After going two weeks over her due date, eighteen painful hours in labor, a near heart attack when Isabella didn't immediately cry after being born, and another two weeks spent in the hospital making sure that Isabella was completely healthy and ready to face a whole new world, the eager new parents were finally able to bring their newborn home.
Demi didn't want to be selfish, and after some assurance from Wilmer that what she was doing wasn't selfish, she had banned her family and her friends from visiting them for at least a week so that they could get settled down and get used to having Isabella at home with them. Demi wanted to spend time with her daughter and her husband without their nosy family and friends hovering over them and telling them how to do things.
But it was now 4am, Isabella was hollering in her nursery, Wilmer was in a deep sleep, and Demi was beginning to regret her decision. She was exhausted and right about now it would actually be helpful having her mom in the guest room and awake to tend to Isabella while she got some much needed sleep.
But I'm her mother and that's my responsibility, Demi thought to herself before pushing the covers away and wrapping her robe around herself. She quietly padded out of her room and to the nursery, turning one of the lamps and reaching into the white crib to pick her daughter up. She cradled her to her chest and begin to slowly rock her back and forth and up and down. She checked her diaper and she was still dry. She tried giving her the pacifier that she loved but she refused it and spit it out to the floor. Demi grabbed one of the bottles filled with the milk that she had pumped earlier and warmed it up, testing it on her skin to make sure that it wasn't too hot. Feeling that it was at the perfect temperature, Demi sat down in the rocking chair and Isabella immediately latched onto the bottle, curling her hand into a tiny fist around Demi's pointer finger as she rocked them back and forth.
Demi took this time, this sacred moment, to admire the little girl that she had given birth to, that God had allowed her and Wilmer to create out of an act of pure love. She cursed herself for earlier in her pregnancy when she hadn't been sure if she really wanted a baby at the time. Looking down at Isabella, it was all worth it. The eighteen hours in labor, the weight gain, the hiatus from her career, the fights with Wilmer. Everything was worth it because of the little bundle of joy in her arms.
Demi knew that it was too early to tell but she knew that she would turn out to look just like her. She had the tone of Wilmer's skin but the big honey brown eyes, the plump pink lips, the slightly pointed nose, the butt chin, the round shape of her face, it was all her. She already had a head full of shiny brown hair and she was the most precious thing that she had ever seen. She was everything that she had ever wanted swaddled in a cashmere blanket from Baby Burberry in London.
Isabella stopped sucking on the bottle and released a strangled cry as Demi pulled it away from her mouth. Demi placed her on her shoulder to burp her but Isabella was still crying so she gave up and went back to rocking her. How had Wilmer not woken up yet?
"Isn't she lovely, isn't she wonderful? Isn't she precious? Less than one minute old. I never thought through love we'd be making one as lovely as she. But isn't she lovely made from love?" Demi softly sang, causing Isabella's crying to quiet down as she fully opened her eyes and looked up at her mother in awe. Demi smiled down at her and continued to sing.
"Isn't she pretty? Truly the angel's best. Boy I'm so happy, we have been heaven blessed. I can't believe what God has done, through us he's given life to one. But isn't she lovely made from love," Isabella cooed at her mother before closing her eyes to the sound of her soft singing. Demi couldn't wipe the smile off of her face as she stood up and placed her back in her crib, only now noticing Wilmer standing in the doorway with a small smile playing on his lips.
"I love you Isa," she whispered to her tiny baby before following Wilmer out of the nursery after making sure that the baby monitors were on.
"I guess it's gonna be another early day," Wilmer yawned as Demi nodded and folded her arms across her chest. She didn't mind early days anymore because that just meant getting to spend more time with Isabella, even if the one month old only pooped and ate and slept all day. Just being around her daughter made her feel so complete inside, like she was the little piece of her that she had no idea she was missing.
"Yeah I guess. And we can invite everyone over...I guess," Demi suggested but Wilmer shook his head. At first he was unsure of her banning everyone from their house for a week but he liked it. He liked figuring out what Isabella wanted and needed without anyone else. He liked the quality time with his wife and his first child.
"Let's just have another family day," Wilmer said, turning on the light in their bathroom so that they could prepare for the day. If she slept like she normally did, Isabella would probably be awake in another two hours so they had two hours to take showers, get dressed, and eat breakfast.
As soon as Demi took the last bite of her blueberry pancake, the baby monitor sounded off and the kitchen was filled with Isabella's cries. Wilmer swept into action while Demi cleaned up their mess from breakfast and warmed up another bottle for Isabella.
"Right on time," Wilmer chuckled, rocking his daughter back and forth as she calmed down and looked between both of her parents.
"Hey mommy's baby! Good morning sweet cheeks!" Demi cooed in her a high pitched voice causing Isabella to break out into a wide smile.
"Hey there baby girl! You look so adorable!" Isabella's smile was gummy and wide, a smile that rivaled Demi's and caused Wilmer to smile as well.
"She looks just like you," Wilmer was gonna give Isabella to Demi but he savored the feeling of having his daughter in his arms, and both of his girls smiling and happy despite the fact that it was six am and the sun was barely out.
"Yeah but she'll probably have her daddy's sweet personality. Isn't that right Isa?" Demi asked as if she could respon to her. Isabella smiled widely again and Demi twisted the cap on her bottle and handed it to Wilmer so that he could feed her. They went to the living room and sat down, Demi turning on the TV for some background noise as Demi snuggled up to him and Isabella.
"Six years ago, could you picture this?" Six years ago Demi was on the verge of death, battling addictions and depression and unknown disorders, having the feeling that she could conquer the world but not being able to because of the demons that held her back. Six years ago Wilmer was running the streets, partying until the early hours of the morning, waking up to random girls, and throwing away any hope for his future.
But the unthinkable had happened. They changed for each other and with each other. It was hard and it took a while but they did it, and now they could sit in the house that they had bought together with the little girl that they had created out of their love, and be thankful for the change that they had went through.
"No, I don't even think I wanted this six years ago but now I'm so content. I don't need anything else. I don't need any more awards or hit songs or platinum albums. I just need you and Isabella and everything will be okay," Demi sniffled, an overwhelming sense of pride for herself and for Wilmer and all that they had done sweeping through her body.
"Me too, nena. Me too," he kissed the top of her head and then kissed Isabella's forehead, and the small yet content family sat and watched the sunrise, basking in the love that they had for each other, the love that would never go away.
You give me a feeling
That I never felt before
And I deserve it
I know I deserve it
It's becoming something that's impossible to ignore
It is what we make it...
