The Stinky Kid(s)

You remember elementary school, right? There was always that one kid that didn't quite smell right? You dreaded when your teacher said she was going to 'pair everybody up.' You hoped you wouldn't be paired with the stinky kid. You know, the stinky kid! There was one in every class. You always wondered if their parents knew they were sending their kid to school smelling like old snow boots.

Well, there were three stinky kids in the nicu class, and they all belonged to me! I had the stinky kids! My week started with the nurse asking me if my kids had been bathed since they were born. (Remember their birthday is January 7th.)

"Well, no. Can they have a bath?"

"Of course! They all stink." She said with a loving smile.

I knew they did, okay. But I'm telling you, your maternal instincts get a little clouded and drowned in the protocol that is the hospital. I had no idea they had the go ahead to take a bath. They are usually bundled up in 17 or 18 blankets at any given time, so I just assumed bathing had to be put on hold until August.

So, everyone had their first bath.

Christian did his famous initial YELP as soon as he hit the water. That's what he does, gives you an initial screech to let you know he is not happy with whatever is going on. But then, I think the warm water was familiar and he realized he liked being there. He relaxed and let it happen. To think that if any one of them were lone babies, they would still be in warm water...inside me. Weird.

Oh boy did he love getting his head all suds up! I sang the "Wash Your Hair" song. Thanks Brite. I have a plethora of songs to share with my children for almost any activity or time of day, month or year you can think of!

All clean and shiny! Isn't he handsome? All bathed and ready for work. (The pajamas with the collars really crack me up. Seriously, does a preemie need a collar? Are we going to pre-school interview? First boy / girl party in junior high? Casual Friday at the office?) Don't you love that face? He is saying, "What just happened? I was naked, then cold, then warm, then my head was scrubbed, then I was cold again, now I'm warm again...it was kind of exciting...WHAT WAS THAT?" I love my questioning Christian.


So Christian thoroughly enjoyed his bath time with mom. Gabe, not so much...




He needed to be wrapped real tight in his little bath blanket and have no soap or outside air touching his tiny little 4 and 1/2 lb body in order to be calm. He is so sweet. He needs a little more time to get used to things. Maybe he'll like the next one. Maybe.

As soon as he was dressed again and in his strange, yellow hat that makes me want to call him some kind of foreign name like "babooshka" (spelled phonetically, okay?) or "babaganoosh," he was a happy camper. I would also like to take this time to point out that all of the clothes my children are dressed in come courtesy of Hotel NICU. I can bring my own from home, but come on! Look at that hat and those awesome bear paws he has going on. I can't put that outfit together with what I have at home! This is a once in a lifetime experience and I'm soaking up every experience. Including the hodge podge of donated clothing and handmade hats. His expression is very skeptical about what just happened. "Are you going to do something totally different and unusual again? Because I can't handle any more surprises today!" That's what he told me during this picture. I love my gentle Gabe.

Sunshine just loved her day at the spa with mom. She just loved the warm water and the the suds and kept looking around and pursing those sweet little lips of hers. She did cry when I took her out of the water, but come on, I cry when I get out of a warm bath and step on a cold bathroom floor. And what is it about baby bottoms? Why are they the cutest things you've ever seen? Yes, the nurse took bottom scrubbing pictures. No, I won't post them. These babies will be adults someday. Call me neurotic, but I wouldn't want my baby bum all over the world wide interweb of cyberness.

"Umm, who invited the paparazzi? Seriously? I'm just living my life here. I didn't think my life was that interesting that you needed to be snapping pictures every second. I mean, I am beautiful. I hear that every single day from mom and dad. I get it already. I'm fabulous. Now let me finish my seaweed wrap in peace."

Whoa, sorry about that. I'm not raising a diva, I swear. You just caught her on a bad day. I mean, come on, she was at the spa! I don't blame her for having an attitude. I love my sweet Sunshine.

So that was bath day! Their first baths. It was okay that it was two months after they were born. It was okay that Gabe was still hooked up to oxygen. It was okay that they all slept like rocks for the rest of the day because taking a 4 minute bath completely wiped them out. It's still fun and exciting to count and document firsts. Despite starting their lives as underdeveloped little bodies, they are still beautiful, perfect, darlings that make me happier than a warm bath. Happier than a trip to the spa. Happier than clean, snuggly clothes. Happier than I ever thought was possible.