When I started this blog, I was still at university and had no children. On Sunday I was back on campus with my step-daughter and it reminded me how much has changed and how far I’ve come. Pretentious? Sure; but still true.

However what I took from the day wasn’t how far I’ve come so much as how much I’ve lost along the way. I no longer make games. I no longer draw. I no longer write. I no longer create.

None of this is anyone’s fault but my own, of course, and it hasn’t gone completely unnoticed. Throughout my life I have always created. The form of the creation has changed, but it has always been there: painting, drawing, 3D rendering, computer games, websites, software, photography.

In recent years, however, work seems to have displaced this creativity without really replacing it. Some might see my job as creative, but it isn’t the same thing. True creativity comes from within, and I’m sure it’s still in there somewhere.

It’s time to send a search party.

Life has been so very good to me over these last few years. Living in a world with Carolyn is amazing. I never quite know what’s going to happen next (she is perhaps a little crazy), but I never feel like we’re out of control. We have a great little family in our home. We have all that we could require. Life is about as perfect as it could be.

Today marks the passing of a short time in what I hope to be a long and happy life with Carolyn and our awesome little family. Carolyn, I’m so glad that fate brought us together; I love you more than words can express.

He continues to do well, and has no problems demanding food and cuddles. When those little eyes stare into yours, it is impossible to refuse. I may, however, have to be restrained from just eating those gorgeous cheeks.

He weighed 3.775kg, and is a lovely 51.5cm long. He has the most adorable eyes, and tiny but long fingers and toes. Elysha and Romilly are very proud big sisters.

I know this is a day late, but after two days with basically no sleep and a total of two meals, I needed to crash. I have been informed that it may be the last good sleep I get for a long time, but I don’t care. I have a beautiful baby boy, and Carolyn is doing OK. All is well with the world.

Of course, with the colder weather coming, it may just want to stay in there and keep warm.

We’re completely prepared for the big day; we just don’t know when it will be. Until then, we’ll just end each day with the thought of being one day closer to whenever The Penguin is going to arrive.

If nothing else, it means that Elysha will get to keep April as her month. Carolyn has indicated that Romilly’s claim on September is quite safe.

The Penguin seems, so far, to be very laid back and not in any hurry to arrive. One can only guess that this means it has a fair share of Carolyn’s genes. This can only be a good thing.

Everything is prepared. Everything is ready. Carolyn has has enough of being pregnant.

Whenever you’re ready, Penguin. Whenever you’re ready.

Have you noticed that I haven’t been around much recently? Of course you have; you’re smart. Well I can’t really apologise and tell you how busy I’ve been, because I haven’t been all that busy. I took a nice holiday over Christmas, but didn’t go anywhere. I painted Romilly’s new bedroom (pink!), finishing at 4am on Christmas Eve. I then spent the next week recovering and promising myself never to leave anything to the last minute ever again. Other than that, I have found myself enjoying family time, playing computer games, and slowly organising things for the arrival of The Penguin. For example, this afternoon was spent convincing Carolyn that a $4000 pram is not a viable option, even if you can get it on special for $200 less.

I’m actually only writing all of this as Carolyn insisted that I thank my ex-wife for pointing out that the PenguinCount® on the website here was stuck at 101 days. Carolyn really didn’t like the idea of being perpetually pregnant. The idea of a baby making its way out through your nether regions is apparently bad enough, let alone giving it additional time to grow.

Carolyn has, in fact, decided that The Penguin is going to emerge no larger than a peanut. Not liking the idea of a peanut-sized baby, it was decided that said peanut would immediately turn into a proper baby after making its easy exit. Now I can only imagine the birthing process as passing a small Poké Ball, with the midwife then screaming something along the lines of “Penguimon, I choose you!”

It is this incredibly realistic view of birth that is probably going to backfire on us at some point in the future, most probably during “news time” at school.

Thank you so much for all of your support and comments. The tremendous amount of feedback i've gotten from this picture blows my mind! Thank you so much everyone, I'm glad you like this shot. :)

See the blog post for more info: Laughing Squid Photo by Brian McCarty

copyright 2006 Brian McCarty

This one was fairly co-operative. taken at 1.5:1 body length about 4mm

i co-admin a group on flickr (deleteme uncensored) and while i was on vacation i had a stop in newcastle where one of the other co-admins live. well while we were there were these 2 random pink office chairs on the side of the river... weird right? well the sales guys (they were showing the chairs to a client in a nearby office) were really alot of fun and good natured and raced the chairs down the pedestrian bridge (see other newcastle image in set if you are interested).

Flickr Blogged

Published in Germany's Max Magazine - April 2006 issue

byron bay sun shower

August 2003, photo by Ray Zimmerman
that's me 9 months pregnant