Does this baby make me look fat?

Seriously, does my baby make me look fat? I'm not saying my baby looks fat, and I personally don't think that I look fat, but apparently I'm the only one who doesn't think I look fat. I've had several people tell me (including mommy) that I look fat. They tell me it via email, via IM, and right to my fat face. Actually, mommy told me I look "wider", but I'm pretty sure it means the same thing in Puerto Rican English.

To my credit, I've actually LOST 4lbs since Kaylani was born. Now at my weight, I'm not sure anyone would notice that I even lost 4lbs, but I didn't think that holding a 8lb baby would make me look fat. What is it? Is it my belly? Sure it's out there a little bit (mommy says it looks like I'm 20 weeks pregnant), but it's not like kids are mistaking me for Santa. Is it my head? I know I have a big head, but it's not like I have trouble putting my shirt on in the morning. Whatever I look like now, I haven't gained any weight in the last 2 weeks, so the only thing I can think of is that my baby must make me look fat.

Maybe I'm blowing things out of proportion, but I don't think so. I think I have an actual thing to complain about (unlike all those Motrin moms). I don't wear my baby as a fashion accessory, unless you count fat as an accessory. Next time someone tells me I'm fat, I'm going to puff up my cheeks, stick out my belly, hold my baby close to my body and say "you're damn right I am. You try carrying around an extra 8lbs and see what people say about you...jackass."

And as my first act of protest, I've posted Kaylani's new pictures. None of them have me in them because I'm tired of looking fat in pictures, but I'll never get tired of looking at my little girl. I think looking fat next to my baby makes me look like an official dad. And when it comes down to it, being an official dad is really what matters...no matter how fat it makes me look.