Send in the clowns...

"Never fear, little Micah, Underdog is here."

After twenty-two hours of labor the miracle moment finally arrived. The baby’s head crowned and I caught my first glimpse of the miracle about to enter my life. Chills ran up and down my body as the reality of our baby coming into the world dawned upon me in all of its-can-not-be-denied-realness. It was a moment I would not have missed for all of the treasures in the world.

If you are a father-to-be you simply must believe me when I tell you that you do want to be present when your baby is born. It is something you can do and it is one of the most beautiful experiences you’ll ever have in your entire life. You do want to cut the umbilical cord and participate in the process of birthing your baby. You want to hear his first wet cry. You do want to feel his wet body in your hands and know the joy of fatherhood from the very first second of your child’s life. It will change forever how you view the world and you will be a better man for it.

So, the baby has just been born, I’ve cut the umbilical cord and the nurse carries the baby over to the little tray where they do the vitals and clean him up before wrapping him in his little blanket and handing him over to the mother. Everyone in the room is in tears.

“Have you picked out a name for the baby?” One of the nurses asks.

Yes ma’am I have. He will be called, Micah in honor of the place where he was conceived.”

Silence fell upon the room and confused faces turned to look at each other. Finally the doctor looked up at me with a puzzled look on his face.

“As in For-mica.” I said.

It took a moment for realization to dawn upon the assembled team and then the laughter rolled across the room like a tidal wave. It was the sound I wanted to be the very first my son heard as he entered the world; the sound of laughter-the sound of people sharing a happy moment in a world that hasn’t seemed very funny of late.

Two days later the head of the department came by for the obligatory visit.

“You must be Felicia. This is the baby, Micah and you must be the hippie daddy everyone is talking about.”

Felicia and I looked at her a little puzzled and she said,” Let me just say this; I arrived at work this morning at six-thirty a.m. and by seven-thirty a.m. I’d heard the Formica story four times. Your joke is now legendary in this hospital, Mr. Bauman.”

On a sad note...

Baby Micah is back in the hospital being treated for Jaundice. Yes, it sucks big time. We got to have him at home for one day and now he’s been back at the hospital for the past two days.

We hope he will back where he belongs tomorrow. Felicia has been staying with him and I have been visiting and taking care of the home-front. I miss them both so very much.

"Its okay, dad I'm catching some rays and the food is awesome!"