My Baby Girl Was Born Five Weeks Ago

I can remember the feeling I got when Kori and I were newlyweds and back from the honeymoon trip, and I was leaving for work and returning from work in a home shared by my wife...just like real a grown up.

Although I had looked forward to being married to Kori and getting to be with her all of the time, I hadn’t looked forward to the “boring” thing of settling down with a real job, the home, and living with someone else for the rest of my life. It wasn’t like I was dreading that - I just hadn’t been looking forward to it in the forefront of my thinking. I just looked at it like a necessity that went along with being married, like having to stop at the gas station in order to go on a road trip... only much more serious and deep than that.

Yet, once I found myself in that position of being the married man going off to work in my tie and returning to a shared home at the end of the work day– standing at that front door - I felt such a feeling of belonging and accomplishment, as if this was the way things were supposed to be.

That feeling was renewed with the pregnancy and birth.

Now that I’m a father, it just seems like “of course... this is the way it is supposed to be” as if it was a given all along – as if the uncertainty if whether or not I would get married and become a father never existed. Of course I would get married and become a father. After all, here I am now.

I’ve agreed out loud many times over the last ten months, and especially the last five weeks, that it is one thing to know something on an intellectual level, but quite a different thing to actually experience it. You can read all of the books and hear all of the stories from friends and family, but you don’t really feel it to the fullest until you experience it.

It is one thing to have a wife – a capable grown woman who has proven to be able to take care of herself - voluntarily changer her life to rely on me. It is quite different to voluntarily bring a baby into the world who now relies on both of us for love, for food, for shelter, for clothing, for health care, for protection, for cleaning, for affection, for teaching her how to survive and thrive in the world, and for her role models.

It is life events like this that cause me feel a deeper connection to my own parents, my sister who has two children with her husband, and other parents in my life. The emotions and perspectives shift. The contemplation of various life issues comes up in the daily thinking. I know studies show the brains of people are literally change when they become parents, and I can believe it, because I have experienced changes.

Suddenly, there is a tangible living legacy and I’m no longer the end of the line, but rather a link in a beautiful chain that I may live to see get even longer. It's a spiritual experience.

If you aren’t a parent (yet), you can understand the words I write. If you are a parent, you’ve probably experienced what I’m saying.

I'm so blessed to have both of these ladies in my life, and so thankful that our families and friends have surrounded us to share in the joy and to assist.

Thank you.

I Was Quoted

Although I'm not being quoted as often as I was when I was with Public Works, it still happens from time to time.

This time, I'm quoted in the Capital Press in a piece by Elizabeth Larson and Bob Krauter.

Southern California agricultural officials are on high alert after the discovery of a light brown apple moth in the northwest area of Los Angeles County.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture confirmed the L.A. find Monday and also the discovery of the moth in Solano County, bringing to 11
the total number of counties where the pest has been found.

Ken Pellman, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County agricultural commissioner, said the single moth was picked up in a trap June 28 in Sherman Oaks.

"We're hoping that this was a one and only. We have traps out everywhere and we hope this is not indicative of an on-going problem," Pellman said.

County officials have placed an additional 25 traps per square mile in a nine-mile radius around the Sherman Oaks discovery to determine if more moths are in the area.

The Sherman Oaks find marks the first discovery in Southern California. The invasive pest, which damages hundreds of plants and fruits, had most recently been found in Napa County at the start of May. State agricultural officials reported that a single moth was trapped recently in Vallejo in Solano County. As of Wednesday, no additional moths had been discovered.

This is a foreign pest that destroys a wide range of crops and ornamental plants. We don't want it to get a foothold in the County of Los Angeles.

Not Going to See Weird Al

This week, “Weird Al” Yankovic and his White and Nerdy Band will be performing at the Orange County Fair. This will be the first time I’ve missed a chance to see them in ten years. I’ve seen Al and the band perform at the Henry Fonda, the Greek (more than once), the OC Fair (more than once), the Grove at Anaheim, and in Brea – any location they were playing in the LA/OC area, often getting to meet Al and Bermuda, and Steve. Maybe even Jim. I even met Al’s mother (may his parents rest in piece), Al’s wife, and Al’s dog. I’ve also stood in line two different occasions to have Al sign CDs.

At the concerts, I’d cut loose and go hoarse with cheering.

But I need to be home with my wife and baby girl. I’m sure Al understands. After all, he and his wife have a little girl, too. At least I can see bits of the tour online, thanks for video sharing websites.

Keep In Touch, Darn It!

It's Saturday afternoon and the air conditioners are keeping the condo nice. Keelie is screaming herself hoarse unless she is attached to her mother, eating or not. She also tends to like it when "new" people hold her. She likes to make a good first impression.

We still haven't settled in to a "new normal" yet.

In case you didn't know, you can see the latest pictures of Keelie and keep up with what we're up to over here at our "family" blog.

Anyway, the title of this entry was inspired by a former coworker who left an comment on the other blog. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I have his e-mail address. I'm not too hard to find if you know how to use a search feature. My name is not all that common. Oh, there are other guys out there with the name "Ken Pellman", but I'm not into the Amish lifestyle, eastern music, or lumber, so it really isn't all that hard to find ME. I'm the guy who has been a Public Information Officer for the County of Los Angeles for many years now, worked as a Disneyland cast member for "a long time", grew up in South Pasadena, California, graduated from Cal State Fullerton, is a "Weird Al" Yankovic fan, writes for LaughingPlace.com, blogs on TheDisneyBlog.com, follows most things Disney, and has long had a serious interest in theme park design. I like to make funny voices and even impersonations. I got married in December 2004 and we just had our first baby.

That's me. So, if it isn't clear that I have your current e-mail address, please give it to me - sfh[at]flash[dot]net. That is, unless you don't care to hear from me. If I don't have your e-mail address, I can't thank you for your nice comments. And please keep me updated on what you're up to. We're homebodies and we have a newborn, so it isn't like we're getting out and about a lot.