Sixteen years ago, at 4:41 AM, I was transformed.
I was no longer just a guy, I became a daddy.
My first child was born: a perfect little baby girl, eight pounds, seven and a half ounces. It was a miracle.
Sure, billions of other babies have been born to brand new parents in this world, and billions more will come after her… but she was mine.
I have a vivid memory of her first hours, after all of the excitement had died down and the medical teams had left: a memory of her lying there sleeping in her post-natal bassinet (which was more or less a rolling cart with a crib mattress and short, clear plastic sides). I laid there on my cot and just watched her sleep, her chubby little fingers splayed out against the mattress. Here was a brand new little person in this world, someone who will grow, day by day, and who will have experiences unique to herself alone.
The marvel of this little baby and her existence washed over me again and again. I wanted to pick her up and hold her and just keep looking at her, this little sleeping cherub. I’d never felt so amazingly different, like life would never be the same. Like I’d never be the same.
Truly, life never was the same. For after her came a little sister, a move, divorce, remarriage and a little brother.
Today this little cherub is a teenager, one who babysits, who has opinions about a wide variety of things that differ greatly from her dad’s, who is champing at the bit to get a driver’s license, who hasn’t figured out yet that driving requires having a car and insurance and money for gas and upkeep, who seems to spend most of her awake time texting, and who sometimes drives her dad utterly insane.
But she’s my little girl, and she always will be. And I’ll always be her daddy.
Not sure I would have used "cherub"…maybe imp. Well I had to comment on that
)
Happy Birthday Sister B!
Tom, this post has left a lump in my throat, especially the last line. She was a beautiful baby and she is probably a beautiful young lady.
I hope she had a wonderful day and I wish her many, many more happy birthdays!
@Wife — I couldn't think of a word that combined the two.
@Surprised — She definitely has her moments. She recently told me that no matter how grown up she gets, she'll always be my little girl. She knows just how much that means to me.
Chimp
God sure know what he is doing when he starts the off so cute and sweet so that we fall deeply in love immediately. That's what keeps them alive during the teenage years.
Happy Birthday! I hope it's a good one.
Great article Tom – wish her Happy Birthday!
@Wife — LOL. Now, what if you cross that with "Squirrel"? do you get "Churl?" Hmmm…
@WeaselMomma — Indeed they do, and it's a good thing I can remember the high points of their early years.
@Tyler — Thanks! I definitely will.
Happy Birthday sister B. It must be interesing with teenage girls. Have fun.
@Otter — yep. Just like that old thing that goes "may you live in interesting times." That kind of interesting.