<p>I'm a wee bit intimidated by infants.  </p>

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<p>I'm used to being around kids 2½ and up.  Back in the day when I was in the classroom, I was known as the second coming of Mary Poppins.  Give me a rowdy group of preschoolers, and I can lead them blindfolded and with my hands behind my back.</p>

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<p>But an infant?  They are so fragile.  I gracefully decline holding them and simply coo from afar. </p>

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<p>This worked out just fine until Day 17.  One of my posse gave birth a week ago.  This is significant because no one in the posse has given birth since we've all been together.  (Going on almost ten years!)  I asked Whitney, aka Whitters, to kindly give birth on my birthday, but nature dictated "no" and delivered baby Michael one week later. </p>

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<p>It was time for the 1st Baby Worshipping Visitation.  I tried to coordinate with Cooleenie so that I could stick to my comfortable coo from afar tactic, but Cooleenie is a professional chaueffer to two teenage kids which makes for a complicated schedule. </p>

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<p>So I trekked out for the 1st Baby Worhipping Visitation all by lonesome. </p>

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<p>When I arrived, baby Michael was asleep in his bassenette.  I was stunned at how beautiful this 1-week-old baby was since most babies at this stage look like aliens.  Come on, you know it's true!  But not baby Michael.  Nope.  Simply beautiful, I tell you.   </p>

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<p>I genuinely cooed from afar and then plopped down on the sofa with Whitters to get the gory details of childbirth.  Whitters had nothing to report but sunshine and lollipops because this is the story of Whitter's life.  She is like Cinderella with the birds and mice trailing behind her as they sing upbeat songs.  And she's just as sweet and kind as Cinderella, so you can't even get the slightest bit annoyed at her. </p>

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<p>Anywho -- get this -- Whitters felt only mild cramping and then pushed for ten minutes. </p>

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<p>I tried to warn you.</p>

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<p>Trust me, sunshine and lollipops could not happen to a better person. </p>

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<p>Throughout our conversation, baby Michael slept and slept and slept as Whitters and Prince Charming Chad (yep, he's perfect, too) told me how Michael awakes every hour and a half to eat.  Of course, Whitters looked gorgeous and as though she had not lost ten minutes of sleep.  At the two hour mark, I was obviously a sedative for baby Michael. </p>

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<p>As I started to wrap up the Baby Worshipping Visitation, I thought my coo from afar streak continued until...Chad offered to wake him up so that I could hold him. </p>

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<p>Uh-oh. </p>

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<p>What makes this doubly interesting is that Whitters used to be the same way as me!  Ha!  Now she had no choice, and neither did I. </p>

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<p>Chad ignored my drivel about feeling nervous and basically told me there was nothing to worry about while he gently cradled baby Michael in my lap. </p>

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<p>And that's when I completely melted. </p>

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