'The Bachelor:' Melissa Rycroft and Tye Strickland Welcome Baby Girl

Rycroft and her husband, Tye Strickland, welcomed Ava Grace Strickland today. Ava was born at 6 pounds 13 ounces. She is the first child of Melissa Rycroft and Tye Strickland.

As Rycroft told People Magazine, "Our lives have changed so much in the last two years and today we've been blessed with the best change ever, our beautiful baby girl. Everything is wonderful and life is exactly as it should be."

Rycroft first appeared on Jason Mesnick's season of The Bachelor. Although she was the last woman standing, Mesnick infamously dumped her during the After the Final Rose special in favor of runner-up Molly Malaney.

Melissa Rycroft made lemons out of lemonade by appearing on "Dancing With the Stars," where she survived until the finale. We've also seen her on other ABC programs such as Good Morning America, Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, and Bachelor Pad.

After her nationally televised break-up with Mesnick, Rycroft reunited with Strickland, whom she had dated on and off before The Bachelor. The happy couple wed in December 2009.

Life had a way of working itself out for everyone involved. Adversity (and the wrath of Bachelor viewers across America) actually strengthened Jason and Molly's relationship. Mesnick and Malaney were married in a nationally televised wedding, beating the odds as being one of only two Bachelor/ette couples to make it to the altar.

Former/current Bachelor Brad Womack also benefited from the Jason/Melissa/Molly fiasco because it made Womack appear less of a "jerk" in comparison to Mesnick.

Melissa Rycroft appeared on Jillian Harris' season of "After the Final Rose," where Chris Harrison asked her if Mesnick did the right thing with his infamous switcheroo. Rycroft hesitated and laughed before admitting that he did.

We first met Ava Grace Strickland in utero last summer during the "Bachelor Pad" finale, when a pregnant Rycroft introduced herself as "Melissa Rycroft Strickland and a half!"

It will be interesting to see whether or not Melissa makes an appearance on "Bachelor Pad" this summer. She may prefer to spend time with her new daughter. With the birth of their daughter, Melissa Rycroft and her husband can look to the future with hopeful anticipation.