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Description
I gazed down at her pudgy, pinkish cheeks and slightly parted rosy lips. Her eyes twitched, and a diminutive hand raised itself. The baby curled her fingers around one of mine, small, perfect and pale when I murmured her name.
"Rosalind." She was the beauty of Shakespeare's "As You Like It," and now the beauty of my life. Her mouth parted in a yawn, her tongue sticking out a little. I couldn't help but to chuckle at the sigh she made, the way her blonde eyebrows raised, almost looking concerned. Her breathing slowed again and she relaxed deeper into sleep. My baby, I thought to myself. I felt warm inside like I was lying in a pool of steaming water. I was relaxed and yet excited, agitated from the nervousness and lack of sleep. But I was calm, I knew nothing, but I knew everything.
There were three quick knocks on the front door. The kinds of knocks that are meant to be sly and not disturb anyone, like they never happened but should be acknowledged. I bent down to kiss the baby's forehead, softly, not wanting to scratch her
perfect skin with the rough stubble on my chin. The action reminded me of the way my wife walked after painting her toenails – carefully, not wanting to ruin it.
I walked lightly out of the room, making no noise on the carpet. There were two more knocks on the front door, once again stealthily quick, but this time more impatient. Normally my mother-in-law would have annoyed me, but nothing could ruin my mood.
The bottom of the door dragging along the floor made a shushing noise. The first thing I saw was the blindingly bright summer light, and then the clown-like face of my mother-in-law. She looked as if she had been smiling for hours, her lips stuck parted and spread over her teeth. Her arms were open wide, and she almost hopped toward me, wrapping her arms around my neck.
"Ohh, you!" she said near my ear, trying not to be too loud. I held her, for once glad that she was there. She released me, her smile now relaxed, and she stared, sincerely pleased, into my eyes for a moment. I found that I was smiling too.
"Take me to the baby," she said in a stage whisper, pushing past me. My wife's sister stepped timidly inside, giving me a quick embrace as well. My joy overwhelmed the awkwardness that would have been there normally.
I lead them into the nursery, and stepped back to let the women past. The elder darted to the crib, reaching down for my daughter with the strong, steady hands of an experienced mother. I felt a momentary stab of worry and jealousy in my stomach, but it faded as she held the baby to her chest. My wife's sister hung back – I could tell she was uncertain, just as I had been days before.
I felt a warm, familiar hand slide itself into mine. A kiss on the ear, and a whispered word of greeting. I looked down at my wife, at her ruffled hair and puffy, sleepy eyes. I had never seen anything more beautiful, and I bent down to kiss her sweetly on the lips.
Rosalind was handed to her mother, her star-like eyes sparkling wide in wonder, and she held her against her breast. I put my arms around my wife's waist, looking around me. I thought back to the times where it had only been the two of us; now we were a trio. A single word found its way into my head, and it felt like the most right thing in my life. Family.

Description
I gazed down at her pudgy, pinkish cheeks and slightly parted rosy lips. Her eyes twitched, and a diminutive hand raised itself. The baby curled her fingers around one of mine, small, perfect and pale when I murmured her name.
"Rosalind." She was the beauty of Shakespeare's "As You Like It," and now the beauty of my life. Her mouth parted in a yawn, her tongue sticking out a little. I couldn't help but to chuckle at the sigh she made, the way her blonde eyebrows raised, almost looking concerned. Her breathing slowed again and she relaxed deeper into sleep. My baby, I thought to myself. I felt warm inside like I was lying in a pool of steaming water. I was relaxed and yet excited, agitated from the nervousness and lack of sleep. But I was calm, I knew nothing, but I knew everything.
There were three quick knocks on the front door. The kinds of knocks that are meant to be sly and not disturb anyone, like they never happened but should be acknowledged. I bent down to kiss the baby's forehead, softly, not wanting to scratch her
perfect skin with the rough stubble on my chin. The action reminded me of the way my wife walked after painting her toenails – carefully, not wanting to ruin it.
I walked lightly out of the room, making no noise on the carpet. There were two more knocks on the front door, once again stealthily quick, but this time more impatient. Normally my mother-in-law would have annoyed me, but nothing could ruin my mood.
The bottom of the door dragging along the floor made a shushing noise. The first thing I saw was the blindingly bright summer light, and then the clown-like face of my mother-in-law. She looked as if she had been smiling for hours, her lips stuck parted and spread over her teeth. Her arms were open wide, and she almost hopped toward me, wrapping her arms around my neck.
"Ohh, you!" she said near my ear, trying not to be too loud. I held her, for once glad that she was there. She released me, her smile now relaxed, and she stared, sincerely pleased, into my eyes for a moment. I found that I was smiling too.
"Take me to the baby," she said in a stage whisper, pushing past me. My wife's sister stepped timidly inside, giving me a quick embrace as well. My joy overwhelmed the awkwardness that would have been there normally.
I lead them into the nursery, and stepped back to let the women past. The elder darted to the crib, reaching down for my daughter with the strong, steady hands of an experienced mother. I felt a momentary stab of worry and jealousy in my stomach, but it faded as she held the baby to her chest. My wife's sister hung back – I could tell she was uncertain, just as I had been days before.
I felt a warm, familiar hand slide itself into mine. A kiss on the ear, and a whispered word of greeting. I looked down at my wife, at her ruffled hair and puffy, sleepy eyes. I had never seen anything more beautiful, and I bent down to kiss her sweetly on the lips.
Rosalind was handed to her mother, her star-like eyes sparkling wide in wonder, and she held her against her breast. I put my arms around my wife's waist, looking around me. I thought back to the times where it had only been the two of us; now we were a trio. A single word found its way into my head, and it felt like the most right thing in my life. Family.