Love at First Sight

There are no words to describe the overwhelming emotions when parents first see their newborn...none. Unspeakable joy is about the only thing comprehensively comparable, but in the delivery room, you're still making squeaks and "aahhs" because you don't know what to say. You've waited so long to see this great gift of life that's been hidden from your sight. Now it's real, it's tangible and you try so hard to soak it all in.

My Anlee Ray was born at 6:56 p.m. after a relatively short labor. My wife, Jesse, woke up at 2 a.m. with some contractions that progressively got worse throughout the day. We were hosting a family Christmas at our house that Saturday: so we opened presents that morning, barely got through the big ham lunch, but by the time 2 p.m. rolled around, the contractions had got within 3 minutes of each other and we decided to head into the hospital. Jesse was a trooper and pushed, pushed and pushed through unbearable back pains to finally get to the glorious moment of seeing Anlee for the first time.

She was purple, slimy and crying...but that didn't matter to us. She was beautiful. A rush of emotions flooded over her mommy and I. Now I'm a man's man, strong willed and prideful, but I sobbed like a lost puppy with a cold. I couldn't help it...I could finally see my baby daughter. It was love at first sight.

I didn't expect to cut the umbilical cord, but the nurses just handed me the scissors said "cut here" and I followed orders. Now I'm glad I did, as it's just another memory that I can recall on her birth day.

After all the initial emotions finally receded, things got real. Now I have a new baby daughter, am I really ready to be a father? What do I do next? What's that strange ooze coming from her eye? Why is she crying? I've never even changed a diaper! Over the next few days...I'd learn and have to learn quick. It's sink or swim time, and this kid deserves Michael Phelps, before the bong hits.