Shadow adjusting

I was really worried that Shadow wasn't going to adjust well to Angelo. In the past she has been REALLY freaked out by babies. Wall-hugging-low-to-ground-run-a-mile-the-moment-they-make-a-sound FREAKED OUT. I was worried that she wouldn't take well to something else other than her getting a lot of our attention ( as pretty much SHE'S been the baby for the last four years ).

I've been really surprised at how well she's been coping with the change so far. She's actually been pretty patient with waiting for attention, and with Angelo crying ( far from running away - she'll usually get in her wee 'cat-tent' and watch with an interested feline bemusement ). She'll even give him an experimental sniff now and then , before beating a leisurely retreat to somewhere else near-by.

The only time approaching a 'serious' incident was the first day Angelo was home. We but him in the bassinet, and Shadow jumped in too - not knowing he was there. Shadow did a double-take of Warner Bros intensity and promptly ran for it !

I think she's still trying to figure out exactly WHAT Angelo is. I'm just glad she hasn't been traumatized or has run away or something equally distressing for me !

And - as this photo shows, she's not adverse to taking advantage of ole Seraph when he's been beaten with the fatigue club !

Disturbing implication

Viva and I went to the Baby Factory to buy a pram the other day. We suffered from the WORST add-on sale I have ever encountered - we got some kind of pram 'sleeping-bag' thing, but then no-one could seem to work out the routine for actually clipping it into the freaking pram. Calls were eventually made to reps. It was a long drawn out affair - one which I would have terminated after around 5 minutes, but which Viva clung on tightly till the bitter end.

During the intervening time I wandered hither and tither around the store, clutching the baby capsule with the soundly sleeping Angelo - looking at the various baby wares housed within. Eventually I came to the mobile section,

I noticed an offering in this arena from the Sesame Street providers. It was a pastoral scene ( in as much as you can get a SCENE in a mobile anyway ) consisting of two sheep / lambs at diametrically opposing sides of the rotational circle, and in-between them - a baby version of the muppets Elmo and Cookie Monster ( they were wearing nappies ).

Fair enough I thought.

Then I noticed that each monster clutched something in their furry little hands. I looked closer.

Elmo had a rather large carrot. "The nutritional angle" thought I, "Well played Sesame Street Corp."

My eyes searched out what Baby-Cookie-Monster might be holding. "Surely it won't be a cookie - now that they have been a 'sometimes food' by the man. Perchance a cabbage ... or grapefruit ?"

A turn of the mobile 'axle' revealed all. Baby-Cookie-Monster held a bright yellow baby chicken to his fuzzy blue chest.

It took a moment or two to process the information.

What was being said here ? Cookie Monster ( surely the muppet character MOST associated with the act of ravenous, bestial eating ) is holding a LIVE BABY CHICKEN.

... is he going to EAT the live baby chicken ? Mashing it up in his pac-man like jaws until the giblets spray out in a bloody parody of cookie crumbs ?? Will Baby-Cookie-Monster be deaf to the plaintive 'peep-peep-peep' of the chicklet - begging for mercy ?

Shouldn't Baby-Elmo have the baby chicken and Baby-Cookie-Monster have the carrot ? Just to be safe ?

I could well be reading too much into this ( and sleep deprivation isn't helping matters one iota ) - but it's a disturbing implication none the less.


Just look at the crazy little bastard ! Look at that twisted Hannibal Lector grin ! You just KNOW he's going to start chewing on that chick's head and it's brains are going to fountain out it's beak ! Get it offa him for the love of all that's holy !

Things I have learnt about parenting - No#1

When changing a baby - make sure that they stay in the MIDDLE of the change table. That way they can't kick you in the stomach / testicles with their surprisingly strong little legs.

Funny thing said of my sister

My sister recently got hold of the PS3 game 'Rock Band'. She heads a band in her flat called 'The Perverts' ( which is a great name for a all-girl punk group ! ).

One of the other band members on their cash-flow

"Yeah - we were doing pretty well ... but then G spent every cent she had on a small hat."

Ain't that true of life ?

I thought so.

Commodore Ryan

Just finished this ( while Angelo was having a sleep ). The proportions aren't great - but I'm still fairly pleased with it.

Ryan and Slake have some kind of history. While being on opposite sides of the recent conflict between Albion and Atlantis they have a respect for each other as able warriors and leaders.

I repeat - there's a story in here somewhere !

Freak Angels ( nothing to do with Angelo ! )

I've been meaning to recommend this for a bit now - just didn't get round to it.

Warren Ellis ( 'Transmetropolitan' ) is writing a free web-comic called "Freak Angels". It's up to issue 8 ( each issue being 6 pages or so ) and I'm really enjoying it so far.

It had me hooked on the very first few lines :

"23 years ago, twelve strange children were born in England at exactly the same moment.

6 years ago, the world ended.

This is the story of what happened next."

You should check it out.

10 Things about the kid

1. His name is Angelo Mario. 'Angelo' is what my sister would have been called if she had ended up my brother. 'Mario' is my dad's name ( so Angelo is not named for the internationally famous, Gorilla-bashing plumber - it's just an added bonus ).

2. Other names that were considered were ; Orlando, Marco, Vito, Tarquin-Durwood-Alan, and Squiglet.

3. His mum nicknamed him 'Snuffles'.

4. He has received 4 toys since he was born ; a blue elephant, a small lion, a dangly spider and a multi-coloured / multi-textured inch-worm. His dad has played with them all much more than he has ( which is 'not at all' ).

5. No matter how tightly his dad swaddles him, he always seems to get at least one arm free through his incessant wriggling.

6. His eyes have a blood-shot ring around them at present - giving him quite a 'Damien' look.

7. He can say 'Lah' - but only when he's really distressed.

8. He managed to kick himself in the bollocks once when he was being changed. He didn't seem too bothered about it. That could work out to be quite a party-piece.

9. His first lullaby was "Still Alive" from the 'Portal' video game ( sung by dad ). He seemed to puzzle him somewhat.

10. Apparently there has been some debate in the Wellington gaming community as to whether he's going to be a :
a) Pirate
b) Robot
c) Ninja
d) Cyborg
- kid. My money's on 'Robot'.

El nino

So I'm a father now. It is a strange and wonderful thing. I have a little boy ! He came into the world VERY quickly - at 8.32, on Wednesday the 2nd of April.

Viva and I were both born on a Wednesday as well. And don't you love the exponential curve of his birthday ?

2 / 4 / 08 ??

Cool or what ?

'Death From Above' is not the venue for much of what I want to say / show about my son ( man - it is weird saying that ... 'my son' ! Sheesh ) - so if you want to see the little guy ( name in process of being decided - we have a short list ! ) - then I urge you to make the long and peril-filled journey to his blog page, where there are some pics waiting for you !

Right - back to the hospital !