Our Little Girl

On Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 Amy and I found out that our first child is a baby girl. The moment was at the same time extraordinarily exciting, joyous, and a big relief. I say relief not because we were rooting for either a boy or a girl, but instead because now that we know, there is no more guessing, no more what-ifs and now we can just focus on preparing for the arrival of our daughter.

The ultrasound itself was something of a technical marvel. We were able to see much more detail than I thought possible, including portions of the brain, the spine, stomach, and even all four chambers of the heart. Measurements were taken on all the key areas that define normal growth, and all of them were exactly as they should be, which means she is growing at the perfect rate. At the time of the ultrasound she weighed about 14 ounces and was about 7 inches long.

Speaking of growing, Amy's stomach has been getting bigger at a rapid rate now, and she is almost exclusively in maternity tops and pants. We are still working out, but her gym workload is now decreasing (as it should be). Amy looks great but that, of course, is a forgone conclusion.

The response to the news has been overwhelming, and we appreciate it very much. So far we have two giant bags of clothing and other baby items from family and friends. It's all great stuff and she will never lack for a nice outfit to wear. My favorites so far are the ones that say "Daddy's Girl" and "I Love My Daddy", but I am a bit biased in that regard.

It is a bit hard to believe that just over five months ago our little girl was so small she could not me seen with the naked eye, and now she is as long as a root beer bottle and weighs as much as a baby kitten. I have watched her grow from just a small speck on a computer monitor to a small baby girl on that same monitor. I have heard her heart beat, seen her move, and just today I have felt her kick on her mom's stomach. Every day I am more and more proud of her, and of my wife.

We will meet in person soon.