Hello friends and family! First off, let me credit my brother-in-law, Minh Nguyen, for letting me steal the idea for this blog from his new son, Tyler (I didn't really ask) -- his site has been an inspiration and is good for a smile each and every time I visit. Now please allow me to introduce Miss Madeleine Huong Tran. She is our first child and was born April 13, 2006 at 5:18pm in Bryn Mawr Hospital in Pennsylvania. She is 19 inches long and 6 lbs., 1 oz. heavy. After a super smooth pregnancy she surprised her mom and I by "knocking on the door" 10 days early! She subsequently foreshadowed her "drama queen" nature by requiring an urgent C-section to make it into this world safe and sound. Everything went just fine and both baby and mother are recovering quickly and smoothly, although mother likes to remind me otherwise. Really though, Jane was amazingly loving, brave, and strong in this whole experience, and I am left to unsuccessfully make-up for this the rest of our lives -- whilst being enchanted now by two beautiful ladies! I believe with some good fortune she will have my brains and looks! Of course, if you know Jane and I you will know I am just joking... Also please let me allay the fears of all my best friends and tell you now she does not resemble you in any way (specifically: Chinese, Filipino, Ethiopian, Peruvian, Indian, Italian, etc.)! Seriously though, we want to thank everyone for your thoughts, prayers, advice, and well wishes -- starting with Maddie's new grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Anyone visiting this site had something to do with Maddie being here by loving and supporting her parents (or just giving us food, gifts, and money) and I cannot tell you how proud this makes us -- there is a part of your love in this little baby. So please enjoy the pictures and have fun watching Miss Maddie grow up (and watch me get fatter)! Please also feel free to keep encouraging me to update this site; I suspect an 85% noncompliance rate on account of me being too busy doing the one thing I'm good for -- cleaning poop. P.S.: Now that I have spilt my guts to some weirdo who happened to find this site through a Google search -- let me just say if you mess with Maddie I will send my Air Force friend Murali (who is flying around in a jet fighter at this very moment) to find you. Peace out.