Wayne's World Welcomes Jackson Goodwin to the World!

For loyal - or occasional - readers of "Wayne's World," you are probably aware that we have been expecting our second child.

Well, in what I had hoped would be a scoop for this blog but which has been beaten to the punch by WUNC (the local NPR affiliate) and WPTF Radio, I am pleased to announce the following:

Shortly before 8:30 a.m. on Friday, May 2nd, my wife and I were delighted to find out that Baby #2 was here and healthy. (This made Melanie the very first State legislator in NC history to deliver a baby while in office.)

And, as discussed in a prior blog entry , we have named him Jackson Wade Goodwin.

Why "Jackson"? After President Andrew Jackson, of course! (Our daughter is named "Madison" after - you guessed it - James Madison.)

Though you may think our son's name is a fluke, there is actually genealogy and history on our side. I was born on George Washington's birthday and my first name is George. My grandfather was Woodrow Wilson Goodwin, and his grandfather was James Madison Goodwin. I have a great-great uncle named Thomas Jefferson Adams. Plus, my sister recently named her son Carter. And this is the short list. We apparently enjoy naming our progeny after Presidents. Not being to speak for other family members before me, I have employed the practice because it is my belief that a good strong name has an effect on the child's psyche, personality, and life activities. And I do so in homage to American history and our Democratic Party's leaders.

Coincidentally, our "Young Hickory" (a play on Andy Jackson's nickname of "Old Hickory", and the same nickname as President James K. Polk, a Tar Heel native) was born on the same day as the 2008 North Carolina Democratic Party's annual Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner.

Welcome, Jackson, to our wonderful world!