First Look

For this post we rewind back a few weeks to LS's first moments in the outside world.

We like surprises - so we decided that we would wait until birth to find out the sex of the baby. When people asked if we knew what we were having I was often tempted to say - "yes, a baby." It's our contention that the sex doesn't matter, unless you're changing the diapers, until they are much older. Of course, we'll see how well that theory holds up.

Anyway, it was part of our "birthplan" that I, the dad, would be the one to announce the sex of the baby when it came out. This idea went back to when we thought mom might need to have general anesthesia and wanted something that would make things feel more personal and less clinical.

We were lucky that we knew roughly what to expect with the procedure, as mom had been at the observer-end of a C-section before. I had heard a number of times the story of when they had mom peek over the curtain to see her niece before she was fully born and only the head was peeking out of the abdomen.

So now I was at the critical part of the process. During the C-section I was holding mom's hand and keeping her company and listening to music of our choosing, while the doctors did their thing. Then -

"Ok, dad." (says our OB)

A moment of hesitation. Oh, this is the part where they show me the head out of the abdomen.

So I get up and look over the curtain toward the abdomen. But no head peeking out.

Panning my gaze upward. Oh... the baby's out... Wow!

"Well, what is it?" (again our OB, maybe getting tired now from holding the baby up)

A baby. But I realize that first thought can't be what she means.

Oh, right, I'm supposed to say what sex the baby is! Once this thought finally enters my head it already feels like an eternity since I first stood up to look, and I can only think that mom is now getting anxious with the delay.

Alright, now don't say the wrong thing. Sometimes you see the wrong thing, or you see the right thing but say the wrong thing - this is one of the times you don't want to mess up.

Even with the delay already, I decide that I'm going to take an extra long look and make sure. Things can be subtle down there on the little ones, and I'm committed to not blowing the call on this one.

Ok, it's a girl - I'm sure of it. Say "girl". Say "girl".

So, I turn and whisper to mom - "It's a little girl".

We're lost for a moment just looking at each other and thinking about the fact that this is real and we have a little girl to take care of.

"What is it?" - says one of the nurses.

Oh no! I must have said the wrong thing! I replay in mind the last few seconds - I was sure it was a girl (check), I told myself to make sure to say girl (check), I can hear the word girl coming out of my mouth in the replay (check). We should be good here.

"What?" I ask.

Nurse - "You have to tell us what it is."

Can't you tell? I can't be the one most qualified in the room to figure this out can I?

"I already told her - it's a girl."

"I have to hear it so I can write it down," she says motioning to the ankle bracelet yet to be fastened onto LS.

Oh, I see - so this is all very official - I'm stating this for the record. Phew. Relieved that I didn't mess it up afterall, I let the rest of them in on the big secret.