Dear Momma,

Little Hoban Derriall Tam was born healthy and hungry. He wailed so long and loud that I thought Simon had told him all the words I used while birthing him. Simon assures me he didn't, but I still ain't so sure. Hobie - as we've decided to call him - looks at me with a distrusting gleam in his eyes so often that I find myself apologizing just to make amends. But he's a good baby, so far...and from what I remember of your stories of me, that means he's nothing like me.

The crew took to him fast as you can spit. Simon's a proud daddy, showing off everything he does like he's the first baby to do it. I was real worried about how Zoë would be, since we named him after Wash, but asking her to be godmother helped a lot. I thought Simon might object to the term, him being not particularly attached to religion, but he seemed to know how important Zoë would take the job. I think she even teared up a bit when we asked her. She was the first person Simon let hold the baby and she's been holding that over the Cap's head ever since.

I'll write more when I can. Being a ma is hard work! He needs so much and I never want to put him down...I'm holding him even as I write! How bout that? And he smells so good! I even love watching him sleep, or just stare at him with those big blue eyes. Simon says all babies have blue eyes and that they'll fade into a hazel like mine real soon, but I think he's nutty. Hobie's eyes are blue and they're staying that blue. I keep telling him to make them stay blue...

We'll see about stopping by, just as soon as things settle again. The Cap made us work extra for while - he says it was so we could not have to work once the baby was born. He's promised we'll get a nice long break - he's even suggested some places real close to Persephone, so let Aunt Jas know she should stop in and pay a visit. But tell her to 'wave first, so's we're not surprised. You know how she can be...

I'll send a capture in the next package out...you'll get to see your grandson!!

All m