For the First Time

Change of Pace

"Brooklynn, please take your bottle," I pleaded to the wailing, tiny bundle as she sat in my arms refusing the formula. I sat there and slammed the bottle on the counter for the fourth time in twenty minutes and pushed the stray hairs out of my face. Who would've thought it was only 8:00 in the morning and had to be at work in 30 minutes? All the while my husband had made his way into work this morning at 6:00.

I sat Brooklynn back into her high chair after she finally settled and began to pack the diaper bag for the day. It was my first full day back at work ever since we officially got Brooklynn three weeks ago. I always ran into the hospital every once and awhile for a couple of cases, but either Derek or myself was always there. I finished packing everything from extra bottles of formula, to wipes, diapers, her favorite elephant stuffed animal, and anything else that I could think of. I looked over at Brooklynn in her high chair and saw that her eyes were getting heavy so she obviously couldn't be too hungry. I packed her already made bottle into the bag and put her into the car seat and carried her out to the car.

The drive into work was the same old same old with traffic busting at the seams. I looked in my rearview and saw Brooklynn fast asleep in her car seat, she was normally a good car rider, especially whenever the drive was a smooth one. We made it safely to the hospital and my hormones immediately kicked in. Even though she wasn't my baby by blood, she was still my baby and I wasn't ready to give her to a bunch of strangers for the entire day. I opened up the back door and took in her sleeping figure, so precious and  untouched by the dangerous world around her.

"Alright baby girl, please be good today," I whispered to her before gently placing a kiss on her forehead. I removed her seat from the car and carried her into the hospital. 

"Well look who it is," said a calming voice once we entered the hospital. I looked up from the baby carrier and saw my husband standing in front of us with one of the biggest smiles.

"Hey there,"I said smiling back and leaned in for a soft peck on the lips. "How was the case this morning?"

"Good, the patient was conscious whenever I got here, so I've been working on paperwork all morning. How is our little love bug?" he asked.

"Well someone wouldn't take her bottle again this morning, but otherwise she was fine. She slept the entire car ride here," I told him as I stared down at Brooklynn. Everything seemed so perfect right now and I never wanted to leave. My pager inevitably beeped and I looked up at Derek with tears forming in my eyes.

"She will be fine," he reassured me. "I'll drop her off at daycare and let all of the nannies fawn over her, she'll eat, sleep, and poop and have the time of her life. Don't worry, she's in good hands."

"Okay," I said before handing over the baby carrier and the diaper bag. "Goodbye love bug, I'll see you later today." I kissed her once more on the forehead and looked up so that Derek could kiss me on the cheek.

"Say bye to mommy," he told Brooklynn before we parted our separate ways. I stood there and watched the love of my life walk away with our child and realized how everything in my life seemed to be falling into place.

I rushed down to the E.R. after changing into my scrubs to meet the ambulance that was coming into the bay. 

"Nice to see that you're back Grey," Owen said as he tied the back of my gown. "How's the little girl doing for you?" 

"She's great," I said with a smile. "Sad that I had to leave her today but I've definitely missed this adrenaline rush." The ambulance raced into the bay with the sirens screaming and the paramedics immediately ran out of the rig.

"Ashley June, age 28, 37 weeks pregnant, accidentally ran her car into the garage and is complaining of abdominal pain," the paramedic said.

"I was so stupid, my stupid pregnancy brain told me that I had the car in reverse but it was actually in drive, I can't believe this," Ashley said.