the bikers are still riding through. Gawain decides he's had enough, and goes around the line up of cars to get through the intersection. As we get there, instantly 5 or 6 bikers swarm around us, enraged that we would try and cross the intersection while their demonstration was going through. "ITS A GREEN LIGHT!!" yells Gawain. The bikers just look at him angrily, like they have no idea what language he is speaking or what on earth he is talking about.

As the last of the bikers go through the intersection, a couple of the our detainees yell "thanks for your patience" and follow the rest of the group. Both Gawain and I are mad! That was soooo dumb! Gawain is out for blood. He confesses that it was all he could do NOT to hit one of the bikers and knock them over. Once home, we consult the internet and discover that the group is called Critical Mass and they do their ride the last Friday of every month. What they did to us is called "Corking" and it is technically illegal! Gawain has decided next month, he is going to borrow his dad's huge truck and trailer and cork them at every intersection. Now, when ever we see a biker, on TV or in real life, both Gawain and I get a little flare of anger in our hearts over how retarded that group was to us. So much for upholding the groups' m.o. of teaching tolerance for bike riders!

Is your refrigerator running?

Yesterday, Gawain called in the morning shortly after he left for work:

Gawain: Umm Blowes just called, they are delivering the fridge today between 9 and 11.

Vesper: (looks at clock to see it is 830am, like any other normal mom at home with newborn, is still in p.j.s) Oh, well let me go then so I can take a shower really fast and clean out the fridge.

Two hours later, I am showered, dressed, the fridge has been properly de-condimentized (seriously, how do we have more condiments than actual food to eat in our fridge?), freezer has been organized for quick evacuation, and all of the magnets and drawings have been cleaned off the outside of the fridge.

It is now 30min past when I was supposed to feed the Professor. Not wanting to be caught with my shirt off, I heat up the bottle that Gawain is supposed to feed him and start feeding him. Seriously not 1 minute later, Blowes shows up with the fridge.

Way too cute to be delivery girl: Did you measure this door when measuring for the fridge?

Vesper: (Mildly horrified) Humm..actually no I didn't!

To make a really long and bitter situation really short, the fridge would not fit into the door into our kitchen. Its measurements were something like 26 and 3/4 in, and the door was about the same. Solution presented was to take off the door jam, which Blowes would not do.

Vesper (in bathroom talking to Gawain on phone): What should I have them do??

Gawain: Can't they just plug it in in the living room????

Thus how we ended up having our fridge, plugged in, in the living room. Needless to say, dinner was annoying to make last night.

Notice a not happy Professor X "mommy I hate the fridge in the living room!"

Luckily, Gawain was finally able to get the fridge into the kitchen, but that is another story for a different time.

Oopsy mommy, you messed up!

More Darth Vader Helmets than you Can Shake a Stick At

I just stumbled across (courtesy of Clicked) one of the most hilarious and awesome things I have ever seen. Apparently a group of artists have gotten together and "updated" and modified the most famous of all Sith Lord's helmets. To see the 146 (146!) photos of the various helmets that were part of this display check out their Flickr page. Also, you check out the project's MySpace page.

Vesper's Tears of Laughter

Gordo came over to see Professor X and bring over the usual presents and offerings of joy and good will. As wonderful and darling as the presents from him and his parents were, the truly magical gift he brought was a DVD culled from a video tape of a 1989 performance that we were both a part of.

In the second grade my class put on a 50's and 60's musical spectacular for the school and our parents. I distinctly remember 3-4 performances over the course of a week or so. One was just for parents, another for the 6th graders (We were much more somber for that performance) I remember truly enjoying the practices and performances. Who wouldn't have fun when 8 years old singing and dancing around to such greats as "Going to the Chapel", "A Little Help From My Friends", "My Guy", "Yesterday", "My Boyfriend's Back" and "It's My Party". Vesper could not stop laughing through the entire video. It was very touch and go for awhile with Vesper's post pregnancy/labor incontinence issues. We (and the couch) were very happy that her strong will overcame her weak bladder.
I was, um, quite enthusiastic about the performance and was easily the most demonstrative of the Ricettes. But poor Gordo just wasn't into it. You can tell the little guy would have loved to be just about anywhere else in the world. Keep in mind that Gordo's parents took this video I was so crazy and out of control that they couldn't help but turn the camera onto me.

(Gordo is the shy one in the white circle, and Gawain is in the Orange circle. You know, the tall kid in khakis that is gyrating around the stage with reckless abandon. Trust us...the video is worth the slight load time.)

Embarassment (When Will I See You Again?)

For those of you looking for an explanation for this atrocity, I've explained myself here.

This song was written in 1999. (For those browsing with IE you may need to click on the play button twice.)

The Birth of the Professor

Top 10 moments (good or bad) from Vesper's Labor and Delivery:

10: Vesper waking up with intense back labor at midnight on Wednesday March 26(umm I suppose actually Thursday morning then?). Even though its painful she is thrilled because that was the day she was supposed to be induced and she didn't really want to be induced.

9: After waiting 6 hours to go to triage (because we didn't want any chance of being sent home) we go in and luckily they decide at 3cm dilation and 90% effacement they will keep her, and her doctor says she can have an epidural at any time.

8: The whirlpool tub in the bathroom. Sitting in there for a bit was nice, and helped ease the back pain a little. All I have to say is I want one!!!! Unfortunately since back labor sucks, Vesper throws up twice and continues on the rest of the day on ice chips (not in the tub, eww that's gross!).

7: After 12 hours of labor, getting an epidural. Seriously, it was heaven!!! I truly admire those who can go with out one, especially if they have back labor, because it was AWFUL!! Vesper's Dr breaks her water after the epidural is in place.

6: The Angel of Mercy Nurse is the most awesome night nurse. She sponge bathed me and made sure I was cozy and then left Gawain and I alone, something the other nurses had not done the entire day (By this time it was like 8pm on Thursday (if you're counting that's 20 hours of labor by now) and I was only at 7cm and 95% effaced). The Dr (who was not MY Dr) lets me know baby is fine, but if I don't progress, "this baby has to come out somehow......."

5: Being alone with Gawain for awhile. Again A.M. Nurse ROCKS! Gawain and I just napped for awhile while the Dr was performing a c-section or two. When she gets back (around midnight, now 24 hours into labor) she is thrilled that I am finally 9cm and 100% effaced.

4: The epidural wearing off twice. Once around 8pm (luckily I got a boost) and again right before it was time to push. Oh yeah, and having an internal monitor for measuring contractions, that was interesting as well.

3: The Dr. sticking her hand up there and turning the baby the right way. I'm just SO glad I had half an epidural working.

2: 1am: DR: "Oh my goodness you're +3 its time to push, see there is his head!!!" A.M. Nurse and Gawain start coaching me while Dr goes and does one more c-section. When she gets back to catch, both her and A.M. Nurse are impressed with Gawain's coaching skills.

Dr: You are a great doula!

Gawain: I'm not a doula, I'm a Dudela!

And the number one moment from Gawain and Vesper's birth experience:::::::::::

1: Professor X being born at 147am on March 28, 2008. After almost 26 hours of labor and only 40min of pushing (thank goodness!) He popped out weighing 8lbs 15.6oz and measuring 21 in long. (DR: "Vesper look at him!! This is a huge baby!! I"m going to have to come back and see how much he weighs!")