Ever since Chris was born I have experienced from time to time the fleeting sensation that there's a fourth child in the house, usually upstairs in bed, when I have the other three downstairs with me. The sensation only occurs when all three are at home with me. I cannot account for this persistent feeling. It's never an urgent sensation of crisis; the child is resting peacefully and doesn't need my attention.

There was never anything unusual about my pregnancy with Chris - you know, never any hint of there being twins. I would like to have another child very much. I think that, like Kenny & Tim, Chris needs a roommate.

And I would like to use a favorite name "John Paul" if the situation arises but not for the reason you may think. No, not for the late pope. In fact, he was one reason that I refrained from using the name even though I liked him and think he was a good pope and miss him now and hope to see him canonized some day and remembered as "John Paul the Great".

No, I refrained on account of him, on account of knowing what it's like to grow up sharing the name of a well-known, religious person. If I had a nickel for every time during high school someone called me "Mother Teresa". Please, she and I were worlds apart, literally and spiritually.

But the name comes from Merton's The Seven Storey Mountain, the name of his younger brother. His brother plays the role of Merton's alter ego, in a way: the one who remains in the world, goes to war and loses his life. Merton avoids a fate like his brother's by entering the monastery.

Now, if I could only come up with a decent middle name besides "George".