Hospital Visit

The past few days have been emotionally exhausting for me with the arrival of Amelia's daughter. What a surreal experience for Amelia to now have to think of someone other than herself. I honestly don't know how that is even possible.

Anyway, as I was getting ready to go paddle boarding on Sunday morning with my instructor, I got a text from the new mother:

NEW MOM: "Hey! Are you up?"

ME: "Yes. I'm about to get in the ocean. Why?"

NEW MOM: "Do you want to come to the hospital?"

ME: "What?! Are you serious?"

NEW MOM: "Don't get in that fish toilet. Go home, take a shower, do a quick cleanse and detox, get a flu shot (if you're not current), and wash your hands 20 times before you come in clean clothes."

ME: "OK."

NEW MOM: "P.S.- My night nurse doesn't start until after we get home, so I'm super tired and witchy today from being up all night. #NeedaDietCoke

Visiting hours were almost over by the time I got everything done on Amelia's mandatory visitor's check list. I finally walked into the room and then had to wash my hands for the 21st time. After, I sat down in a germ-infested hospital chair. Two seconds later, I was holding THE TINIEST human being I had ever seen.

Honestly, I've never thought new babies were pretty. Everyone says "beautiful" to be nice, but think about it. Traveling through the birth canal is basically traveling to hell and back except they are coming from heaven. Personally, I'm glad I have blocked that experience from my memory. Babies are always so cranky and covered in white stuff and blood right after birth (I've been told). So I pictured I would be holding a screaming, bloody baby with white stuff all over it still. That's why I was reluctant to wear clean, high end clothes.

But NO. This baby was clean, swaddled up, had a gigantic bow on her head, asleep and peaceful. Huh. I was NOT expecting that.