Bad News Blog X/"Kangaroo"

 Hello Internet,

Today, I have good news on the Bad News Blog.  I am writing this from Monkey’s clinic room following her chemo treatment, but last Friday at 11:55pm, the world welcomed a little Kangaroo into existence.  I was there with Noodle all day, from 9a Friday morning to Sunday afternoon.  My brother, who I will call Uncle Jaguar, stayed over to watch the small ladies for us while we were away, and I came home to give Monkey her morning and evening medicines.

We got there early, and Noodle barely at anything all day because she was afraid of having to poop.  We had hoped he would arrive early, but even with induction drugs it took her almost until midnight.  She had an epidural, which helped, and had another pain killer added to amplify the effect because she was in so much pain.  There was minimal tearing, and Kangaroo was born happy and health, if a bit small.

The first night was sleepless.  Kangaroo was quiet at first, and then he was not.  He was born tongue-tied (his tongue was partially fused to the bottom of his mouth) that made latching difficult.  I was born the same way, so I suppose he takes after me.  We’ve had it corrected, but he is still learning.  It is astonishing to me how quickly human bodies can adapt, though.

As of writing this, I feel unfocused and almost floating.  I am aware enough to drive and to take care of my child.  So far, Noodle and I have been taking turns attending to him, but she has to wake up to feed him, a thing which I cannot do no matter how hard I try.

It always astonishes me how strong our marriage is.  Noodle and I have only been together five (six?) years, but we’ve been through a number of strains which have torn other couples apart.  In fact, they only seem to make us stronger.  I may come to eat these words years from now with a post entitled, “Marriage,” but as of right now I feel confident in us.  I speak on it frequently and only because of the type of relationship my parents had when I was a kid.  It is good to see that, even if I am not perfect, I am also not them.  It is important to see that I learned from their mistakes rather than repeated them.

After all of this, I wish I had something more profound to say.  Lately, I’ve been writing my posts ahead of time.  It has helped me realize that I have so much to share, and it gives me the ability to be precise.  Now, as I’m finding some sense of stable ground (which will forever be yanked out from under me as I gain my footing), I’m finding that I struggle to find meaning in my own life and value in my own words.

Recently—more recently than Kangaroo’s birth—I had a change up in my schedule again and had considered giving up my blog, and I found myself sad.  For the first time in my life, I wanted to keep writing a blog.  I wanted to keep investing my time and energy into something real rather than something make believe.  That, I suppose, is progress.

Monkey is healthy, and Kangaroo is growing quickly.  Noodle and I have a few weeks before she goes back to work, and they will be good, if hectic.  Squirrel is excited about school, and that will turn quickly.  I am tired, but I am also so grateful and so happy for a healthy family, for the sleepless nights, and for the poisons that are hurting and healing my little girl.  The world is imperfect, but when it rains—when it pours—I’ll stay happy, even without an umbrella.

Sincerely,

RWS

P.S.

-Short Rest-

Books

Tower: Final Fantasy: Fated by tinygaia

0. One Piece 100% New Chapters Every…

1. Sun: Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 1, Ch. 2: “”—4 25% (2—4)

2. Mon: One-Punch Man Vol. 11, Punch 57.3: “Monstrous Insect”-59 50% (6—10)

3. Tue: Kingdom Hearts Vol. 1, Ch. 6: “Trverse Town”—42.1 11% (6—45)

4. Wed: My Hero Academia Vol. 10, No. 90: “Reach Out”—89 78% (10—9)

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Vol. 4, Ep. 32: “The Job”—35 56% (6—9)

5. Thu: Soul Eater Vol. 1, Ch. 1: “”

6. Fri: Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru Vol. 1, Ch. 4: “Family Argument”—6 50% (4—6)

Boruto: The Next Generation Vol.??

7. Sat: Books

-Fiction: Pyramids by Terry Pratchett

-Library: Trans Medicine: The Emergence and Practice of Treating Gender by Stef M. Shuster

-YA: The Giver by Lois Lowry

-Fan Fiction: Final Fantasy: Fated to Ch. 50 by tinygaia Ch. 50—50, 100% 

-Nonfiction: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat 0% (1—440)

View from the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman 26% (130—502)

-DnD5e: Player’s Hand Book by Wizards of the Coast 0% (?—??)

-Reread

Games

Tower: .hack//MUTATION

1. JRPG: Final Fantasy X-2 52% (27/52hrs)

2. Backlog: God of War 59% (??/33hrs)

3. Completion: Final Fantasy XV: Royal Edition ??% (??/125hrs)

4. Multiples: Fable: Anniversary Good 0% (0/21hrs)

5. Bioware: Dragon Age: Origins Kallian Tabris 14% (10/74hrs)

6. Series: .hack//MUTATION 91% (48/50hrs(21/23hrs))

7. Free: Persona 5: Royal

8. Handheld: Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth P3 ??% (??/80hrs)

Stardew Valley 

Shows

Tower: Exandria: Unlimited

1. Critical Role Exandria Unlimited Ep 5: “A Test of Worth”—8 50%

Dimension 20 Unsleeping City Ep. 5: “A New York Wedding”—17 24%

2. Anime: Digimon: Adventure Myotismon Arc 50% (24—28(4—8))

3. Online/Owned: Archer Season 2 54% (8—13)

4. Netflix: Seven Deadly Sins Season 1 29% (8—24)

5. Disney+: X-Men Season 1 39% (6—13)

6. HBO: Teen Titans Season 1 54% (8—13)

7. Movies: Firefly 21% (4—14)

Moon Knight 50% (4—6) 

X-Men

Promare

Castle in the Sky

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Dumbo