Today is her birthday!

Nine years ago today my baby girl was born! It was a great day and a great end to 38 hours of labour for my wonderful wife.

One minute my daughter was where babies stay until they say "okay I want to stretch my legs" and the next minute there she was - all red and puffy. The doctor needed to perform an emergency C-section so things got a little dicey and a little too graphic for me - they really should use dark coloured tubing instead of clear! I persevered and held my wife's hand and tried to look all brave and strong and then the doctor said those magical words - "stand up and see your baby be born" (a sheet was protecting the view of the work going on) I obliged of course and when I did I was privy to seeing literally what my wife is really made of - could have done without that! But I was able to see my precious pink and puffy girl get born. My first words that I uttered in that timeless and enchanting moment were not what the fairy tale birthing stories contain but something slightly different. Some men may have wept, some may have been speechless, some may have said something cliche like "oh how wonderful" or "she's beautiful" I said "look at the size of the head!". This of course freaked my wife out somewhat because of course she was not able to see over the sheet and believed that she had given birth to a mutant baby - of course the nurses all said that was normal ( not giving birth to mutants but head size) - apparently babies heads are bigger than their bodies - who knew. This was a conversation piece that my wife and I had after and I learned not to be so blunt. I am a quick learner.

Nine years ago tody a chapter began in our lives that has been full of laughs, some tears, some diapers, some stress (mostly due to diapers) and huge amounts of joy!

I thank God the Creator for entrusting me with something so precious as my little girl and for giving me the honour of raising her. I ask for his strength to deal with whatever life may throw at us and his wisdom in teaching her about Him - my most important task as her father.

My buttercup - I love you - you make my heart sing - Happy birthday.

P.S. Check back in another nine years to see how I am doing through the teen years!