Mi Princesita

On June 25, 2018, a little girl named Ximena was born, much to the delight of her parents, Nashalie and husband Jesse Valentin.
In the summer of 2018, Jesse was manning the infield for the Philadelphia Phillies. The club headed down Interstate 95 to the nation's capital for a series with the Washington Nationals. All of a sudden, one of the most important phone calls came across his phone.
"She called me at 7 a.m. and said 'hey, my water just broke,'" said Valentin. "I was playing in the big leagues and the manager told me to stay because we were going on a road trip to Washington. I told them that I wanted to be a part of the team, but I wasn't going to miss my baby being born.
"So, I just grabbed an Uber and drove three hours. I got there and we waited about 14 hours, but it was worth it. As soon as she came out, I held her and I will never forget that moment. For the first ten seconds, we were just looking at each other and she started smiling. It was a really special moment."
Those first 10 seconds would be more or less a precursor to the joy and happy energy that Ximena has shown through the first year of life. Her dad has taken notice, even though she's only 10 months old.
"I have never seen a person or human that wakes up happy and starts jumping and screaming," said Valentin. "She always just wants to play. She (always) wants to walk and grab everything. I think she is a little bit advanced for her age and I am very happy to see every little thing she does. Every night is (something) new.
"We stayed at a hotel and hotels have a really high bed. She was trying to get down and she knew to try to go down sideways so her feet hit the floor first. I didn't know that a 10-month kid could do that, so I think she is going to be a very advanced girl."
Nashalie and Jesse first found out they were going to be parents back in 2017, when the infielder was on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Lehigh Valley in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
"My wife went back home and she started feeling some dizziness," said Valentin. "She's a really healthy woman, so I was asking her (about her symptoms). It kept going for about a couple weeks, so we had a little concern.
"When we went to the doctor's office and had the tests done, it was the best feeling ever. She was in shock for about a week, and I was really happy. I was thinking that if it was a boy, I wanted to him to be a baseball player, being around with me in the clubhouse. Five months later, it was revealed that it was a baby girl and it was a big moment of change."
Way more changed for the Puerto Rican infielder aside from the idea of bringing his child to the clubhouse.
"My whole life changed: the way I think, the way I act, the way I go about everything every single day-not only inside the stadium, but also outside the stadium," said Valentin. "It's just different now and I have to be a role model for my girl, especially with all the crazy things going on in the streets and in the world. I just want to make sure she has a really good education and a really good understanding of how she's supposed to act out there."
The new parents may have been initially surprised after finding out they were having a girl, but the unexpected timing ended up being more of a blessing than anything else.
"(Ximena) came at a great moment, right in the wheelhouse of my career," said Valentin. "I made it to the big leagues last year and I'm now trying to make it back on track. That'll be a little more of a push. Now that I have a daughter, I have to work harder and make sure everything goes well with my career, so that they can have everything they need. It worked out perfectly.
"Now, I'm mostly not thinking about what happens on the field, but how I can be a role model for her. That makes me work harder. I could go 0-for-4, but every single time I go back to the hotel and see that smile, everything goes away. It helps on both sides, on and off the field. Having that princess back home is totally a game changer."
The game also changed in terms of the two preparing to be a parent. Being married to a baseball player who is away from home months out of the year isn't the easiest on a relationship, but Jesse and Nashalie have made it work.
"Knowing that she was going to be by herself--especially because we're in the (mainland) United States and I'm playing-is very tough," said Valentin. "She was not going to have her family or my family to help her out, so we started to read books about how to be a good mother when she is by herself. (We also read about) how to react when (Ximena) is not doing well. I think we did a very good job in preparing in that way.
"I remember that we had a road trip for a week and a half in the big leagues and she was by herself and I wasn't really aware how she was going to react because (our daughter) was only two months old. It was a hard moment for me, but I was always close to the phone. I think she has managed her very, very well and, after she went through those moments, I knew she was going to be alright."
Of course, it's just as difficult for Jesse to be away from home for so long as it is for Nashalie raising their daughter without her husband home.
"You always want your daughter and your family there (with you)," said Valentin. "I am already more adjusted to it, but it will probably get harder as she grows up a little bit. (She is going to be concerned with) why dad is leaving and why is he leaving every week. It is going to happen soon, but hopefully (Ximena) will understand that is my job.
"It is one of those things that we choose and hopefully my wife understands it. It will hurt on both sides that we always want to be together, but hopefully she will understand it in a good way sooner or later."
Their parenting journey may be different than most new parents, but the two have become well aware that the mentality has changed. They understand the necessity to lay down their own wants for the needs of Ximena, which in turn has shaped Jesse's mindset both in and out of the ballpark.
"Before I go to sleep, I have to make sure that she is set with diapers, milk, and everything (else)," said Valentin. "It's a totally different mentality because everything is her first before me. I want to make sure she has everything she needs and she's healthy. It helps me in the sport, too. I am a little more of a family guy now and I have to make sure that I'm ready for the next day and ready to play well. It just helps out in a lot of different ways."
For Jesse, the journey both as a new parent and a baseball player has been one of twists and turns. In the past year, though, there has been Ximena. At home or on the phone, she smiles and naturally showcases that beaming joy that wrapped him around her finger during the first 10 seconds of the two meeting.
"It is going to be a little bit of trouble when she starts running because she is going to grab everything and keep running," said Valentin. "You have to keep an eye on her 24/7, but I can't wait. Talking about it is getting me really excited, but when I get a chance to see it, it will be double the excitement."