48 Hrs
That's all that's left between me and cute, cuddly baby hell breaking loose times two. Yep, on Wednesday, Kid Lulu gets her new sis. Jeez, what if it's actually just a really shy boy? He'll have a pink bedroom but a totally badass name: Dash Daly! (Please, FF?)
Anyway, this is my last day at work for a coupla weeks. I have to hammer out a Phil Ramone profile today and then skedaddle, possibly to Mexico to create a new life for myself. However, I fully intend to keep blogging, including a no-doubt freakout tomorrow. (ThisiscrazyThisiscrazyThisiscrazy.) Indeed, my sanity depends on hearing from Marissa at least 37 times a day. Plus to enhance your reading pleasure, special guest Steve Spears will be entertaining you as well, hosting the American Idol chats Tues and Wed.
Oh, and if you're wondering: STILL NO BABY NAME!!!
Sean Daly is the pop music critic for the St. Petersburg Times. His CD collection -- from Journey to Dylan, Prince to U2, Public Enemy to Stan Getz -- is much bigger and better than yours.
THIS WEEK'S SHOW: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers rock Tampa Bay. To hear the latest "Stuck in the 80s" episode now, 
Sean,
For what it's worth, all hell doesn't really break loose until kid number three, when you have to abandon the "man-to-man" and go "zone".
Incidentally, today is Chester in Cuba's third birthday. And I am proud to announce that having been buying diapers non-stop since November 1997, we are now a fully potty-trained family.
Until next month when I start buying my Depends.
Posted by: Jeff in Cuba | January 28, 2008 at 11:53 AM
OK, how 'bout this: Madonna Daly
Posted by: DG | January 28, 2008 at 11:57 AM
I have actually lived the "shy boy" scenario that you mention- two ultrasounds said my baby was a girl, then BOOM- 10 pound baby BOY makes his entrance to the world. I still have cute little pink hand knitted dresses in his closet, 11 years later. Maybe I should get them out of there before he enters the confusing teen years. BTW, "Dash Daly" is such a seriously badass name, you gotta keep having babies until you score a boy just to use that name. Seriously.
Also- I watched your "Flashpoint" appearance yesterday and I think that Steve had you beat in terms of sheer volume of sweat. You had an all over glow going, whereas Steve had boulders of sweat teetering on his upper lip. My husband summed it up as "damn, they both sure look uncomfortable". Either way, I look forward to more TV appearances for you guys- try a mattifying makeup before you go on to control the shine and you'll do fine.
Posted by: Sherrie | January 28, 2008 at 12:07 PM
Happy Birthday to Chester in Cuba. The Big 3. Very cool.
As far as names go, I floated the "Harper" balloon yesterday. Remarkably, the Forever Fiancee did not bust out in tears. It's a start.
I love how every single family I've talked to -- whether sports fans or not -- describes the coverage of 2 or more children in defensive sets. I'm lousy at man-to-man. I can hide my weaknesses (slow, slothy, bad reflexes) better in a zone formation. This should be interesting.
Posted by: Sean Daly | January 28, 2008 at 12:13 PM
Sean,
Deep breaths, my friend. Deep breaths.
My only advice to you on names is this - check out the Social Security website listing popular baby names of the 2000s:
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/decades/names2000s.html
When choosing, make sure your name isn't in the top 50 or so. Otherwise Lulu Jr. could end up one of two or three Lulu Jrs. in her class at school - and does the world really need more Emilys and Madisons?
See you on the other side,
Posted by: Brad | January 28, 2008 at 12:26 PM
Sean,
The sports metaphor falls apart pretty quickly when you remember that one team has no knowledge of the rulebook or even the stripes on the field.
I find that combat is a more applicable (if socially unpopular) analogy. Everything I learned as the commander of a company of Seabees has served me well as a parent:
Head on a swivel; you can't deal with what you can't see.
Sleep when you can, becuase you never know when the opportunity will return.
Do your job such that your buddy trusts you, and trust that your buddy will do his.
You may have lofty goals, but job one every day is to get everyone through it in one piece.
I've finished many a parental day collapsing into my bed thinking about what my senior enlisted advisor used to tell me in Iraq back in 1991:
"Hell, sir. We finished the day with the same number of bodies and boots we started with, so we must be doing something right!"
Posted by: Jeff in Cuba | January 28, 2008 at 12:43 PM
Sound advice Jeff, and a big Happy Birthday to Chester. My daughters are 7 & 8 now, but I remember the hell of potty training as if it were yesterday. I contend that it was the worst part of being a parent to me. When my daughters had the stomach flu comes in a close second.
Posted by: bassnote | January 28, 2008 at 01:15 PM
Whine to me when you have 4!!!! And mine are all girls ages 6yrs to 2 weeks. Here's a name for you...Ida Noe Daly. That way when asked for a name you can say Ida Noe (ha!). Best wishes to the FF.
