Elle the Breaking News Magnet

It seems our daughter has developed her own journalistic flare in utero.

Since I found out I was pregnant, I have had to deal with more than my fair share of breaking news. Somehow, it seems like whenever there is a no-hitter or a historic death (like John Wooden's passing, or the death of former Buccaneer) Gaines Adams), *I* am scheduled to design the section front. (Although I didn't have to work the day George Steinbrenner died, but I think my Yankee fandom worked in some cosmic way to arrange that.) In any other year, I wouldn't have been the one "blessed" with this nose for news. Or it wouldn't have been so obvious.

But this year, people are noticing.

Three weeks ago I designed section covers with a no-hitter and an unexpected verbal fight between two stars of our baseball team. For both to happen in one week was a bit unusual. Both called for dramatic readjustments of my pages, a lot of time and work invested in the section, and of course, I wasn't surprised that it happened on my nights. But I asked for a reprieve. I mean, I don't want to be a news hog, and it certainly can be mentally taxing, especially when you've got pregnancy brain to contend with. At the end of my pregnancy, I certainly didn't feel a deep desire to have more breaking news. I kept joking that the adrenaline from all of the breaking news was going to put me in to labor. When someone asked what my plan was if news broke that night (i.e. "What if LeBron announces who he is signing with?"), I would semi-jokingly reply: "Go in to labor."

But this was not an option two weeks ago. There was a tragic shooting of two Tampa police officers, and the suspect(s) were on the loose for almost four days. I was off when the shooting actually occurred, and I usually work in sports, so the news of the day wouldn't have affected me much. But that week, I was scheduled to cover a 1A shift. Which meant I'd be in news. I prayed that they'd catch the suspects before my shift ... when that didn't happen, I prayed they'd catch them after my shift. The day before my shift, I joked about a colossal "all-the-news-breaks-at-once" moment - the suspects would be caught by LeBron James, who would have just finished pitching a perfect game and then make his announcement for the upcoming NBA season.

Flash forward to my news shift: Things are calm, we've got stories covering new developments in the case, a profile on the suspected shooter, a piece on the command center, memorials, etc. But then, at 10:28, which is a mere hour before deadline, the night city editor came running up through the newsroom and said the words I had been dreading: A local TV station had reported that they'd caught the suspect.

I said a few choice words, joked about my water breaking and marveled at Elle's "luck." This girl has "seen" more breaking news than most 10-year-olds.

We made it through, although I must admit, trying to work on deadline with a baby trampolining on your bladder is rather challenging. She had been pretty calm all night, and as soon as the news broke I went to the bathroom, not knowing when the next time I'd be able to go would be. (She seriously chose the next two hours to wake up and bounce on my bladder while I worked on deadline.) I ended up having to stay an extra hour, and the rush and stress and length of the shift left me really wishing I was able to go out for a post-work drink with my coworkers.

The next day, one of my bosses remarked on my instinctual prediction that the suspect would be caught that night. I quickly corrected her, telling her it was more of a curse than instinct.

I can only hope the news slows down after Elle is born.