My heart leaps up when I behold

My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the Man;
I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.

- William Wordsworth (1770-1850)

my dear, truly amazing friend jennifer is hopefully nursing her brand-new baby son #3 this morning (or perhaps, still pushing??) and MY HEART IS LEAPING AND BURSTING OVER WITH HAPPINESS for her and her brilliant, loving family. i'm waiting for the call from her husband right now (i said "call in the night, wake me up for christ's sakes," but he said he'd wait for a reasonable-ish hour, sigh) to let me know if baby's still giving mama hell or is out and happy breathing air.

oh babies. newborns. i get all choked up. [gulp.] my friends think i'm demented because i joke that i want to "eat babies alive." but that's just the only metaphor i have for my love for them, which is clearly all-consuming. [i would never EVER eat a baby; i can't believe i even have to write that.] i just want to swallow their hands and feet and legs and bellies and cheeks and smiles and smells and hold them forever. maybe that's the demented part: that i love "love" so much ... and baby love -- well, it doesn't get any sweeter.

here's to jennifer! congratulations my angel! you made it! i tell you all the time and i'm telling you again today: you inspire me all the time with your creativity, your patience, and your strength. i love you and i love baby ____ (i'll let you tell his name on your own blog, lol). i'll be seeing you both very soon ...

update: not knowing whether baby was born or whether mama jennifer was just having worst labor EVER, i got in car and started driving 45 minutes to hospital at 10:30 this morning. well, that was lucky timing. 15 minutes from hospital, the proud papa calls and said baby was born at 10:21 and come on over. [i was all, "uhm, yeah, guess where i am? this is so funny actually ..."] baby callum ("cal") gray anderssen was born 7 lbs. 15 oz. and 21" after 18 HOURS OF GODDAMN LABOR. poor jennifer didn't get the epidural until four hours before baby was born, holy christ she IS SOME KIND OF TROOPER. i mean, GOOD GOD, PEOPLE. [did i already mention she has two boys under the age of three at home???]