The first time we gave our newborn son a bath at home, my husband said: “Oh, we should use the soap we got from the hospital!” I was confused as I didn’t recall getting soap. He goes into the bag and pulls out a freaking… travel-sized bottle of hand sanitizer. I went still for a moment, holding our tiny, peaceful baby while my husband proudly held up the bottle like he’d discovered treasure. We both stared at it, and then at each other, before bursting into laughter that filled the bathroom. Parenthood had barely begun, yet it was already teaching us that even in moments of uncertainty, a sense of humor was sometimes the only thing that kept panic away. We tossed the sanitizer aside, grateful we’d double-checked, and settled on the gentle baby wash we’d purchased earlier, feeling a mixture of amusement and relief. Continue reading…
