I even stuck to a perfect schedule, sleeping by 10 p.m. like clockwork, and waking up by 7 a.m. If I ever got hungry during the night, I pressed the nurse call button instead of crying or waking up Mom.
Unsurprisingly, I became the darling of the center.
And once I realized how much everyone loved a smart, polite baby, I started showing off just a little.
First, I started with 'Mommy' and 'Daddy.' Then I leveled up, calling the nurses 'Miss' and the other moms 'Ma'am.' The whole postpartum center lit up with excitement.
"Pearl's a genius baby!"
"She's talking already? She's barely a month old!"
While I was busy stealing hearts, my sister—on the opposite side of the center—was beginning to attract some attention as well. Her features had started to sharpen, and her skin was as fair and delicate as porcelain. People began commenting that she looked like a doll straight out of a luxury boutique.
And that was all it took for Vivian, my sister's new mom, to discover her motherly instincts suddenly. She cradled my sister like she was priceless fine silverware, softly singing lullabies as she rocked her in her arms. And then, to everyone's surprise, my sister started humming along.