At 7AM on Thursday morning, with a few hours until I had to leave for the airport, I threw a long wool coat over my pajamas, slipped on some shoes and hit the street. I was on a Christmas mission. When Gristede’s didn’t have Jax cheese puffs, I didn’t panic. When two bodegas and Duane Reade didn’t have them, either, I started to get a bit worried. I couldn’t show up without them. That would be like… well, whatever Santa’s biggest failure was in your childhood. Peaches ‘n Cream Barbie, for instance. Small request, bitter disappointment.
But I prevailed. And Food Emporium blessed me with a Christmas miracle.
At 7AM on Friday morning, after I had been in Dallas all of fourteen hours (and slept only four of those), I climbed into my mom’s car armed with an iTrip, directions and a snack (thanks, Mom). When we first made our plans, Stephanie was still very much pregnant — and intending to stay that way for quite a while. But in light of recent… arrivals, our plans changed somewhat. When I arrived in Austin (with gifts of Jax cheese puffs and some Jewish baked good I’d never heard of before), instead of an afternoon of our usual silliness, Phil, Stephanie and I made our way to the hospital and into the NICU.
After scrubbing in, we peeked in at the babies. Swaddled tightly in pink and blue receiving blankets, Abigail and Lucas were having a snooze in their (for lack of a better word) baby aquariums, while monitors blinked and beeped above them. Heart rate. Blood oxygen. Respirations. Temperature. Mommy Klein took a seat in the rocking chair the nurse had brought in, and Lucas was pried out of his warm little cocoon for a visit.
I’m going to pause here and tell you that if the next paragraph uses an offensive number of platitudes and over-used baby related expressions, you’re just going to have to deal. There are no other words.
Those little babies were magic. Ever since I saw the picture of his tiny hands, I have been obsessed with the miniature perfection of his strong little fingers. With his warm, wee head cupped in the palm of my hand I pushed down the sudden instinct to cry at the astonishment I was feeling. He gripped my index finger as Stephanie attempted to give him a lesson in nursing (I suppose it should be strange to be so up close and personal with your friend’s nipples, but honestly, nothing could have seemed less strange) and a little bit of my heart broke. Abigail, now free from tubes on her round little face, was the picture of sweetness. She smelled warm, mellow and earthy. Without the normal coating Johnson and Johnson products, babies reek of purity. I felt like I was touching an actual miracle.
At 8PM on Friday night, the three of us were exhausted. Phil had made up the guest room and showed me around the guest room spa. Right? Guest room spa. Sauna, steam room, Stephanie’s charming touches of fluffy white towels and smelly bath products. Full of dinner and sleepiness, I sat myself in the steam for a few minutes. I was out cold within the hour.
At 7AM Saturday morning, a good thirty minutes after I heard Phil leave to deliver breast milk to the hospital, I hugged a sleepy Stephanie good-bye and began the four hour trip back to Dallas.
Let’s not spoil things and keep the fact that my return trip took only three hours from our friends in law enforcement. Besides, I wasn’t speeding. It was a Christmas miracle.
Awww. My brother & sis-in-law just had a baby about 2 weeks ago. I’ve held him 3 times since I’ve been back to the States. It’s the most wonderful thing I’ve ever done. It makes me smile just thinking about it. Sounds like you’ve felt the same way. Happy Holidays!
that sounds like an amazing visit – glad everything went well travelwise and you got there safe and sound. And oh – I DEMAND to see pictures.
Christmas babies are the best!
Congrats! Healthy babies are a blessing, and I’m all for cliches that make your heart resemble “The Grinch”, growing three sizes with every breath they take.
I first learned of both you and Stephanie from the NYTimes piece and have been a follower since. What a wonderful “full circle” post!
incubator.
Its neat to hear about Stephanie and Phil’s miracle babies from an outsider! They just wanted to be here in time for the Holidays!
Aren’t babies awesome?!? I made a last minute decision (19 hours spreading between deciding and flight departing time) to return to my stomping grounds to visit my college friends after several years of absence. One of my bestest friends Natascha had a newborn in March, and I get to see her for the first time tonight. I’ve become officially known as Eva’s most favorite “uncle;” she warmed up to me in less than an hour–a freaking record! And I also got to see my other friends Colleen and Theresa’s kids, now 3 and 4, who had that baby fresh scent and tiny eyes when I last saw them. I can’t wait to return home so I can post the gazillion pictures of baby Eva on my blog!
But yeah, little babies *are* magic. And, uhm, watching my friend breastfeed was a bit kind of strange, despite having seen her natural endowment a few times in the distant past. Now it’s just pure and innocent! =)
So happy that you were able to see Stephanie as I am sure you miss her! And, when I first spotted the pics of her two miracles I nearly cried….they are gorgeous.
I also nearly cried when I saw pictures of her new home. hehehe it is amazing!
Happy Christmas!
What is this enchanted place with a guest room spa!? Awww, how truly wonderful that you could be there to give your support and share in precious baby love.
I was totally taken by the touching picture of Lucas holding Stephanie’s hand when I first saw it last week too. And the most recent ones of the two of them. What a Christmas miracle indeed. Stephanie is amazing. Sounds like you had a great time.
Happy holidays!
Oh…and if you want to be a joy to the little one, remind your friend Stephanie to NEVER buy a Holiday/Birthday present (one present that covers both). As a Dec 26th gal, it was not fun…
Oh that’s so sweet! Glad you got to visit:)
Heather, your writing always leaves me in awe and as if I was in the room with you experiencing the miracle along with you.
Congratulations to Stephanie and Phil!
Merry Christmas
Awww, I love babies. They’re such little miracles. I’m glad you got to visit.
I know the exact same feeling.
My son was in the NICU after his birth, and there is something literally miraculous to walk in there, seeing these teeny babies the size of a man’s hand, just fighting and struggling for life.
My son faired a little better. He was several weeks premature but so much bigger than the two-pound babies. It’s sad that those little beings have to enter the world and fight for their lives.
uh, frankly amy, i much prefer “baby aquariums.” but thankssomuchanyway.
aww – so very sweet.
Thank you my sweet miracle friend for bringing me JAX! And bialeys (you really must have one, btw, toasted with a smear of butter). It was such a nice treat seeing you and introducing you to our little chicken nuggets.
BTW, happy xmas H
aww! i read about them over at stephanies and just read yours; thats so cute!
Welcome to Austin. Sorry you couldn’t stay longer!
Hi, Heather:
One thing I love most about reading your blog is the way we truly get to see not only the tougher, “no-bull****” part of your personality … but also, when warranted, the gentler emotions. You are a multi-faceted woman and always Honest (with a capital H). It is great that you got to see the wee ones and Stephanie.
Happiest of holidays to you…Have a joyous New Year!
Where can I find Stephanies blog???
Hi Heather… I just posted my friends’ baby pictures from my impromptu Christmas trip. Check them out. That’s not to say any baby is cuter than your friends Phil and Stephanie’s. Thought I’d share. Happy new year to you! =)