He's Here! Meet Zane Francis Kaplan

In the early morning of November 20, 2021 after a casual 35 hours of labor (you’d better believe I’m not leaving that detail out), Dan and I welcomed our little Zane Francis Kaplan into the world.

A variation of the name John with a Z that feels like an homage to Dzenawagis, the first name Zane is in honor of my Dad, whose kind heart, gentle soul, and friendly, easy going nature I hope he inherits from his Papa.

His middle name, Francis, is the same as mine (but spelled the male way) and is passed down from many generations of Francis’ in my family tree—but specifically my grandfather Francis Stevens Joseph O’Connell, “The Wild Irishman,” who was a WWII hero and quite the character. May Zane inherit Frank’s bravery and fiery spirit.

And of course, Kaplan is his family name from Dan—and what a wonderful family they are. I hope the Kaplan family’s intelligence, curiosity, generosity, and compassion is passed down to the newest little family member.

Welcome to the world Baby Z, we’re excited to show you around.

💙

p.s. No, we’re absolutely not hyphenating his last name. You know I love Dzenawagis, but giving him an easy-to-pronounce name was very important to me haha.

p.p.s. Yes, I’ve already looked up his birth chart: Scorpio Sun, Libra Rising, and Gemini Moon—which should do a great job shaking up the dynamic around here.

p.p.p.s. I still have not found the words to describe childbirth and I’m not sure I ever will. It was a marathon and a test of human endurance. Women are amazing—I’ll leave it at that.