Three years ago today, something amazing happened that I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand. Our oldest daughter, Payton, was born at 24 weeks. That’s 3 1/2 months early! She was 1lb 12oz and fit in my hand. She was the tiniest baby I’d ever seen. I didn’t think it was possible for a baby to be born that early and little, and fight for her life the way Payton did. She’s an amazing little girl and has been an inspiration to Erika and I.

She had such a little personality early on and that personality has grown quite a bit in three years. Like any toddler, she can be a handful at times, but overall she’s such a happy and sweet little girl. I’m looking forward to watching her grow up.

Today also marks the day we became a family instead of just a couple. It was an intense and scary day but it was a special day I’ll never forget.

Happy Birthday Payton!

 Eric is a software engineer and father of two, who's hobbies include video games, open source software, and just being a geek. Read more from this author