Our baby was the only resident of the nursery and thus we had the place to ourselves, with the exception of the nursing staff that were by default her private staff. The only time other babies came in and out from the nursery were for short little visits involving blood work or foot printing.
Some of the babies that came through were gorgeous little cherubs.
This baby was wheeled into the nursery in a rolling bassinet and parked across the room from where our butts were parked. I, being a lover of babies - especially newborns, had a big awww and sigh as the little guy came into to nursery shrieking as loud as a newborn can. The nurse paid no attention immediately as she finished up 20 seconds of paperwork. I asked the nurse if I might comfort the baby and she stated that was against the rules. She washed her hands and walked over to give the newborn his misplaced pacifier before washing up again and coming to give our little cherub her medical treatment.
Thirty seconds later, this transient nursery mate was pipes a screaming again. This time the nurse was gloves on trying to maneuver with a needle and teeny tiny little baby parts with our daughter. Mr. Weasel, who can't stand to see a newborn go un-comforted either asked if he may give the the little fella his pacifier back, being that the nurse had her hands already full. She looked around and gave the okay, as long as Mr. W washed his hands first. Thus, Mr. Weasel did and soon the baby was quiet again.
Within seconds of the little guy getting his comfort plug back and Mr. W. returning to our
I walked quickly to the bassinet and set eyes on the poor little fella for the first time and instantly emitted from my lungs a screech from deep within my soul and jumped back with a start. Both the Mr. and the nurse spontaneously laughed with the knowledge of what had caught me so off guard and caused this extreme reflex.
This was the ugliest child ever born.
I tended the poor little guy while I explored the thought of what a rough life he had in front of him and returned to my baby with the nurse and Mr. Weasel still in stitches. "Yeah, we had been thinking the same thing", they managed to squeak out between chuckles.
I then had a morbid curiosity of what the parents must look like. The nurse laughed a knowing laugh, but made no further comment. I speculate that they may have been a gargoyle and a three horned goat.
Well, that's my one and only ugly baby sighting. I wish that kid the best in life and hope that he had just been having a long and hard first day in his life, but I really doubt it. For this was a face only a Mother could love.