Hope Out the Window

Alaïa

Alaïa Rae Joseph
Born: December 17 2018 at 5:34 a.m.
Parents: Tyler and Jenna Joseph

"Push Jenna." Doctor Eves encouraged my wife. She's been in active labor for almost fifteen minutes. "Relax. Just a few seconds, breath."

"I can't do it Tyler. I'm sorry." Jenna cried, holding my hand.

"My love, you have this. You're almost there. You are so strong." I kissed her head.

"Okay Jenna, push for me."

"You're doing great, love."

"One more push." Doctor Eves said from behind her mask. Jenna screamed then I heard a new cry. "Your healthy baby girl, is here. Tyler, do you want to cut the chord here in a few minutes?" She asked and I walked over to admire the gross, crying thing.

"Y-yeah." I felt my heart beating faster in my chest. Who knew meeting the love of your life would be so scary. Finally, I cut the chord from my wife to my child.

"Okay, let's get momma ready to deliver the placenta and the baby cleaned up." The nurses and doctor rushed around the room to get everything taken care of.

"Is she pretty?" Jenna asked me with her eyes closed when I walked back to her.

"Well she's a little gross and squished right now, but I'm sure she will be in a couple days." I made Jenna laugh. "You did it, my love."

"Don't go to sleep just yet, momma. I know you're tired and you're almost done. In about fifteen minutes, you can deliver the placenta, we will give you a bed bath if you'd like. Then you get to meet your little girl." Doctor Eves, assured Jenna.

"Okay." Jenna sighed and sat up just a little. A little more than twenty minutes later, everyone got cleaned up and stitched up before they brough the baby back in.

"Here you go." Doctor Eves brought Alaïa to us. She was swaddled loosely in a blanket. A nurse came in and helped Jenna breast feed Alaïa, which Alaïa caught onto quickly.

"She's a smart one." The nurse smiled.

"Thank God you aren't dumb like your father." Jenna smirked and eyed me.

"Oh whatever." I laughed softly.

"So she should be about done. After this, it's important to do some skin to skin contact. Dad, that's your job so mom can get some rest. We will ask you to take off your shirt and we will take Alaïa's front out of the blanket and you can just sit with her laying against you. If you guys have visitors, then would be a good time to bring them in."

"Oh, I forgot Debby and Josh were here."

"So did I." Jenna laughed a little.

"I can tell them to go if you want. I know you want to rest, we've been up for a little more than twenty four hours." I added.

"Oh no, don't do that. I'm sure she would love to meet her uncle and aunt." A tear rolled down Jenna's cheek.

"Are you okay, love?"

"Yeah," She sniffled, "this is just a really big moment for us."

"It definitely is." Our nurse smiled and grabbed Jenna's hand. "And your hormones are still crazy. Sadly, when you gave birth to your little girl, you didn't birth out the hormones that came with the pregnancy. It'll be a few days before everything balances out, so don't be surprised if you spend the next couple hours or maybe even days crying or getting super upset easily. Especially because you are exhausted" Jenna just nodded. "Okay, she seems to be done since she won't latch back on. I'll go change her real quick. Dad, get ready and you can bring your visitors in. Momma, you did amazing, get some rest." She picked up the baby and left the room.

I helped Jenna cover back up before she fell asleep. Hair in a messy bun, bags under her eyes, no makeup, yet she was absolutely beautiful. "Get some rest, love." I kissed her head and left to find Debby and Josh.

"Oh my gosh! How'd it go?" Josh jumped up.

"Amazing. Jenna did amazing."

"And Alaïa?" Debby asked.

"She looks absolutely horrifying." I chuckled, "but she's perfect."

"Tyler, she's a baby. Of course she's squished looking right now." Josh laughed.

"Do you guys want to come in? Jenna is sleeping but they are about to bring Alaïa in so we can do the whole skin on skin contact thing."

"Yeah." Debby smiled and they both followed me in the room. Jenna was out cold. We all sat in the various seats in the room and waited for the nurse.

"Hi guys." She came into the room. "Okay Mr. Joseph. Are you ready?"

TW scars/healing cuts

"Yeah." I sat up and took off my hat, then my sweatshirt and t-shirt that was under it. The nurse laid Alaïa on my without hesitation. She didn't even mind the scars or the scabbed lines in my arms and chest. She didn't even give it a second look.

She just laid her down and smiled at me, "The most precious thing in the world, it can heal anything." She whispered to me then left.

"I don't think she looks that squished." Josh shook his head.

"She definitely looks better than she did an hour ago." I grinned at the baby. Her small hand moved its way to my window tattoo on my chest, her palm opening to lay across it, practically on my heart. "I love you, you are going to have a great life. I promise. Mommy and daddy will take care of you." I kissed her head and she moved it a little, smiling at the sound of my voice. "Oh my princess, you are perfect." I laid back with her. At some point I fell asleep. I remember Josh picking her up before I did which is why I didn't stress about it too much.
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"Yesterday was a super long day for you two. I'm glad he's resting." I opened my eyes and looked over at my wife who was happily feeding our baby with Debby sitting beside her.

"Yeah. He did amazing. I thought he might freak out a little when I started screaming." Jenna giggled but kept her voice quiet.

"Tyler? No way. He may seem that way, but he's good in situations like that." I heard Josh's voice too. "You know he was up with her until like seven o'clock, I'm surprised he stayed awake that long. He was exhausted."

"Oh please," I said groggily, "I was fine."

"You stayed up until seven?" Jenna looked at me with tears in her eyes, "Just to see our baby?"

"Of course I did, love." I sat up a little.

"Tyler that's more than nearly thirty hours." Debby shook her head, "How did you even do that?"

"I don't know. I'm just use to it-" I cut myself off, "Oh crap. We didn't pack any of my medicines."

"I'll run home and get them. I'm sure everyone wants food and coffee not from a hospital anyway." Josh stood up quickly.

"I'll go with him." Debby smiled, "You guys spend some family time together."

"If we leave now we won't miss your time by very much at all." Josh grabbed the keys, "Text one of us what you guys want." They walked out the door.

"You are amazing, you know that?" Jenna turned towards me after switching sides with the baby.

"Not nearly as amazing as you, Jen."
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- peteywentzy