Scent

There are times when I sit down to write this blog and I simply have no words to type; a thousands thoughts, yes, but nothing that will form into "note-worthy" material. And then I wonder, why at a time like this, does it even have to be note-worthy at all. This is in fact, my blog--the words expressed here can be whatever I choose for them to be. And so today I would like to talk about the smell of the NICU. I know, it sounds odd, but if you're going to understand this experience, you need to know about the minor details as well. Imagine staring at a plastic incubator at the tiny miracle you have created. You see this precious, tiny baby, naked except for the diaper he is wearing. You lean in to be as close to your child as possible. The scent hits you. It is that sterile, hospital smell, that is pushing through dry air. When you're not there, next to your child, you can close your eyes and still smell it. It doesn't smell like baby lotion or Dreft laundered clothing. It doesn't smell like baby at all. And you become excited to finally have your baby smell like a baby should--and yet slightly sad that he doesn't already.