What do I have in common with Paul McCartney ... Rod Stewart ... Robert De Niro ... Larry King ... Steve Martin ... Woody Allen ... Hugh Efner ... Robert Murdock ... and ... Abraham in the Bible?
Each of us had (in my case having) a baby at 60 or above!
"Are you excited?" I'm often asked.
"I am," I answer.
"Really?" they reply.
"Yes," I say growing weary.
"Well, more power to you."
Several years ago, I was in California and had the opportunity to hook up with Eamon Sheehan and his lovely wife Leila. We grabbed bottles of wine and took them to a Turkish restaurant and had a marvelous night ending with a tour of their tiny apartment ... and I have to say all of the planning at NASA can't match how Leila organizes a closet.
When Sarah and I learned we're having a baby, Eamon was one of the first congratulatory messages I received.
"This is great! Don't worry about your age. I wouldn't trade the 18 years I had with my Dad for anything."
Eamon's Dad, Daniel, was my friend.
He was the oldest Dad in the annual Father/Son basketball game at the old St. Michael's School on Tybee Island. and one year ... by the grace of God ... we Dad's eat our sons ... by cheating and talking smack.
Sweat pouring from every orifice, Daniel and I just laugh.
Dan was in past 60 club too!
He and his beautiful Carolyn bore Eamon and had to endure all the same questions I am now.
"Really?"
Yesterday we were at the Alzheimer's Walk and ended up holding and feeding, a six week old girl, who kept stopping sucking the bottle to smile at me.
I laugh in response.
"Hit her harder," Sarah laughs as I burb the child.
The baby smiles at me.
Salt water fills my eyes as I envision Che ... Clare Hope Elliott ... nicknamed after one of my heroes.
I'm ready for Sarah to not be pregnant anymore. It hurts me watching her struggle.
And I'm ready to hold our baby.
I've lived a long time now ... learning how to love ... and through trial and error ... I'm much better at it than I was.
One time, Daniel and I had lunch together and afterwards, sat in his car just talking about life and family ... the messiness of divorces ... the intense love of children ... the good ones and the bad ones.
"We're just learning how to love," he laughs in that crazy southern Irish brogue.
It's taken me a long time to finally understand what he meant.
