RP: Life at it's finest

[ericks_folly]

Date: August 4th 2011
Characters: Ruth Strauss, Erick Gardner
Location: Newborn Nursery
Status: Semi Private
Summary: New Life
Completion: Incomplete

Comments

[abbyruthstrauss]

Ruth leaned on the glass a bit, still tired and sore, but unable to stay away. Marianne was wearing the almost expected pink pajamas, with a little cap to keep her head warm. She was a restless sleeper, which made sense since she'd rarely given Ruth a full day or night without bouncing around inside her.

She shook her head. How extraordinary was the human body, to have something so complex come out of it. She said a little prayer of thanks, absentmindedly expressing her awe. She laughed a little, when she saw her feet kicking.

"Guess it's true what they say." She said out loud. "Start as you mean to go on." Her little girl was going to be a handful, that much was obvious.

[ericks_folly]

Hearing the other voice by the glass, Erick smiled. She looked tired but happy which probably meant she was one of the new mothers. There in the nursery was her child and she had a new family.

"Which one is yours?" He asked with an easy smile. It was hard not to feel a little jealous but he knew she had already gone through a lot so it was better to share in the happiness rather than dwell on what he didn't have.

[abbyruthstrauss]

She glanced up to see the older gentleman in a lab coat and a kind smile speaking to her. Blushing a little (an after the many indignities that go along with pregnancy and childbirth, it was amazing that she still COULD blush). she pointed Marianne out. "The one who looks like she's trying to ride a bicycle on her back."

Smiling at her daughter, she added, "Not that it surprises me. She was pretty active the whole time I was carrying her. Settled a bit with music, but she's going to be a handful." A beautiful, beautiful handful.

[ericks_folly]

Erick looked over at the baby the girl pointed out. She was indeed kicking in the air happily. "It's a good sign her being active already. She's adapting to the outside world pretty quickly. Not all babies thrive like that." Erick told her with a chuckle as he watched the baby.

Chances are her mother was right, she would be handful when the time came but clearly also loved.

"Being kept on your toes isn't a bad thing,at least you'll never be bored right?"

[abbyruthstrauss]

She nodded. "Seemed like she was raring to go, though she took her sweet time about it." She laughed a little as her flailing fist finally got close to her mouth, and she tried to suck on it.

"No, not bored. But she's my first, so there's going to be a lot to get used to anyway." And likely her only, but that was her own burden to bear.

"Its funny, in a way I almost wish I was still pregnant." She mused. "At least then I could protect her from the outside world. Now, its a bit less in my control. But I guess every mother feels that way in a sense."

[ericks_folly]

"Well having never actually given birth, I can only congratulate you on your evident success even if she did take her sweet time." Erick joked. "I don't see babies until they're on this side of the womb so I don't deal with the messy side of birth."

He watched the young mother as she watched her baby in the nursery. When she expressed the loss, Erick nodded.

"I've never met a good mother yet who doesn't want to wrap their child in cotton wool. At least for now you get to hold on to her and she won't be struggling to get away and see the world on their own. I hear that part just tears at you."

[abbyruthstrauss]

Ruth laughed a little. "Thank you. I guess it's true what they say - you forget about all the pain once you hold them. Its all worth it in the end." It wasn't something she'd consciously chosen, having a baby out of wedlock and on her own, but by the grace of God it was working out

[ericks_folly]

"They only fly away if they've been raised right. You give them all you can and watch the rest. Oddly enough Love is actually the answer, as trite as that might sound." Erick told her with a shrug.

It was an odd conversation since he rarely met a mother this soon after birth, Logically he knew a lot of what she was saying were caused by the churning hormones, but she seemed to have her head on straight.

"I don't think that age is the factor. Yes you're young but you'll be glad for your youth chasing her around. I've met a lot of new parents and the ones who think they have it all together usually make the worst mistakes and the ones who worry their hearts out do ok. Parenthood is part of the great adventure and you can only strap yourself in tight and hang on."

Erick looked at the mother and she did look young and tired. Reaching out his hand he squeezed her shoulder gently.

"You'll do fine. I'm Erick Gardner a pediatrician here. You can call me any time for any reason if you don't already have a pediatrician picked out."

[abbyruthstrauss]

"She won't lack for that, not if I have anything to do with it." Ruth looked down on Marianne with a smile, feeling her heart flutter as she watched her tiny precious little girl.

" That much is probably right, though I can't say I'll have the chance to wait to have the energy for her." She shrugged. "I won't know until I'm done, I guess. Parenting. Or at least until she's old enough to tell me what I'm doing wrong." She snorts. "God help us both."

She smiled at him. "Thank you. I didn't have one picked out, but I'll be sure to be in touch then."

[ericks_folly]

"That's what matters most. The most unhappy kids I've seen are the ones handed everything on a single platter but can't manage to keep their parents attention longer than it takes to swipe a credit card. She might not appreciate it at the time but in the long run, you'll be her hero."

Something about her words struck her as funny and Erick chuckled. "According to my Mama you will never be finished parenting and she still shows up at my house to make sure I'm eating right. Once that little lady gets to the age to tell you, you're doing it wrong you'll know you're doing it right."

He nodded. "I've got a separate clinic so you don't have to come to the hospital. Today I'm just on rounds. I like to come watch the babies when I'm having a rough morning." He explained with a wry look.

[abbyruthstrauss]

Since Ruth didn't have much in the way of money or possessions to spoil Marianne with, it was unlikely she'd have that problem, but she hoped she'd be able to give her some things, when the time came. And in the meantime, love always.

"Well, I'm sure she'll tell me sooner than I'm ready to hear it." Ruth agreed.

"Sorry to hear things are tough. But I agree, these little ones make everything better." She'd spend more time there except she was fast getting tired.