Introducing the Siren

As some of you may know, last year my wife’s sister was tragically killed in a car accident. She left behind a little girl, now twenty months old, whom we have adopted, thus adding a fifth member to Team Pipsoe. So, friends and fans, I’d like you to meet my daughter, Amelia.

The Siren

When I talk about my kids online, I usually refer to them by nicknames. Long-time readers of this blog, or friends and followers on social media, know all about my older son, the Squirrel Boy, and my younger one, the C-in-C. After spending two days in a mini-van with Amelia bringing her from North Carolina to Wisconsin, a single term seemed appropriate, both symbolically and literally: the Siren. Like the sailors lured to their willing deaths by those mythological creatures, I would gladly sacrifice myself for this little one. And man, does her cry get your attention.

As the stay-at-home parent, I raised the C-in-C while still writing at least a book a year, so I anticipate no slowdown in my work. But if I’m a little less present online, and maybe don’t hit quite as many conventions next year, I hope you’ll understand why: I’m heeding the Siren’s call.

From left: the Siren, the Squirrel Boy, and the C-in-C.