If I am giving a few words to describe my wife physically, I would start by saying; "she is a tall and lean beautiful woman.” 

….and then I would continue by describing her eyes. 

Sharing the same space, I paused for a second or two and glanced over my right shoulder, I saw the elegant woman that only existed in my head when I was a teenager. In those days, I couldn’t imagine her face, but I had a blurred idea of how she looked.

Back then I knew that her lips were perfect for me! 

Is a color that I am very attracted to and so is her hair.

During our honeymoon, I turned off the light of our bedroom suite so I could see her silhouette through the bathroom fritted glass door.  At this instant, my fantasy from those teenage years had come true.

It has been over five years since our honeymoon. As I reflect back to that wonderful evening, I was laying on the bed looking at Amanda.  This moment is similar, but very different for a special reason.

At this point, Amanda’s pregnancy is advanced, the season’s climate is at its peak and being indoors listening to the roaring sound of an air conditioning unit pushes Amanda to seek comfort elsewhere.

Our bedroom window faces south-west exactly where the sunsets. Amanda and I really enjoy being in the room during this time to witness the everyday spectacle of light that bounces on skyscrapers of downtown Manhattan. In this photograph, Amanda sits by the window to recharge the light in her body after coming home from work. 

The sunset’s grand finally is one of the most fulfilling events that we can appreciate from the comfort of our bedroom. As I look at Amanda’s face, I can only wonder what the light in her body feels.

Amanda was feeling very uncomfortable because she was near the end of her pregnancy and the heat was not helping. Therefore, I opened all the windows in our apartment to get some cross ventilation. She leaned back to a corner in our bedroom to feel the breeze come in. I wanted to photograph the sunset, but the light in our bedroom was far more interesting.

The pregnancy and unexpected heat inspired Amanda to prepare creative dishes while wearing interesting things.

Since getting the wonderful news of her pregnancy, Amanda envisioned going to Fort Pond Bay to submerge herself in the calm waters and sense weightlessness. Feeling that her body was changing, movements becoming more restricted and knowing that the window for baby and mom to be together as one floating in the bay was closing, the vision became a strong desire.

She had been wanting to do this for the past eight months, and when it happened; it was magical!

Not knowing until after the fact, labor began early with a gentle dance that goes from side to side, swaying to the rhythm of her own voice. As I stepped back to witness this beautiful moment, it seems like mom and baby were communicating as they both prepare to be together in the outside world.

It was a beautiful birth, the opposite of what you would see in most exaggerated and dramatized movies portraying the moment of birth. We had planned for a natural birth, which we received. However, I did not anticipate that it would be as clean and beautiful. Throughout the delivery the atmosphere was calm and paced at the speed that mom and baby wanted to have.

The water birth was a plus, and within four hours after that Amanda was home breastfeeding.

The name Elena comes from Helen/Helene of ancient Greek origin, which mean shining light or the bright one. 

Standing at great proximity to my ladies while they sleep, I am very happy to know that the woman that lived in my thoughts as a teenager is now my wife and mother of my beautiful child.

At first Elena appeared to look exactly like me. Now that she is getting older, I am starting to see lots of her mom’s traits.

My teenage vision extends to here, and beyond this point, starts a new chapter.

Amanda is a name of Latin origin that means “having to be loved,” “deserving to be loved” or “worthy of love.”

And I LOVE YOU!