And Then There Were Three
On September 1st, my wife gave birth to our daughter Alice (our first child). Alice's arrival was a little earlier than expected - Mom's due date was September 13th - but she popped out healthy and happy after a delivery that involved nearly 60 hours between our admittance to the hospital and the culmination of her travels down the birth canal. But all's well that ends well, that's what I say. In fact, if I may brag just a little, she appears to be exceptionally healthy. Her heart rate was perfect throughout the entire 60 hours, she is full of energy and is much stronger in the arms and legs than I would have expected a newborn to be. Plus she's so darn cute.
It's amazing how human babies are so utterly helpless and dependent on their caretakers. Right now, Alice is a master at four things:
- Sleeping. This is really her core strength. It's amazing how many hours she spends per day in sweet slumber. What impresses me is that she can sleep through just about anything: noises from outside, the alarm clock, conversation, the radio, and so on. I am a complete opposite. If the neighbor's cat sneezes, I hear it and wake up. Granted, my sleeping has become much deeper as of late, but I think that is due more to lack of sleep and total exhaustion.
- Eliminating. Newborns void and stool (fancy terms doctors use) anywhere from 8 to 12 times per day. Per day! To put it in more vernacular terms, they are peeing and pooping machines. Better yet, they seem to delight in showing off their elimination skills. For example, twice now I've been changing Alice's diaper after a bowel movement when she's decided it would be neat to show me her defecating abilities as I scurry to get yet another diaper.
- Eating. You'd think a newborn's eating skills would be on the top of the list, but I've found our daughter to be a more efficient at sleeping and eliminating. Don't get me wrong, she eats plenty, but she's still getting the hang of breastfeeding, a skill she had some trouble learning when first entering the world.
- Being adorable. It's amazing how cute and precious babies
are, even while they're defecating as you're holding the butt up in
mid-air, desperate looking for something to catch the falling excrement.
Aside from the abilities listed above, Alice is pretty much helpless. And the thing is, they stay that way for a long time - years! Can you imagine how likely a zebra or gazelle or lion would survive on the plains in Africa if it took a newborn over a year before they could walk on their own?
It's still a mental trip when someone refers to me as, "Dad." It's hard to believe that I'm a father. And that my brother is an uncle, and my parents are grandparents. It makes me feel so old and responsible. Not that I'm complaining. I always assumed I'd be a father at some point in my life, and I looked forward to that day. I think that one of the ways life has meaning and purpose is by doing things that leave the world a better place when we're gone, and one of the best activities is to raise the next generation in a loving and supportive family. Now, I just have to make sure I don't screw up! 
Tomorrow Alice turns nine days old. They grow up so fast.
