Nice one Ryan, you got my vote.
I like the "2D drawn with sand" style, music, narrator voice and your whole realization/visuals/direction of that kind of story a lot. Well done.
Most other shorts i've seen in that contest were quite boring or lacking atmosphere/dense and storytelling/direction (for me).
Otherwise, your short seems the only VFX based one which is hard, depending on the audience of that contest and their needs and expectations.
Let's hope many woman were participating in this vote of that contest too.
Then, a well told real tragic love story like yours (including babys) works wonders sometimes, hehe..
My last written sentences may sound like I'm a Macho-Man.
But hey, I'm fairly the opposite 23/7 at least - but I know I'm right..

GL Ryan!