The Dude

by

by Eric Martin


After what were 30+ hours of grueling labor (for me mostly, though my wife seemed to be in some type of pain as well – I’ll have to check back with her on that), Eric Jae-Young Lee Martin finally decided to join us on Saturday, October 10th at 11:36 a.m. 


In addition to taking his time once the whole show got under way, my son also decided that the fact that dad had tickets to Friday night’s Yankee playoff game was entirely beside the point.  Luckily, my good friend Steve (who benefitted from my son’s irregular sense of timing) was kind enough to phone me after what was one of the more dramatic playoff wins for the Yanks in a while to let me know that Mark Teixeira’s game-winning, 11th inning, walk-off home runs landed 5 rows in front of my his seats.


Still, I think it’s clear I came out the winner.  I believe he calls this look “Velvet Steel” but it’s hard to make out his words as he tends to mumble. 


Emoney2

69 thoughts on “The Dude”

  3. Aw man. More of these. And congratulations.
    my son also decided that the fact that dad had tickets to Friday night’s Yankee playoff game was entirely beside the point.
    Get used to it.

  4. Get used to it
    Yeah, I was kind of hoping for one last hoorah before the norm of fatherhood took over. He wasn’t due until Tuesday, but I kind of figured I was messing with Karma by getting those tix.

  9. Congratulations, Eric! Hopefully you’ve trained your diaper-changing attribute to MAX before now. If not, it’ll probably max out by itself.

  10. Hopefully you’ve trained your diaper-changing attribute to MAX before now. If not, it’ll probably max out by itself.
    They call me the one-armed bandit. I’ve got the dexterity of a short oder cook (but beware the blue plate special;)

  13. Y’know, the Yanks are in the playoffs, what, every year? Every other year?
    Versus: how often do you have a kid, much less a *first* kid?
    Once, that’s how often. So.. sorry, dude; I can’t argue with Baby Eric’s priorities.
    Also: he’s beautiful – Mucho Congrats to Eric, Mrs. Eric, and Baby Eric!

  15. (Hank Steinbrenner): Mr. Martin, there was no doubt about the Twins series. Why did you bother with those seats? Please spend $1,250 for ticket[s] to the World Series.
    (Your lovely and hard-working wife): Dude. Don’t even think about it.
    Congratulations on a beautiful baby.

  16. Eric — gorgeous. Congrats to all of you.
    When my son was born (first of my 2 kids) I had a cesarean and things were pretty hard for a while. The worst was when my sister-in-law said, “I hate to tell you this, but it’s harder when they’re older.” It was kind of a joke; she was talking about the hard task of drawing the right line for growing kinds in the midst of life’s gray areas. I felt that if I could only get one night of decent sleep, all would be well.
    Though I can’t argue with ugh about the first 3 months being hardest, they are also the most incredibly precious, and they go by in a blink. Enjoy them. 🙂

  17. Y’know, the Yanks are in the playoffs, what, every year? Every other year?
    Versus: how often do you have a kid, much less a *first* kid?
    Alas, tis true. I’ll have to give him some more kisses to make amends. I believe his cheeks were specifically designed for just such gestures.

  18. Congratulations, Eric, to you and the rest of your family. Enjoy it.
    … the first 3 months being hardest, they are also the most incredibly precious, and they go by in a blink.
    I think I remember it as a sleep-deprived fog. Most of those little ones are sleeping more than half the time, yet it seems they still managed to interrupt all of your sleep in those first few months.

  19. “for me mostly, though my wife seemed to be in some type of pain as well – I’ll have to check back with her on that” Highly recommend doing that.
    Otherwise, can only say ditto to all the above.

  21. Congratulations!
    My theory of parenthood is that it adds a third dimension to your life, and that for whatever loss (independence, freedom of movement, carefree existence, etc.) you may have from your previous 2 dimensional life, you will more than make up for it by having a volume that you never even knew existed. My only regret about fatherhood is that I did not start earlier.
    Plus, fatherhood is when men gain souls.

  24. Well, considering the size of that photo I’d say you’re only a little proud, huh?
    Beautiful baby and Congratulations to all.

  25. Congratulations.
    By the way, in case you were curious, I checked, and found the following:

    Eric Jae-Young Lee Martin, if you were born to Sarah Palin, your name would be:

    Thump Hummer Palin

    So, now you know.

  28. Congratulations!
    Definitely do not want to hijack your thread, but since we’re here, we (the royal we) had our son yesterday by scheduled C section, which was a more time-concentrated period of extreme drama, even though everything went great. I note that just to say that I hope, wish, and do believe that all of our kids will get to grow up in a more peaceful, equitable, and happy world.
    For all that we might have serious complaints, I believe that the world is a much better place than it was when I was born.
    So, congratulations again, from one slightly unprepared father to another.

