surprise...it's a girl!!

My baby girl is no doubt sitting in Melissa’s womb right now smiling and snickering at how nervous and stressed her father is.  (My assumption is that she’s got the same keen wit of her father with the gentleness of her mother.)  Melissa and I would have been thrilled with a boy or a girl.  We did not have a preference entering this week’s ultra-sound.  We were, however, pretty convinced that we would be having a boy.  Since, as I’m told, the sex of the child is decided by the genetics of the dad we figured we’d no doubt be adding another handsome Ramirez to this world.  Men dominate my mom’s family.  My dad’s family is fairly man dominant.  And of course there’s Jacob and myself, both men (no smart comments here).  And yet my baby girl grows snuggly inside her mom right now unaware of how much we completely adore her already.

my baby girl says hi...

Some of you will write, “Asa, you’ll be a great parent, don’t stress!”  “Asa, stop worrying.  She’s not even born yet.  Chill out.”  And to you I ask this simple question; have you discovered the vaccine that makes boys less idiotic, less perverse, less manipulative and less detrimental to the mental, social and spiritual health of my eventual teenage daughter?

No?  You don’t have that vaccine?

Well then, stress it is for Asa.

My prayer is pretty simple over the next few years.  God, help me and give me the strength and guidance to raise a daughter who is assertive and confident enough to know what she’s worth.  Help her to find her value and strength in You and help us to fully communicate to her Your great love and amazing plans for her.

Of course, there are other important issues at stake here.  Melissa and I will be on opposite ends of the baby wardrobe spectrum.  (Yes, I realize I just jumped from a tremendously serious topic to a silly one.  Deal with it!)  Even prior to pregnancy, every time we’d pass by a children’s department in a store Melissa would “ooh” and “ahh” at various fluffy, frilly and overtly girly items.  I don’t mean the types of dresses and outfits you see on “Toddlers and Tiaras” that make even Jesus cry, but just the sensible very child-elegant outfits that girls would love.

I, on the other hand, have this intense desire for my little girl to be one of the coolest girls on the planet.  I’ve already begun my research on the internet locating all the best places to buy baby Weezer t-shirts, tiny Chuck Taylors and a plethora of other nerd-related items.  Is it BAD to want to dress your 3-month old daughter up as Princess Leia or a house elf for Halloween?  She might find duckies and kitties more appealing NOW but in hindsight I think she’ll thank me.

Of course we both agree that our daughter should have the stunning good looks of my wife.  The type that easily take one’s breath away and make one’s heart beat a mile a minute.  And if that is the case then we’ll also be in agreement as we find a way to mask such good looks from all the horrible boys around her during her teenage years.  Which foods CAUSE acne?  We’ll need to stock up on those.

Oh it’s going to be fun.  It’s going to be a blast.

We’re having a baby girl.  I’m going to be the dad of a baby girl.

Could life get better?  I submit that it could not…