First the Egg

Originally I intended to go to ALA in New Orleans this coming June.  If you’ve not been to a New Orleans ALA Conference, there’s nothing quite like it.  The food, the sights, it’s all quite lovely.  That was before I learned about a project with a release date in June that was going to throw a definite wrench in the works.  It’s not a bad thing.  Truth be told, this is a project I’ve been hoping to work on for quite some time, and I think I should see it to its natural end before making any serious plans for the future.

The project?  Well, why don’t you meet it yourself?

That’s right, folks!  We’re looking at the June release of a baby Bird!  A chick!  A fledgling!  My brood!  Other variations on my last name (you’re welcome to submit new ones as well).  And a first kid for Matt and me too!

Now in a sense I already have a child.  That would be this blog.  And child #1 is going to regard child #2 (or, as I may refer to it from time to time in terms of new books, Test Subject A) as stealing its “me time”.  It’s right about that.  So let’s cram in as much blogging in these next seven months as humanly possible. Because after mid-June, you might notice a bit of a dip in frequency.

By the way, I am NOT about to go all mommy blogger on you.  Nothing against them, but that’s not my shtick.  I’ll certainly mention my little Test Subject A from time to time, in the context of my postings, but I know that if the kid is a product of me that it’s gonna have odd tastes.  So you won’t be reading any reviews here where I say things like, “Well, my two-year-old simply didn’t get anything out of this graphic novel adaptation of Dostoyevsky, so I shall have to conclude that’s it’s no good at all.”

In the meantime, I’ve been collecting pertinent links for just this very occasion!  A good blogger is always prepared.  This post was actually entitled “For When You Announce You’re Brooding” for a good year and a half (and it was heartbreaking to have to continually push the date back).

First up, you may have noticed that pretty little picture at the beginning of the post.  It was done by an artist by the moniker of Elsita who happens to do some mighty fine papercuts in her spare time.  She has some other images that are sort of appropriate for today’s info.

You may click on them if you’ve an interested in purchasing.

In my travels, for every lovely image I’ve found I’ve also discovered the crazy side of pregnancy.  You wouldn’t believe some of the horrific stuff I’ve seen… like this.  AUGH!  Crazytalk!  (I understand that maybe some of you have done this, and I respect your wishes, but for me that is the strangest danged thing I ever heard of, bar none.)

Crazy in a whole different way are the products they create for the expectant.  Here in New York, I’m actually a little surprised that I haven’t run across these before.

Far less horrific, but disturbing in its own way, was this cool Make Room for Baby program the Museum of Science and Industry of Chicago created.  I’ve had more fun moving the little dial back and forth, back and forth than I can really admit.  It would be great to show to kids too!  My sole concern is for my intestines.  Look what happens to ’em!  They’re all scrunched up at the end!  Ay yi yi yi yi.

Crooked House has been a good source of pregger info, actually.  For example, I’ve a question for the female illustrators out there.  Were you ever tempted, even once, to paint your own stomachs?  Because apparently this is a thing.

Good to have a sense of humor about it, I say.

In conclusion, all I really need to do is avoid doing the things discussed in this last video and all will be well.  Thanks to all of you, and I’ll undoubtedly be soliciting you for advice as I go along.  This’ll be fun!

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