Mariah... but not like Mariah Carey

Wow.  This week two of my best friends became new people.  They became parents.

Now, I know that’s not entirely true.  They are still Jackie and Travis.  They are still each their own person and they are still a couple.  But they have become more than that; they are now three.

My friends tease me about my belief that pregnancy, birth and babies are magical, unbelievably beautiful things.  No, I haven’t been pregnant, given birth, or raised a baby - so I’m not an expert! - but I do believe this.  I’m not very religious, but I think recreation/childbirth are two of the most spiritual things we as humans participate in.  One minute the child is in womb, and the next minute they are a part of life on this planet.  Seriously, how fucking cool is that?!

When Alex was born, one of our friends who was at the hospital let me know she “could hear him crying!” and immediately I  burst into tears.  All I could do was picture the scene at the hospital: Jackie, exhausted, falling back into the bed, yet still trying to get a good look at her son; Travis, beaming as the proud father, looking at his wife with love.  Of course, this could all totally be wrong - the movie version of a perfect childbirth.  Probably she was crying, swearing, sweaty and tired.  Probably he was rubbing his hand, after its hours of being squeezed by his wife’s labor pains, or fumbling with the scissors to “cut the cord”.  But no matter how that scene played out in the hospital room, in that instant they became a family.

I know Jackie and Travis will be amazing parents.  When I first met them (five years ago!), they owned a bar, The Sandlot, where a few of my friends worked.  As friends, I first got to see them as caregivers to their sweet dog Aiden.  I have never seen someone (cough, Jackie, cough) so attached to their animal, and so completely in tune (and devoted) to their animal’s needs.  Their connection with Alex will be just as strong and intuitive.

Later on I started working at said bar.  Jackie and Travis were affectionately called “Mom and Dad” by the staff which was comprised of a very tight-knit (and dynamic) group of friends.  They certainly took on the parenting role with more than one of us (all of us?!).  They had to deal with SO MUCH OF OUR SHIT (“What, I was supposed to work tonight?”  “Um, I’m too hungover to work tonight.”  “No, we don’t know who drank that bottle of Jager!”  “Hmm, we totally locked the door when we left at 3 am - oh, the alarm was set at 6:15?  Weird!  You should probably call the security company about that.”)  I watched the two of them deal with the ups and downs of managing a business, a home, a dog, and the lives of their best friends, and emerge as a stronger, happier, healthier couple.

Jackie and Trav, trust me - you will do fine with a child.  More than fine - amazing.  And I can’t wait to watch you fall more in love with that baby everyday.

AND DAMMIT IT IS MAGICAL!

Just look at him!