Update: At Least We're Home!

We got to come home on Monday, but with a biliblanket. He's been using it until yesterday, when his numbers had stabilized enough to take him off. So the last 24 hours he hasn't been on a light...and the home health nurse just came and took today's blood check, so we'll find out in an hour or so what his numbers are now. If they're about the same, or lower, then he's pretty much done with it. If it's higher, they'll put him back on. The waiting game...grrrrr....

In the meantime, I've gone back to work for those lovely inservice days before school. Yesterday was our Open House, where many of the kids/parents came by to say hello. We've got a 4 day weekend, and then it's off we start.

It is amazing how much a little thing like that can pee and poop. I don't mind changing diapers, but that little guy will fill it as soon as I change it! Can't imagine where he got his flatulence from *looks away bashfully*. But he's such a cutie. I've never been all that comfortable around babies, but when it's your own, something clicks and you can't be around him enough.

I better get to burping duty...him not me. Hope you have a good Labor Day weekend, thanks for all the prayers and well wishes!

Update on Alastair

I'm just at home for a minute. Alastair and the wife are still at the hospital, and might get to come home tomorrow. He was born CUMS Positive--something about his blood type being different than his Mom's and they somehow mixed while he was in the womb, which makes him more at risk for jaundice. They've got him in a bilo-blanket and bilo-bed to break down the bilorubins or whatever they're called. His bilorubin number keeps creeping up but it's still not very high, so they don't seem to be worried.

But of course...I'm a basketcase, because that's just the way that I am.

Everything else about him is fine; his vitals are good, he eats good, and is very strong for a 3 day old. He was born 7 lbs and 4.4 oz and 19 1/4 inches long.

We have wi-fi at the hospital, but Blogger is considered a "social network" and therefore filtered out. I can read blogs but can't comment or access mine to update from there. Hopefully, we ALL get to come home tomorrow. When we do, I'll try to post an update. If you wouldn't mind to keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Meet Alastair!

My Thoughts on Hillary Clinton

As if anyone asked for my opinion, but that's what blogs are for.

I'm a political junkie, and I'm constantly checking out Taegan Goddard's Political Wire, among other websites. Sometimes I check out the comments to each blog entry, and on occasion, chime in myself.

Hillary is back in the news again after being given her speaking spot at the upcoming Democratic Convention. Whenever she gets back in the news the staunch Hillary supporters or PUMAs as they are called (Party Unity, My Ass!), come out in droves with vindictiveness.

I can't for the life of me understand their reasoning; the conspiracies they claim, and how Hillary was supposedly stabbed in the back by the powers-that-be. How can they claim this? Hillary Clinton was part of the establishment, she was the ultimate Washington insider. She had the support of virtually every Democrat in Washington. For the past four years, everyone has known that the nomination was her's to lose.

I guess no one counted on the success of Barack Obama. I remember Barack Obama's Keynote address in 2004, the one that shot him to political superstardom. I remember thinking, This guy's going to be president someday. I remember when he announced his candidacy for president. I thought, He won't get it this time (surely it will be Hillary), but he'll get it some day. But then his candidacy took off. He did much better with the people than anyone imagined. When the primaries came to Virginia, I looked at the candidates, and their positions, and their potential, and decided to vote for Obama. Nothing against Hillary; I think she would make a fine president, and if she'd got the nod, I would've happily voted for her in November...I just liked Obama better. Apparently, I'm not the only one who felt that way.

So we had a David and Goliath type matchup here. Obama, the new guy, the underdog, the outsider vs. Hillary, the presumptive nominee, the established one, with the deck decidedly stacked in her favor. Lo and behold, many democratic voters, like myself decided, to go with Obama. It's that simple.

But somehow this all adds up to a supposed conspiracy against Hillary, to the point that some of her supporters claim they will consider voting for McCain (who I used to respect, but he has since sold his soul to the Radical Religious Right). I can't help but just roll my eyes.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

We're about a week away from the due date. And my wife got the nod from the doctor today that they will induce labor on the due date if he hasn't come already. Excited, anxious, and nervous all at once.

Meanwhile, I haven't felt any kidney stone related pain, so perhaps it's settled into the kidney and won't bother me for a while. And the blood pressure is down to around 126/76. Yay!

I went to an info session today for a Master's degree program at a local university. Hopefully I can start class this spring and finally reach that mid-career goal that I always planned.

As always, keep us in your prayers.