At First sight

The sky was still dark

When I felt a hand on my shoulder

Shaking me awake

Without a word only half-awake

I helped her down the stairs

We raced through the streets of a town still asleep

In a car with a seat already waiting for you

Your mom, touched my arm with gentle fingers

To tell me I could slow down

I must have asked a thousand times

If she was okay,

The lights of the hospital

Were bright beacons

Glowing in the night

When we parked our car outside

Leaving it running behind us

Her fingers intertwined with mine

We walked inside

I stole a glance

from the corner of my eye

Just to remind myself

How beautiful she was

We waited at a reception counter

While a nurse called her doctor

She was looking over the counter

When I leaned to kiss her cheek

Her skin tasted like caramel and salt

She looked back at me, smiling

the same smile, I fell in love with

the first time I saw her

and said,

This is the morning

We finally meet, Addi

A nurse led us away

Down half-empty hallways

I prayed more times than I can count

That you would be okay

I thought I might jump right out of my skin

With every step I took

When we finally made it to the room

Where you would be born

Minutes passed in a blur of doctors, of nurses,

Of sounds coming from machines, that

Tracked the beating of two hearts

When the time came,

For us to meet you

I stood beside your mom's bed helping her to breathe

She squeezed my hand tighter, than she had before

When she gave one last push

Nothing ever sounded as good as your first cry

When the doctor asked if I wanted to cut the cord

The only thought in my head was don't screw this up

With a snip you were lost in a huddle of nurses

I didn't know how long I was supposed to wait

Before I asked if something was wrong

Just when I didn't think

I could wait a second longer

They asked if I was ready

Then I was holding my arms out

Watching a nurse give you to me

When I looked down

At you looking up at me

With your perfect brown eyes

I knew I loved you more than anything

In the world

After all the moments of not knowing

All the doubts swam away from me

I knew in my heart

Standing with you in my arms

Life wasn't about me anymore

From that day to every one after

I would always put you first

Because I loved you

Before I saw you, the first time

And even more when I did