Double Fun

Tucking my camera into my bag is not first on my mind when I prepare to go to work at 5 a.m. I wish it was, though, so I could give you a glimpse of life in the busy newborn nursery at our large city hospital. Early in the morning, while the doctors are making rounds and disrupting sleeping newborns by examining them, the babies grow impatient with hunger and the crescendo of sometimes 30-plus babies crying rises to a loud pitch. We nurses can block out the sound, unless it's all quiet and only one baby is crying. Also our ears are tuned to a different sound, when it's a more serious cry meaning something is wrong, or a baby chokes, and we rush to save a life.

Summers seem to be especially busy for some reason (count back nine months). A full moon or a storm a-brewing always brings in the babies any time of the year. (I can actually look at the moon at night and know how busy the next day will be.) But this summer it has been wildly busy (good job security). And what has been most unusual is the number of "multiples." Primarily twins. Twice last week we had FIVE sets. Never in my many years of working there have I ever seen that. They were all about 36 weeks of age. It almost got confusing! They take extra care to be sure they regulate their temperature adequately and and are eating well. So sweet!

Photo: my twin aunts, who as a young child I collectively called "Aunt Twinnies"