BABY!

The little goatling wriggled his hornless head from his uterian sleeping bag this evening and emerged victorious.

Election day '08. Born on the day the first black man is elected president of the United States. That association won't soon be forgotten. Remarkable, methinks.

...

Valerie woke up this morning with distinctly different contractions. We sent Audrey to school cautioning her that today might be the day, and that she may be going home with a friend. We voted. We packed up last minute items. We farmed out Marian. Then we headed off to the hospital. Checked in around 12:30. The baby was born at 5:56. (At 2pm I told Marian's babysitter we'd have a baby by six. Uncanny predictive prowess.)

Mama is a very brave, strong, powerful woman. She went unmedicated (if you know her: of course she did). And she was remarkable. It's nuts how a woman's body just knows what to do. And the kid too. I've watched three goatlings emerge from that vagina and it still seems pure slight-of-hand. Magically, it just all works out.

And our midwife was fabulous. A calm, relaxing, empowering, peaceful influence.

Last night I had a dream that Valerie's water broke at the polls. Close enough!

Reuben Anders Wilde Goates, welcome to this big, wide, crazy world!