After yesterday�s doctor visit that determined that Mom was 5cm along without noticing, the doctors made her and Dad arrive at 6 this morning just to keep an eye on her. After getting up to pee, she returned to the room to announce that Baby Girl was coming.

At 9:10, all was made official. The yet-unnamed little girl showed up with a �WAAAAAAA!� All looks to be fine with both her and mom.

My dad and I are coming up with name suggestions. Seeing that the only thing we�ve each named in the past fifteen years are our pets, these aren�t exactly ideal names for a baby girl.

Shorty Keena. Tralent Keena. Pooh-dog Keena.

Unfortunately for baby girl, the very cool name of Hambone Keena is already taken. I have three bottles of pills and potions with the name printed on it as proof.

Hambone is successfully peeing right now. Apparently thinking that he still has difficulty with squeezing anything out, he peed all over the floor while I was at work yesterday. I came home and scrubbed everything down with some orange spray cleaner and a shop rag.

This morning I stepped in another puddle, so the hallway again smells citrus-y fresh.

As long as he keeps peeing, I�m fine (for now) with him peeing on the floor. The last time it was just a matter of days before he moved back onto the toilet.

Here�s to hoping, anyway...

Giving him pills is becoming pretty easy. I�d previously had him put up a big fight, but now I prop him up, use both of my hands to pry open his jaw, toss the pill down the hatch, and watch to make sure he doesn�t hack it up.

Take that kitty!

No, really. You have to take that, kitty...

In non-related news, I came across an article I found a couple years back about the diamond industry and how rotten it really is.

Now let this be my public service announcement for diamond alternatives:

I love shiny things. I�ll admit that there�s little that shines quite like a diamond. But it really irks me that this industry is so contrived and that it�s become the artificial norm to give a diamond as a sign of love.

Don�t get me wrong. I love me some jewelry -- especially large, sparkly jewelry.

If your woman is set on diamonds, by all means get her diamonds. But do consider previously owned diamonds if you don�t think she�d mind. (Yes, some people have a problem with �used� stones. So either make sure she won�t attribute anything negative with getting one or that she never finds out about its previous owner.)

And if she�s open to other stuff besides the clear sparklies, consider colored stones. Pink, purple, light blue, and yellow are beautiful when set in white gold. Dark blue, red, and green seem to be what goes with yellow gold.

With used and colored stones, you can go bigger and sparklier than with diamonds. And you�re not supporting a devious industry.

Go colored stones, go!

My PSA career would be a short one. I somehow doubt people care about opposing a jewelry tradition as much as they care about kids being able to read, helping stop addiction, and teenage pregnancy.

There go my dreams!

Speaking of dreams, one finally came true last night.

It seems that I now have a working cell phone. When AT&T combined forces with Cingular, it apparently increased the number of GSM towers around, and the phone I switched to last night actually friggin� works.

I�m shocked! I�m impressed! I�m amazed! I�m using my minutes as they�re intended to be used!

It�s liberating...

On that note, I�m outta here. Enjoy your weekend, and go read Ozwald on Monday to see how fabulous his b-day party held tonight will be. �