1 year gone by

October 16, 2006 was a crazy day.  I went to work in the morning like every other day before.  I sat down at my desk and started working.  I knew in the back of my mind, though, that today felt different.  Today something big was going to happen.

It was a Monday.  Turns out that it would end up being one of the best days of my life, because it was the day you two were born.

You came to us late in the afternoon, all puffy eyed and purple colored.  I remember when I first saw you I was scared.  I knew you were in good hands, as the doctors at Clarian North are top notch, to say the least, but as a dad I was helpless.  All I could do was stay with momma and hope that you'd be fine. 

I remember the nurses telling me to come over and see you, but I couldn't. My legs wouldn't work, so I just watched them work on you from where I was.  There were about a million people in the room at the time, anyway, so I couldn't get much closer.  They eventually brought each of you over to me and your mom before taking you upstairs to get you into your room.  Even though we'd only known you a few minutes, I already missed you.

Once momma was put back together (literally), and into her room, I came down to the NICU to see you.  You both looked pretty good, and the nurses said you were doing very well.  You were hooked up to all kinds of things, but the nurses said most of them would be gone by morning.  I spent a few minutes looking at each of you through the thick plastic incubators they had you in to keep you warm, and went back upstairs to settle in with momma.

I didn't sleep well that night.  For one, I was on a fold out recliner thing in momma's room, which was not very comfy.  It was better than not being there with my family, though.  I also didn't sleep very well because I couldn't stop thinking about what had just happened.  I had become a dad.  I had new responsibilities and obligations, and new people to get to know and love.  Unlike some people's outlook of having a baby being the end of their "single" life, I felt like my life was just really getting started.

A year later, looking back, I wouldn't change a single thing.  We've been through a lot this year, with moving out and into the apartment, our house getting ruined and rebuilding, and learning all kinds of new things. I'm still trying to master the art of changing diapers without making a mess, and how to get soap out of your hair without drowning you.  Daddy doesn't have hair, you know…so I'm no good at washing yours.

So girls, even though this post is late, happy first year.  It's been the best, and I can't wait for many, many more.

Love, daddy.