I'm for Josh Blue!

I am particularly bad at blogging when we have people visiting, even when I have all the possible advantages: a laptop and wireless internet access. It doesn't get a lot easier than sitting on the couch with my computer on my lap, each evening a little further away from me. By the time this child is born, I'll need go-go-gadget arms to reach my keyboard.

I'm 16 weeks along, and all is well. My blood pressure is 110/70 and New Baby's heart rate is a leisurely 135. All you believers in the old wives' tale may now predict comfortably.

We've had people here at the house for the last couple of nights because, contrary to Ameren's best promises, chunks of the greater St. Louis area are still without power. So my friend Lisa, her husband, and their adorable kid stayed here for a couple of nights. This was great fun for the children. I'm pretty sure that "Ollibear" was the first name of another child that Ellie learned, and that "Ellie" was one of Oliver's first words, after other critical terms like "baaa" (ball) and "mo" (universally: more).

You are more than welcome to come back tomorrow night, folks, if your power's still out. And I promise that it won't be one of those kinds of slumber parties that we were speculating about earlier.

Still, it's nice to have a quiet evening at home tonight. I'm all caught up on the email on my new computer (I'm pretending that all the email on my old computer doesn't exist. I'm about 200 messages behind.) The answering machine is empty. My work email is only at half a screen of actionable items. Sure, there's laundry to do and there are groceries to buy. But the house is neat and Ellie's asleep and life is good.

So I think I'll finish watching this episode of Last Comic Standing, my one reality show indulgence, and head off to bed myself. !Buenos Noches!