  30. Thump Hummer Palin
    I will implicate you without hesitation when he angers at this nickname.
    Well, considering the size of that photo I’d say you’re only a little proud, huh?
    True. Also: not too tech savvy 😉

  32. Great-looking baby!
    I have a feeling you’ll be telling that Yankee story to your boy for years to come. No way after that he will grow up to be a Mets fan.
    It’s a cliche to say how raising a child changes your life completely. But relatively new to the game myself — I hear Danny laughing in the background to something on Nickelodean (nothing better than hearing your kid laugh) — I know it’s true. And wonderful.
    Congratulations!

  33. Soooo cute!!!!
    But you made us wait four days for the good news! Man, missing that Yankees game must have been some trauma!
    Seriously, though: congratulations! May we have a lot more baby-blogging to look forward to!

  35. Oh it’s absolutely impossible to add to all that has been said – what a beautiful baby!! Congratulations to you and The Dude’s mom – you have worlds of wonder ahead.

  40. Hmmm…is there a delay now beofre comments are posted? Because I wrote a note to Eric a half hur ago and it has not appeared.
    Oh well I’ll try again! Congratulations to all of you for your wonderful family! And I hope we will get to see more pictures of your little boy as time goes on.

  44. I’m glad your (adorable) photo included a picture of Eric Jae-Young Lee’s little finger.
    Now we have a visual of where you’ll be spending the next umpteen years wrapped around.
    Mazel tov, blessings and all the very best. Judging by what I’ve gleaned thus far of your spirit and soul, you’re gonna really dig this adventure. And I’m sure you’ll be a responsible father and a splendid dad.
    It is, unconditionally, the best.

  45. Ah, a little Libra…
    Other males who share Oct 10th birth-date:
    Brett Favre
    David Lee Roth
    Harold Pinter
    Thelonious Monk
    Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
    Adlai E. Stevenson
    So he may grow up to be a football tossing rock star who writes plays and performs jazz while racing NASCAR sprints, on his way to a distinguished career in politics.

  57. Wow. You do fast work. Did you set up a grow lamp in there?
    From an email conversation with TheEditors:
    TheEditors: Man, you work fast.
    Me: Fast? I bent the space-time continuum.
    TheEditors: That’s what she said.
    Other males who share Oct 10th birth-date:
    Brett Favre
    David Lee Roth
    Harold Pinter
    Thelonious Monk
    Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
    Adlai E. Stevenson
    I’ll play him Thelonious’ Bemsha Swing tonight so he can spend some time with his birthday mate. Besides, can’t start the kid on Coltrane right out of the gate 😉

  58. Get used to hearing that mixed-race kids are gorgeous. It’s a cliche, and it’s in some ways patronizing, but it’s also quite true.
    Agreed. He’s got an interesting mix from his parents to draw upon too: 50% Korean, 25% Italian, 12.5% Swedish, 12.5% Finnish.

  59. Besides, can’t start the kid on Coltrane right out of the gate 😉
    But you can start him on Stanley Clarke’s Song to John, which is mighty fine (version on Youtube; not my favorite, but it’s representative) all by itself.

  60. 50% Korean, 25% Italian, 12.5% Swedish, 12.5% Finnish
    Nice finish. (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)
    Yes – first 3 months. Yes – fatherhood and souls. Yes – congratulations.
    P.S. If you’re smart, you’ll stop at two (kids, I mean – playing zone is tiring).

  62. Congratulations. My first (and possibly only) is due in February.
    The thing about having 3 is that then they outnumber you. Seems like a bad idea to me…

  63. The thing about having 3 is that then they outnumber you. Seems like a bad idea to me…
    Which is why I say with 1 the parents can double team, with 2 you have to go man-to-man, with 3 or more you lose the basketball analogy and go with hockey (e.g. the kids have a continual power play until enough move out of the house).

  66. I got to meet my new nephew on Saturday, and I hate to say it, Eric, but he’s even more gorgeous than your little dude.
    Also, not a Yankees fan! (Admittedly, this is because he has dual French / British citizenship.)

  67. I got to meet my new nephew on Saturday, and I hate to say it, Eric, but he’s even more gorgeous than your little dude.
    Oh dear, I smell a future walk-off.
    Also, not a Yankees fan!
    You say that like it’s a good thing 😉

  68. the kids have a continual power play until enough move out of the house
    Also, to bring in yet another analogy, once the kids start walking and talking, they have better internal lines of supply and communication.

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