Before Lizzie was born, I had talked to a lot of people about the whole birth process, and what their feelings were after their first child was born. One person told me, there is no cooler feeling that holding your first born child. Another told me that her husband balled everytime he called someone to tell them it was a boy. Even funnier was the amount of people who told me I was going to cry when I held my newborn girl. I've found that I'm more emotional than not, so I was prepared to let my emotions run free.
As Cara was 'evicting' Lizzie out of the womb (she was 2 weeks past due!), I was able to watch the whole process. When I could see Lizzie's head, it was totally cool! When Lizzie came out, I was just so awestruck with the whole delivery process, I don't think I thought too much about the fact that it was our daughter that I watched this time versus some person who volunteered to let them selves be filmed during labor. I walked over to the warmers where Lizzie was being warmed, and played with her a little bit. And then I realized that Cara was still in the stirrups by herself. So, I ran back, and made sure she was okay...and then ran back to Lizzie. She was sooo adorable, little hands, little face, tiny eyes... awww. But it still hadn't hit yet.
Cara and I were moved to the postpartum room and things got a little more hectic. Nurses were in and out, people came by, sleep was never at the same time, and Lizzie would cry. I think it began to sit in when Cara and the nurse woke me up to change Lizzie's diaper. I was half asleep and hear: "Dad...Dad...time to change the diaper...." Poof, there goes my sleep. I get up, start changing a diaper best I know how and in a non-medicated/tired state. The nurse helps me out here and there, and I do catch a few things it seems, cause the next time I change the diaper, she comments "Wow, fast learner." That's right... I love my daughter... :-P.
One day (wait.. this was all in the period of 36 hours..), Lizzie, Cara,.and I were sleeping soundly. We should have bee ordering our food, but hadn't had a chance to put our orders onto paper yet. Well, the food guy came by, and was kind of annoying, and basically wasn't leaving until we ordered our food. So after I finally get our orders to the food guy and he leaves, the is a knock on the door again. I think he's forgot something, so I open the door only to find its one of the nurses. To make things worse, its one of the more verbose nurses. So after she finally finishes telling what she was supposed to (it was good information) I shut the door and sit down in my uncomfortable chair and attempt to sleep. Cara check's Lizzie's Diaper and says: "Daddy... Lizzie needs a diaper change." Gargh! Not what I wanted to hear! I'm rather grumpy at this point, and so I start changing her diaper. "Lizzie... stop moving your legs. Lizzie, if you wouldn't move so much, this wouldn't be so bad." Then I think it started to hit. She's a baby... My baby... I have to be gentle no matter how tired/annoyed I am. She hasn't done anything to me. So I changed the diaper, and gave the baby to Mom, and passed out in my chair.
It really began to sink in when we were at the US embassy here in Seoul, and I had to get visa passport pages added to my passport. The lady told me to give them the passport book and to come back in like two hours. I told her that I was getting a passport for my daughter... whoa! Daughter?!?! Holy Cow! It just about sank in.
It was all complete when my dad wrote me an e-mail with just one line. "So, has it hit you yet?" Man, my dad and I are like genetically linked! Hilarious. Anyrate, just so everyone knows, its hit.
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