So here's something even more exciting that happened a week ago today, something I'm not likely to forget... ever. Oh ya... Rachel was there too.

Welcome to the world Mia Josephine Slowinski-Krall! Born in excellent health 7:48 am February 5th, 2010. 9lbs. 6 oz.

Today is a very exciting day for me, my new book and first author credit "Absolutely Beastly Children" a rhyming ABC book in which each letter of the Alphabet corresponds to a detestable child, has it's ISBN# and is on pre-sale. Actual release date September 28. A very special thanks to Abigail Samoun of Tricycle Press who took an interest in it and saw it through and is not afraid to attach her name to a book that shows a child pulling the wings off of flies. Thanks Abigail!!!

AVATAR. I can't believe my luck!!! If there's 2 things I love in this world it's ASIA ALBUM COVERS and FURRY ART and now they're together at last in one $240 MILLION MOVIE!!! I think James Cameron must be my soul mate. Goodbye Robert Zemeckis and BEOWULF, I'm sorry it had to end like this, but I'm with someone new now.

Here's a piece I did for the blog Seven Impossible Things before Breakfast which is a cool Children's Book Blog. They suggested the subject matter which was great because I've been wanting to re-illustrate some old classics. If anyone has any ideas how to make that happen I'd love to hear them.

So here's a Newsflash that will catch most people who know us off guard. Rachel and I are attempting to enter that territory which has been so well forged by so many of our friends yet remains a total mystery to us known as Parenthood. Stay tuned and watch me try to document things everyone else figured out ages ago as their kids head into college and we're expecting a newborn baby in January. It's a girl.

I just finished reading Little Lord Fauntleroy. It was thoroughly disgusting and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Rachel read me this fantastic character description from a book she's reading. "Barchester Towers" by Anthony Trollope.

Our cat could use a belt.

And in case you don't know about it...
The Gooby Trailer

in fact...

It's the creepiest thing in a red scarf since this.

I can't stop thinking about this movie. It's not even playing in California, Arkansas? Yes, Hawaii? Yes. Why not here? What kind of God would make this movie happen and then not have it play in California.

A very early idea for a hallway in the "other house" when it was a bit more over the top (and less practical) where the wall panels are like an aquarium with jelly fishes and squids drifting by.

This is actually my very most favorite drawing from the whole movie, it was a statue for the theatre that used to be Greco-Roman themed (but was very sensibly changed to art deco) that would have been tucked away in a corner somewhere and hidden in the shadows, but I referenced (stole) it directly from the most beautiful statue of a Mermaid clutching a lobster to her breast that I found in a book somewhere.

The contribution I'm the most proud of by far is the "Gravy Train" also another idea for crazy food the Jell-o Lava Lamp.