Isabella Sue, I Love You

One of my closest friends, Sam, gave birth on Monday to a baby girl. Not just any baby girl, the most shockingly gorgeous, hair-riffic newborn baby girl ever to grace the planet. Isabella Sue was born on April 27th, my mother's birthday, just one day shy of my own -- I was really hoping she'd make her entrance on the 28th, but it sure was close. She weighs 7lbs and is 19 inches long - not too big for a baby born more than a week late!

Sam and I are both Redlands girls but we both moved far, far away at the same time in 2004 - me to Boston and she to Prague to teach for a two year stint. Two years turned into indefinitely when she met and fell in love with a handsome, funny Czech man, Nick - they were married in January 2007. And on Monday, they became the first of my friends (close, real-life friends) to become parents! Dan and I are going to six weddings this year but we know pretty soon the weddings will taper off and the baby showers will be non-stop. Let the baby boom begin!

I "stole" a few pictures of Isabella that Sam's mother sent around after her birth. I don't think Sam will my mind me posting them again here -- after all, the purpose is to brag about the beauty of her child.

Meet Isabella Sue:

That is a SHOCKING amount of hair, right? I was bald until I was two years old
and didn't know babies could actually be born with this much hair.

This was taken five hours after Isabella's birth. Sam looks amazing,
she is a smokin' hot, baby-birthing bad-ass. I am in awe.

Are you kidding me? How can she be this cute at five hours old??

Good grief, Sam and Nick have set the bar awfully high! Isabella is the most beautiful newborn baby I have ever laid eyes on. I sent the pictures to my mom and told her I needed a pep talk; what if my own (eventual) baby is not this cute? I see a baby this ethereally stunning and it makes me think I shouldn't even bother trying. Of course, if my baby is a little weird looking I will love it anyway, completely and totally. But it'd sure be nice if he/she could be THIS freakin' gorgeous. I'm not getting my hopes up. For the past four days I have been pulling up Isabella's picture just to stare at her sweet, perfect face. ::sigh::

Not sure when I'll get to meet this little angel in person but I am already so in love with her. Good work Sam and Nick: your little girl is so lovely, and its not simply due to her amazing good looks -- Isabella clearly radiates the love, smarts and humor that you two combined to create her. She is utter perfection and I will be so honored to get to know her.