Special Announcement...

It is official.

Before this day, I was thrice declared an uncle (in fact, a step-uncle if such a designation exists) based on the respective births of Justine to my stepsister Shannon as well as Envy and Cheyanne to my stepbrother Danny and his then girlfriend.

Today, I have become an uncle yet again without the preceding 'step'. At 11:09 p.m. Eastern, my brother Richard and his wife Missy had a 5 lb 10 oz little girl named Madison Nalani.

The first indication came from the old man. He was at Danbury Hospital and said that all was well. A very brief labor. In at 9 p.m. The kid was out by 11:09 p.m. No drugs. No C-Section. All normal.

I received a text a few minutes later. Richard declaring he was the proud father of a baby girl.

I answered.

And then Richard called. Said Missy came into the hospital already significantly dilated. Which meant there was no time for the epidural. Which, Richard said, pissed Missy off entirely. And she's not one who gets angry easily. I congratulated him and suggested he call our grandparents. 'You think I should?' he asked. I thought to myself, 'They may be in their late 80s but this will energize them like nothing else.' 'Yes,' I told him, 'Call them.'

We said our goodbyes. And now I wait for the date of the christening.

Congratulations to Richard and Missy. And welcome to the world, Madison Nalani!!!