Five Days After Birth

Five days after birth
No one is inside me
Only my guts wriggle, trying to find their way to normalcy
Normalcy

A New Life; A New kind of Normal
Changing bed arrangements
Stretching a couple's love deeper toward agape
Three kids; yes, there are three of them
Gabriel Nuzzles Avriana and tenderly chants "Baby" over and over
Then pulls forcefully on her tiny tuft of darkish hair
She frowns and goes back to sleep

Nika wonders, "Will Avriana like me?"
And remarks enthusiastically, "Avriana's butt crack is showing!"

Avriana pants for my breast and suckles perfectly until gas strikes
Gas is the worst

Burping, like occasional crying is a relief

Sleeping happens or doesn't at odd times
I lie awake while Avriana sleeps, wondering how I'll take care of my whole family
How I'll take care of me too

Avriana is awake for a little while and I smile exhausted and delighted into her marvelous eyes, singing her the song I made when she was making in me

I start working on albums, balancing time with the other two wonderful children

And I eat chocolate.