A Little Purpose

There’s so much right now that needs writing about. But what is happening right now in the Spherical Model household is kind of taking priority. As I’ve mentioned before, I have a special favorite moment near the end of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. After all the trials, after overcoming the evil and accomplishing the quest, the humble hobbits return home. They are at the pub, and Sam works up the courage to go and approach Rosy, the young lady he has long admired. And that is the beginning of family—which was the purpose of all the rest. We’re having a purpose of life moment here.

Grandbaby number 2, a son to our son Political Sphere and his wife, arrived Saturday afternoon. We had a midwife, the same one who came for their first child. (Baby Political Sphere has grown up to be a big sister now, so we need a new way to reference her; Future Ruler of the World would probably suit her. At age 3 she is very much in charge. But I think I’ll reference her as PS Big Sister.)

Both of these little ones weighed in at exactly 9 pounds. What are the odds? Mrs. Political Sphere is a bitty little thing, unlike the mountainous Political Sphere, so big babies are expected. There were no complications, and we felt easy at heart that all would be well. But labor was very long. The midwife came around midnight, after contractions were regular and close. But progression was going very slow through the night. We tried sleeping sporadically, but PS Big Sister was probably the only one who got significant rest. Hours continued to drag on through morning. Mrs. Political Sphere was worn out. Finally the midwife set about a little program of resupplying energy with food and rest. And then the pushing got underway. Two pushes. That was it. After the first one, the midwife had mommy pause while she moved the cord out of the way.

I was at this point napping in the living room. Political Sphere said, “I need to go get my mom,” since I’d planned to witness the main event. But they said, “NO!” He couldn’t leave, or he’d miss it. He phoned the home phone to call me in. I was there in half a minute. The baby was already fully born, lying on his mommy’s tummy, and getting mouth and nose cleaned out. I did get to do video of Political Sphere cutting the cord. PS Big Sister sneaked in the room with me, so she got an early look at her new brother as well.

He is beautiful and perfect. We think he looks more like his mother than his father (PS Big Sister looks like her daddy did at that age, and something like I did). The first couple of days he mostly slept. Today he’s up longer and looking around, exercising his arms and legs, in between eating and naps. Life at this stage is very simple. It’s essential. And it's brief.

So we’ll get back to political, economic, and broader civilizational concerns another day.