Welcome, Allison Clare

She made her entrance into the world at 1:50 a.m. on February 29, weighing in at 6 lbs, 8 oz., 18.5 inches. As you can see from the pictures, she has inherited lots of dark hair from her mother and a dose of good-natured skepticism from her father.

As the first Leap Day baby of 2008, Allison had her picture in the local paper this morning. To handle the attention of the paparazzi as a result of this most auspicious distinction, she has hired a press secretary, who arranged the following exclusive interview with Grace Notes.

GN: So, Allison Clare, where does your name come from?

AC: My first name, Allison, just appealed to both my parents--not too trendy or outlandish. My middle name comes from two places: It's the name of one of the loveliest people my mother knows, and it's the name of my dad's favorite county in Ireland, the one they flew into and out of on their honeymoon this summer.

GN: You've recently experienced a number of changes. Tell us about them.

AC: Well, as you know, I transitioned from an aquatic to a land-based creature yesterday, and in doing so, faced a number of challenges. My former home had a number of advantages--constant temperature, filtered lighting, softly muffled sound, a meal plan. But the quarters were a little small, and I had only taken a 9-month lease. It took me a while to decide, but I finally settled on moving out rather than continuing to fight with the landlady for more space and time. Since then, I've been working hard at learning to breathe, eat, and open my eyes.

GN: Wow! That sound like quite a day. What are your plans for the future?

AC: My biggest current goal is to fall asleep on my own. My parents have encouraged me in this direction for my entire life, and after all, I owe it all to them.

;)