Wow where to begin....

Hi Isla,

It's only been 8 weeks but it feels like it's been forever! Well, let's start from the beginning.

When you were arriving your mom had to have a c-section. I was in the operating room when you arrived. The delivering doctor, Dr Worly, was the first to hold you and he said, "Well there we are, Happy Birthday, sugar!" Then they immediately removed you from the operating room because it was too cold in there for you. I still hadn't seen you at this point and had to wait patiently for them to tell me you were ready to meet me. It felt like forever (but it was only five minutes) before they said I could come out to see you. Little did I know how important the next few minutes of my life would be.

The nurse came into the operating room and told me, "She's ready." I let go of your mom's hand and walked out into the hallway. I turned left and saw a small room with three or four baby beds in it. All of them were empty except one, and that one had a bustle of activity around it. I could see as I walked up a beautiful healthy baby girl laying in the bed crying like crazy with three people in scrubs fussing on her. I thought to myself, "Is that Isla? Is that really my girl right there?" and as I was thinking that one of the people turned and noticed me. She said, "Are you the father?" which I choked out a cracked reply of "Yes" as I walked up. And when I said that word all of a sudden you stopped crying. I walked up to the side of your crib and stood there looking at you in awe. "Your voice soothed her, she recognized it," the nurse told me, "go ahead and touch her, she needs your contact. Put your finger out for her to grab." I did and you did. They asked me then if we had a name picked out and I had trouble speaking again to tell them, "Isla," but I squeezed it out. They took your weight (7 lb, 11.0 oz), wrapped you up tight in a blanket, and put a tiny hat on your head. Then I got to hold you in my arms for the first time. You were still quiet from when I calmed you by speaking.

I carried you into the operating room so your mom could see you. I sat back down next to her as they finished up the surgery. We both stared at you with nothing but love in our eyes and hearts. It was the greatest moment of our lives.