The Kat Cave

Can’t wait until they are big enough to wear these….

So, this is my dress, that I will be wearing:

But… I need ideas for a hat or head dress or veil…

Any suggestions?

Every year, I get a kick out of picking which celebrities are likely to keel over… It’s a sick thing. I don’t wish people to die. But if they do, I like to think that I will get points and therefore will beat my brother.

So, here are my picks for 2009.

1 - Steve Jobs

Apple Supremo, king of the iPod, Geek Legend. Not looking so healthy. Rumors abound and are scotched. Maybe he will make it to 2010. I hope so.

2 - Kirk Douglas

I’m Spartacus! Not for much longer, maybe…

3 - Patrick Swayze

God, I hope not. But any excuse to show Dirty Dancing in every cinema world-wide.

4 - Jack Klugman

I’m always sure that Quincy ME is already dead. It causes many arguments. He’s alive.

5 - Nancy Reagan

6 - Ted Kennedy

I hope he can pull through, but I feel it may be inevitable…

7 - Dino De Laurentiis

I got taken to see U-571. We loaded up on cola and popcorn, and were directed to a screen. We pushed our way into the middle of a row, in a packed room, making everyone move for us. We sat down and started stuffing our faces. People were staring. And 15 minutes later, the movie ended.

We’d been sent to the wrong screen. We complained to customer services. They said that we could go into a screen where it started and watch it. We declined, because we didn’t like the ending. And got our money back.

8 - JD Salinger

Turned 90 on January 1. Will he see 91?

To Be Continued…

So, it struck me tonight that I’ve omitted to write up the birth story of one of my children.

To make up for that, here’s the little diva in question… Introducing…

Indigo Élise Holt Cavadino.

This is the face that wakes me up, shouting “C’est matin maintenant, Maman?” This shouting usually starts at around 2 a.m.

I’m free! My hand is out of the cast, I now have two functioning paws.

Alas, this means my brother’s stay here is likely to come to an end. And I must return to diaper duty. I’d love him to stay for Christmas, because I need the help, but he sees his Christmas as being spent with his partner in Mauritius. I don’t think I can compete. He’s kinda strolling around the place like a caged lion - he’s been here a long time, the longest he’s stayed in once place for some years.

And instead, I have my 86 year old Gramma, who we have to prise out of bars, where she’s often found to be dancing on tables, in an effort to attract a toy boy. Her definition of a toy boy happens to be anyone more than 5 years her junior. It’s scary. I think I’m going to be her if I make it to 86.

BABY UPDATE

Both babies are doing great - they had their 2 weeks check up today. My babies are 2 weeks old, and don’t seem to be scarred by Jamie mixing them up. They’re gaining weight and are already close to their birth weights. Both are eating like there’s no tomorrow, and tomorrow we’ll be trying tandem feeding. Anything just to get a little more sleeeeeep! They’re staying awake through feedings, and are more alert already.

I don’t like calling them “The Twins”. It feels uncomfortable. They are not identical, they’re just a little girl and a little boy that happen to have been born on the same day.

READING UPDATE

I’ve succumbed to the Twilight phenomena.

So, while I still have only one hand, Jamie is on permanent diaper duty.

All has been going well, until earlier. Taking Joe to be changed, I hear Jamie shout…. “Katy, there’s a problem… his…. penis is…. missing….”

“Surely you mean his umbilical stump?” How has my brother gotten to 32 years old, not knowing the difference between a penis and a belly button?

I went to look, a little nervous about what I’d find…

…to see Evangeline on the changing table. Joe was still in his crib, sleeping.

My daughter and my son have had dinner, and clean diapers, and are swaddled tightly and sleeping side by side in their crib.

My room smells of newborn baby.

My copy of Americana has reappeared.

Perfection.

Some background… My OB is the same guy that delivered my daughter two years ago. I could never believe I would give birth to a girl, and when he told me it was a girl, I asked if he was sure. He offered to check to see if there were any more parts, but he’d been doing the job a while and was fairly sure she was a girl.

So, on to Monday…

I had this weird feeling all weekend that the babies would be here this week, and the weirdness felt so strong on Monday. Late afternoon, I went to get a glass of water before taking a nap, and my water broke. I was having a few contractions, nothing too concerning. We went to the hospital anyway, and got an ultrasound to check the positions - Evangeline was in A position, engaged, and ready to go.

Joe, however, had moved transverse, and his water was still intact. So, I panicked. I was 3 cm dilated, things felt like they were happening too fast, and I was terrified that I was gonna be pushed into a c-section.

My OB was just amazing. Totally chilled. He guessed things weren’t really going to get moving until later in the night, and told me that he was going to continue down the vaginal delivery path until it was medically impossible.

I was set up in my room, and allowed to go hang out in a freshly prepared birthing bath - OMG - a new installation since I last delivered there.

Due to my intense fear of anything near my spine, I had no epidural. An anethestist was on hand to knock me out completely if needed. I had a shot of pethidine at around 2 a.m., which knocked off some of the worst pain, and I had gas and air on hand to get through the worst of the contractions. I spent most of the time pacing around, trying to nap, getting annoyed that I couldn’t go on hands and knees because of the cast on my hand. Incidentally, when your birthing coach is being annoying, a cast on the hand is super useful. A great on-hand weapon, if you pardon the pun.

Things really started moving after midnight, contractions stepped up, but I wasn’t fully dilated until just after 6 a.m., when they moved me to the OR to deliver.

Evangeline was out in a few pushes, and my OB told me that yes, he was sure she was a girl. She cried within seconds of coming into the world, and scored a 9 on her APGARs. She’s perfect, really.

After she was born, we had another U/S to find what Joe was up to. He was beginning to turn, and I had a nurse pushing down on my uterus to force him lower.

With the pushing, and the massaging, Joe eventually moved into position, and had his water broken. My uterus kindly stepped up to the plate, and helped evict him. As he was put on my stomach, my OB announced “And here’s your other daughter”….. I’d just delivered two babies, on minimal drugs, and he still finds time to make a joke.

Joe came out screaming, he too scored 9s on APGARS, but is not happy about his sister forcing him to be born. He has this gorgeous little frown and looks so serious.

Both babies are perfect and small and new, a day later and Joe is still pissed at being born, determined to cry whenever Evan falls back to sleep. Evan is already latching well, Joe has decided that not even boobs are worth being born for yet. He’s getting there, slowly.

As for their names….

Evangeline Noelle - Evangeline comes from the poem by Longfellow, Noelle was because it’s festive season, and was a compromise - Ryan wanted to call her Holly, but I thought Holly Holt sounded a little too… cutesy.

Joseph Patrick Leonard - I knew if I had another boy, he’d be Joe. Even before I got pregnant. Patrick for Ryan’s grandpa, Leonard after Leonard Cohen, whose wonderful voice got me through much of this pregnancy.

Sorry…. not really a quick update after all, hey?

Kat is having a well-earned nap, Ryan is going all goo-goo.

While both babies are early, neither will need to go to intensive care, and both are currently in the room with ma and pa.

Jack and Barney will be skipping school today, and they, along with Indigo, will meet their new baby brother and sister at lunchtime.