“Wassup, world? My name is Max Armstrong and I just arrived. My Mommy is healthy and so am I!”…

That’s how Max Armstrong introduced himself to the world via Twitter on June 4. In the process, he is on his way to catching up with his Dad, the legendary 7-time Tour de France champion and testicular cancer survivor has more than 1 million followers on Twitter. And I thought my 200+ followers was a lot!

Daddy Lance Armstrong now ranks as number 14 in the world in terms of number of Twitter followers, thanks to Max and his bike, right between The New York Times (number 13) and Cold Play (number 15). Not to be outdone, little Max (full name Maxwell Edward Armstrong) also has his own Twitter account now, with over 3,700 followers. Not bad for a 10-day old baby, eh? He is entertaining his followers with cute tweets on hiccups, poops, and passport application. I’m not surprised if collects followers as fast as his Dad. He definitely has won me over!

Max made his entrance with perfect timing: right after Daddy finished Giro d’Italia but before the start of Tour de France (ah, that’s what the passport is for!). At birth, the little celebrity weighed 7lbs 5oz and measured 20 inches long. His mom Anna Hansen and his daddy Lance Armstrong were so happy to welcome Max who was conceived naturally. After recovering from testicular cancer, the chances of natural reproduction for Lance were slim. Max has one half-brother and two half-sisters from Daddy’s previous marriage to Kristin Richard.

Let’s cheer little Max on as he gives his fast Daddy a run for his money!

A pregnancy is usually good news, and announcing it during the Christmas season makes it extra special for a lot of people. So I can only wonder what the experience must be like for Lance Armstrong, a testicular cancer survivor to reveal that he is going to be a dad again.

When he was diagnosed in 1996, Armstrong had his sperm frozen. Subsequently he had three children with his then wife Kristin Richards through in vitro fertilization. According to reports he and girlfriend Anna Hansen conceived the baby naturally. Armstrong released a statement saying, “Anna and I are thrilled to confirm that we are expecting in June and our families are ecstatic and grateful. We are very much looking forward to what 2009 brings on many fronts.”

There is so much about Lance Armstrong’s story that can give people hope. His battle with cancer has been written and talked about extensively. Even more amazing, after being treated he went on to win the grueling Tour De France a record seven times. He is one of the premier athletes of our time.

He is an inspiration not only to anyone battling cancer, but also to couples everywhere who are trying to conceive, especially due to illness. I don’t know what hope if any his doctors had given him for being able to naturally father a child, but it’s obvious that Armstrong continues to chart his own course.

Recently it was revealed that he was planning a Tour De France comeback. I know nobody is prepared to write of his chances even though he last won the event in 2005. There’s no word on whether this most recent announcement will affect those plans in any way.

I join the others who congratulate Lance Armstrong on this happy occasion. Here’s hoping everything goes well throughout the pregnancy. Whatever challenges may arise, I’m sure Lance Armstrong will face them the way he always has, with true grit and determination.