Wow……hmmm. This baby’s got some looooong fingers.”

I was lying down on an examination table in the doctor’s office, watching black and white images on a screen as the ultrasound technician moved the wand back and forth across the cold gel on my growing belly. She pointed to the outline of our baby’s hands. “See what I mean?”

I remember nodding as she showed me other body parts, including the one that designated the gender, then smiling at the 3-D printouts that I was eager to take home. We had a feeling already that our lastborn would be a girl, but the fact that she had “looooong fingers” was the first clue that this baby would resemble her mother the most.

My instincts were correct…..in more ways than one. Not only did Layla inherit my thick hair and deeper skin tone, she also inherited my height—-or lack thereof. In other words, Baby Girl is on the small side. Petite. Just like her mama.

So when Layla comes home from school sharing story after story about how classmates constantly point out how “short” or “little” she is, I can relate. Children don’t say much about my size—not to my face, anyway—but adults still love pointing it out: “How’s the weather down there?” *insert eye roll*

“I didn’t know you were short!” *did they expect a warning text?* And one of my favorite expressions, usually spoken in a tone of wonder that implies it’s a true news flash: “You’re sooooooo tiny!” Uh, thanks?

Calvin and I do what we can to help Layla accept her size, just like I’ve learned to do over the years. It’s a feature we both inherited and can’t control, so I share with our Resident Princess what I consider to be the perks in being petite:

-Shopping in the Junior’s clothing section…current styles, cheaper choices.

– Being front and center in photo ops and automatically standing out among ‘average’ height folks.

– Passing as for years younger than your actual age and being carded for ‘adult’ purchases years after becoming one.

– Having ample leg room no matter where you travel or sit.

-Not having to worry about anyone’s egos when you decide to rock a pair of high heels.

Do these benefits mean that I’ve never wanted to be taller? I’ve considered it occasionally. But being petite has never stopped me from having a social life, achieving journalism goals (Stevie Wonder likes it!) and creating a family. In fact, my being ‘short and sassy’ was part of what Calvin was attracted to when we first met. Layla is still in the ‘ew, cooties!’ stage when it comes to boys, but one day she’ll learn that we ‘vertically challenged’ ladies are rarely pressed for attention. Or dates.

Layla is a bright and feisty child, still learning to love herself and figuring out where she fits in the world. She might be one of the smallest children in class, but Layla is also a girl whose petite frame moves gracefully through ballet training and dance recitals. Just shy of nine years old, our Resident Princess has personally connected with icons that most people only experience through ear buds and TV screens, tall or not. Layla speaks her mind, knows her history and will one day show the world what “big things come in small packages” is all about. And that’s a future Baby Girl will always be the right size to achieve.