So I'm Going Home....

Back to the Place Where I Belong...what can I say, Finn is a big Chris Daughtry fan. Apparently, American Idol is big with the pre born. That is a good demographic if you can land it. Finn says Archuleta lost his title due to those effusive "gosh, golly" interviews. Can't say I disagree. But I digress...after a few days in the hospital, we were released to our own recognisance. The staff at the hospital was amazing and turned down our repeated offers for them to move in with us. Apparently other people were having babies there too and they required the staff's attention. Not sure what that had to do with us and our need for assistance at our house but it seemed like a non starter for them.

So we packed up all our stuff out of our little studio apartment with the oxygen tanks hidden in the wood paneling and headed out into the big beautiful world. We didn't get more than two floors before the elevator opened up and who was standing there but English professor Jeff Nunokawa dressed like Jeff Spicoli from "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." Apparently he works shifts as a candy-striper at the hospital...it's not just for marching band kids looking for an extra curricular so they can eventually be pre-med somewhere. They do things like deliver flowers and transplant organs when the doctors get stuck on the back nine. Jeff actually sent us a beautiful bouquet, which as I type this makes me wonder if he had one of his candy-striper buds re-route flowers intended for someone else to our room and then take (repeatedly) the credit for sending flowers he didn't pay for. This is not beyond Jeff; he eats all his meals for free in a dining hall. Jeff made me include this picture because he says his "guns" look awesome. He calls them his Hawaiian pythons.

We put Finn in our car and we were off. The car seat was installed just moments before we left, which gave Molly the perfect opportunity to say "I told you so" since for the past few weeks she kept saying I needed to get the seat installed before we had to rush off to the hospital with the seat still sitting in the office. I love moments like this...I consider them the cornerstone of a solid marriage. I've never driven so slowly in my life...every car, paperboy on a bike, and crazy careless mother pushing a stroller while on a cell phone were potential sources of t-bone collisions. It was a white knuckle trip. Glad we live three blocks from the hospital.

Enclosed is a picture of Molly and I bringing Phineas into our house. (Before anyone in my office beats me to it....1972 called, and it want it's sidewalk with the faux colored stone back.) We had a great time with family and friends stopping by. We celebrated Kevin's birthday since Finn hogged all the attention on the 11th. I told him to get used to "Happy Birthday, little Finn!!! Oh, and Kevin too." He had a good thirty year run but time marches on. Kind of like Aaron Rodgers moving Brett Favre out of Green Bay. All the legends fall in time. As a birthday gift, we did allow Kevin to supervise Finn's pro football and baseball fandom...so he is now a Yankees fan and a Giants fan. The oldest Dunne cousin Harrison got to hang out with the youngest Dunne. Finn can't wait to meet the rest of the family on both sides--actually I don't know if he has any interest in meeting them as he can't talk yet. I don't even know if he can see yet. And I think he thinks we are all extensions of himself. A little self centered if you ask me...not sure how this outsized ego will go over with the rest of the family. Could make for some tense holiday gatherings. We have some great pics with the grand parents but I can't put their pictures up without a release since Mr. Bracken is a prosecuting attorney. With all the Brackens here I don't think Finn spent any time not being held...except when Finn was peeing on people. That tends to get folks to back off.

Lots of food has been coming our way which has been fantastic but on occasion also a little "spirited." Shelley (from my office) dropped off a lasagna dinner. When I remarked that Mr. Bracken makes great lasagna as well she replied "Oh, is that what he calls it?" She smiled a faint assassin's smile and trailed back to her car muttering something about "Stouffer's frozen crap." Surprised, I relayed these comments to Mr. Bracken over dinner. His eyes narrowed and he methodically stroked his beard. He finally asked "Jannos is a married name. What's her maiden name.?" "Jingoli," I replied. I have to admit he seemed a little knocked back by that on. And yes, they are in the construction business and she has an uncle called Jimmy the Hook. Undaunted, he called today to say he would be dropping off his lasagna this week. Nothing says lasagna like Jersey City Irish American! Let the lasagna wars begin!

Holy smokes this has turned into a long post. I have a child to raise people. Sadly, I learned today that maternity leave is only for the mother, which seems terribly sexist to me. Who do they think passed ice chips all day? And holding a leg for three hours? Think that is easy? My back has really been sore. I have to call HR in the morning. I am not ready to return...