Posted by: scooterbucs | January 28, 2008 at 01:22 PM
That is fantastic advice, Jeff. And Happy Big 0-3 to Chester -- that's a very groovin' age.
I really like Harper -- it's different yet not weird. And anything that harkens To Kill a Mockingbird is a bit of alright in my book.
Posted by: jane | January 28, 2008 at 01:27 PM
Scooter,
We had 4 all under the age of 7 at one point, so I know how that works (or doesn't).
With all those girls running around it looks like you, Bassnote and Sean are going to be paying for a lot of weddings (and watching a lot of Lifetime)!
Posted by: Jeff in Cuba | January 28, 2008 at 01:44 PM
FF - you haven't told him yet?
Posted by: The Mailman | January 28, 2008 at 02:52 PM
Hailey Daly
Posted by: Walter Cox | January 28, 2008 at 03:10 PM
Womens Wear Daly?
Posted by: Jeff in Cuba | January 28, 2008 at 03:26 PM
You're a natural fit for the zone. Lanky and not all coordinated. You can just lumber around the paint like a top-heavy weeble. You do have height on your side. What are you, six-five?? With the afro six-nine??
Posted by: NickWithAnAxe | January 28, 2008 at 03:33 PM
Harper "Valley PTA" Daly. Yeah, I'm a bright spot of sunshine, aren't I? I do like the name. It's one of those unisex cool names. Truly worth considering.
You could always come up with a clever acronym that spells a name. You know, like Ritchie ROSEBUD Petrie.
Just a thought.
Also, I'll do what I can to keep up with my contact expectations...I was trying to cut back considerably. At least dropping back to 20.
Best of luck to your little family.
Happy Birthday Chester! I thought the toddler years were the very best. Now my boy is 13 and I can't complain a bit.
Posted by: Marissa | January 28, 2008 at 06:41 PM
You're naming your kid after my Prime Minister Harper? Weird, Daly. Weird.
Hehe. Keep it chunky but funky on your vacation!
Posted by: Al | January 28, 2008 at 08:24 PM
Jeff,
That's a good list. Every year on the kid's birthday (twins, natch) I have been able to say to my wife: "No trips to the emergency room, no visits from Child Protective Services - another good year!"
(Let's hope it holds for a few more years...)
Posted by: Brad | January 29, 2008 at 01:05 AM
Sean and FF, good luck tomorrow. You will have Mr & Mrs Sparky's thoughts and prayers.
What about Chastity Daly?
Posted by: sparky | January 29, 2008 at 12:43 PM
Today is baby day!!! I'm really thrilled for you cats. I pray that everything goes smoothly. I'm sure your readers are with me when I say I can't wait for the stats on your precious, pink bundle of love. Good luck, and God bless!
Posted by: Marissa | January 30, 2008 at 08:22 AM
Any guesses to what type of delivery room Dad Sean is?
Is he an "Under The Hood Dad", peering over the doctor's shoulder and shouting the play-by-play to the FF?
Is he a "Cheerleader Dad", hanging around the top of the bed offering encouragment?
Could he be a "Ward Cleaver Dad", pacing around in a distant waiting room, surrounded by Mountain Dew cans and empty Funyons bags?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Posted by: Jeff in Cuba | January 30, 2008 at 09:14 AM
What I'd be interested in knowing is how FF views his delivery room style in comparison to how Sean views himself. Or how about a word from the hospital staff on Sean's labor and delivery antics.
Posted by: Marissa | January 30, 2008 at 09:40 AM
For the record, I'm strictly a hand-holding cheerleader, with no desire to hang out at the other end of the bed with the doc.
At the other end of the spectrum, one of my Marine Corps friends actually brought a bayonet into the delivery room and used it to cut the cord.
Posted by: Jeff in Cuba | January 30, 2008 at 09:51 AM
UH, ACK!
When I gave birth, I invited/begged my sister to be there. I needed a back up plan as I knew my (then) husband wouldn't manage well. His horrible gag reaction would prove me right and Demoral kept me from killing him.
Posted by: Marissa | January 30, 2008 at 10:07 AM
My first daughter was born by c-section, so I didn't watch because I didn't want to see my wife cut open. My second daughter was a natural birth, and I did watch that. My wife likes to repeat my quote about the birth to me; "That was the most amazing and disgusting thing I have ever seen."
Posted by: Bassnote | January 30, 2008 at 12:03 PM
I will not bore you with the details of my very unusual delivery room story, but let me just say that giving birth to a 1 lb, 10 ounce baby was remarkably easy, under the circumstances. My husband was right there and said that it looked like our son was shot out of a circus cannon.
So much for the sanctity of the birth process.
Posted by: jane | January 30, 2008 at 12:07 PM