The Miracle of New Life

There is nothing better than a perfect newborn baby to reaffirm the miracle of life. I was introduced to Angeli Daniella today and was simply incredulous at her beauty.

She did not have an easy trip into this world. Glenda was in labor for an entire 24 hours and finally gave birth mid-day yesterday to what we thought would be a baby as tiny as she is. Instead her baby was 7-1/2 pounds and a lot of inches long.

She has her mother’s dark shiny hair and her father’s light skin. She in no way resembles most babies a day old, at least not the ones I’ve seen. She has perfect skin and seems awake and alert most of the time.

Glenda is tiring of the hospital routine where people are always coming around for one reason or another and the food is not so good. The baby stays in her room, so she must always be responsible. She will probably feel much more relaxed when she is back in her family’s apartment.

I was fascinated to observe how a non-Spanish-speaking pediatrician communicated with her, enlisting the help of a translator and using a phone with two receivers. I’m sure her lack of English language skills continues to plague Glenda in this world where many professionals do not speak Spanish.

Tomorrow afternoon we will return with the blue gently used car seat to take mother and baby home. She will wrap little Angeli in several blankets because at this point she doesn’t have a bunting or snowsuit or coat small enough to fit a newborn. I promised to take her on a shopping trip to Target (where she has a couple of gift cards) soon to get some sort of warm outerwear for the baby.

I wish for this baby, who is a US citizen, a life that is not quite so difficult as her mother’s has been. At this point endless possibilities await her. This is just the beginning.