I'm not really sure why I haven't started this sooner. I documented my life through high school when I barely had anything to say. Then through college when I'd write just to escape the stresses of university survival. Then my beautiful daughter comes along and I forget my passion for writing- so now I'm back.
I guess you could say I was inspired tonight. I took Leah on the front porch so we could relax and wait for Lori to come home from a bike ride. I brought a Granny Smith apple to munch on, and before long- Leah was sharing it with me. She was wanting her chance at a bite every time I was chewing mine. And with that one tooth, she went to town. So it hit me: how many 8 month-old babies in the world were enjoying the evening munching on a sour green apple? Probably just one: My Leah.
I can't believe it's been 8 months. I'm starting to understand how middle-aged people wake-up one day and wonder where all the time went. Leah was born and the accelerator was instantly tied to the ground. I can still remember November 19, 2010, like it was yesterday, though. Waking up early. The waiting. The more waiting. Dr. Moore not being available when Leah was telling Lori she was coming. The replacement Doctor. and Poof!! There she was....a little bit crusty and a lot-a-bit pink. Hair was matted to her head and it appeared red and curly. She was beautiful, and as soon as the cord was cut, she was placed on Lori's chest and embraced her mama's body warmth as if it was always meant to be. And just like that, the whole world changed in a split second. I was a father. Mom was a grandmother. Justin, Stro, and Caleb were all uncles.
As it turns out, I had my first protective father instincts kick in within the 1st hour when I arrived with Leah to the nursery. When the nurse pricked Leah's foot with a needle as she was laying in the incubator, part of me wanted to kick her ass. Leah was 45 minutes old and didn't deserve to be made to cry. I forgave the nurse, and to be honest- all of the staff was amazing. Even Lori had an anxious mother moment as her wheelchair raced to get Leah back...not even letting the nurses wash her off.
After that, the milestones have just piled up. Everything she has accomplished has been amazing. Mommy and Daddy may have accelerated a few of them, especially when it comes to her taste buds :) We may or may not have started providing teeny-tiny adult food tastes months before we should have...but, ultimately, we knew she was born to love ice cream- especially blizzards. And pretty much everything we have put in front of her, she has gobbled down: fruits, veggies, mixes, milkshakes, and, of course, green apples.
Recent accomplishments have never ceased to impress all of us: pulling herself up like she's born to be a gymnast. Ambidextrous acts of juggling and balance. Crawling her way to any mischief she can find, and through all of it, there is one big commonality every day that reminds me how lucky I am: She is constantly just happy. You say her name: she smiles. You walk into a room: she smiles. She wakes up and sees you: she smiles. And seeing that smile once is enough to brighten my entire week. If the average person smiled 10% as much as Leah, the world would be a 100x happier place....and I'm blessed to have that in my life.
So at 11:55pm, 8 months and 9 days past her birth, I'm finishing up a summary of the 2011 fatherhood whirlwind that I call life. A few paragraphs won't do it enough justice, but it's a start. I'm glad she enjoyed that green apple with me tonight.
~JRS
