Bee Hummingbirds are the smallest known birds in the world. Their ecological range is limited entirely to the nation of Cuba, and by adulthood they only stand at a brave 2 inches. These adorable little birds weigh just 0.05 ounces – and feed on the nectar of flowers unique to the island. My daughter, also small, likes strawberries.
At birth an average baby manatee weighs about 65 pounds. The baby, known as a calf, follows its mother for the ensuing one to two years as it learns the ropes of manateehood. Manatee calves nurse for nearly 12 hours a day as their mothers graze, and they are largely appreciated for their gentle roundness. My daughter is also round about the face – and I find the weight of her in my arms one of the most comforting of experiences. Even when it begins to hurt.
Racoons have 5-fingers on each hand – a trait that lifted their appendages from the animalistic moniker of “paw.” However, they still do not have opposable thumbs, so they don’t quite grasp like a human would. Despite this Racoons are extremely dexterous, grasping, dipping, and inspecting their world with a near constant curiosity. Anything grasped and dipped is also, often, tasted. Though not every time. My daughter also has little hands. My daughter subscribes to the same habits of the Racoon. On more than one occasion we find her rummaging in the trashcan. It has a lock now. Recycling is to be inspected and strewn.
Emperor Penguin chicks take their first steps after learning to walk on top of the feet of their parents, who take turns watching the chick while the other fishes for food. Under their care the chicks grow at a rate of nearly 10% of their body weight every day. After just 50 days the chicks are fully grown, and by 5 months leave their parents to embark on their own adventure. My daughter is also toddling – and her opinions are growing at an emperor-penguin rate. I adore them. I am already learning from them.
Of her eventual independence – her adventures and dreams and accomplishments – I cannot write. My fingers tremble when I try.
Chinchillas are often considered the softest animal in the world. Each hair follicle on a chinchilla's body can produce up to 100 hairs, which is much more than the 1–2 hairs in a human follicle. This makes chinchilla fur the densest of any land-dwelling mammal. Chinchillas are also very social creatures – in the wild, they gather together in groups known as “herds.” My daughter is also very soft. She is social. Her hair curls in the back.
My daughter laughs when someone sneezes. She laughs when she sneezes too. I’ve never smiled so easily in my life – and my daughter likes to touch my teeth when I smile. Her eyes are neither blue nor green – but an ocean hazel. Green with life. Blue with depth.
All these wonders of the world and I find that there is a piece of every single one of them in her. She is the enormity of that to me. Creation itself living, breathing, and calling to me. She reaches for me – and every fiber of me reaches back to her.
That’s what fatherhood feels like.
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