Dispelling Rumors.

The speculations are filled with much excitement and the pictures are on facebook appear to "prove" it. But I must confess, I did not have a baby, nor am I even pregnant (despite the recent weight gain). Instead, these pictures tell part of the "story" about our recent trip the Ukraine.

Andrei's mom is a neonatal doctor and was delighted at our suggestion that we come tour her hospital facilities and meet "her" babies.

So she suited us up in the appropriate gear:

And she introduced us to all of the babies on her ward:

His mother seemed to have the professional, comforting touch while the babies seemed to sense my inexperienced handling care.

After Andrei inquired about whether his mother was worried about any germs we may be carrying from Tanzania, our tour was quickly diverted to another floor of the hospital, where we got to see the "traditional" baby send off from the hospital and entry into the real world.

This package of premium services is complete with film footage to capture the special moment as well as oversized stuffed aniamls to celebrate the occasion. Afterall, who can deny all the extra trimmings for such a special occassion?! The presence of stork in the corner allows those who would prefer the false pretense that babies always have a safe, healthy and happily ever after entry into this world to go on believing.

All joking aside, this the tour of this birthing facility was incredibly impressive on its own right, but especially given my most recent baseline of comparison in Tanzania.