The minute Elizabeth called him at work with the news, Burt was in pure disbelief and shock. He was certain it was a false positive, or maybe what she thought was morning sickness was just a stomach bug. She couldn't possibly be pregnant. But, after four positive tests, he knew it was the real thing. His wife was pregnant, they were going to have a kid, and he was going to be a dad.
He didn't know the first thing about being a parent. He'd never changed a diaper or fed a baby before. And they were so little, and what if he dropped it while walking down the stairs with it? Burt wasn't sure if he was cut out to be a father. And what if it was twins? The thought of one baby was enough to concern him, but if there were two, that was a whole different story. Thankfully, the first time they went to the doctor she assured them there was just one.
Burt wanted to find out if it was a boy or girl, but the doctor said they would have to wait a couple of months. But he didn't want to wait. His wife didn't seem to care whether it was a boy or girl, but Burt wanted a boy. He wanted someone to teach how to play baseball and football with, and he would take him to the garage and let him help out, and they would stay up late and watch sports games. He wasn't sure about actually taking care of the kid, but the idea of having his own little son to show off made him happy.
As the weeks went on, the idea of having a kid was slowly growing on Burt. He and his young wife weren't planning on kids for a while, but it kind of just… happened. She was only 24 years old, Burt 26. They weren't ready for a baby financially or mentally. But Elizabeth was already in love with their little son or daughter, so he went along with it.
The whole thing didn't seem real until she started showing. There was actually a baby in there. Their baby. They still had to wait a couple of more weeks before they were able to find out the sex, but Burt still hoped for a boy. He wasn't sure what he would do if it turned out to be a girl. Elizabeth kept saying she didn't care which it was, but Burt knew she'd always wanted a little girl.
The day finally came for them to find out the gender of their baby, and they were both anticipating whatever news they got. Burt didn't even care at that point. He just wanted to know. He held his wife's hand as the ultrasound technician lifted up her shirt. Elizabeth was twenty weeks pregnant, so halfway done. Burt grew impatient as they waited for the result. He wanted a son so badly. Sure, a girl would be okay, but he would have so much fun with his son.
"The baby's heart rate looks great, and there's no apparent problems. Would you like to find out the sex?" she asked. Burt and Elizabeth looked at each other. It was finally the moment of truth.
"Yes, please," she told her. Burt crossed his fingers, wishing one last time for a baby boy.
"It looks like… it's a girl," she said cheerfully. A girl. Burt's dreams of football and sports were tossed out the window. He was going to have a little girl. His world was going to consist of dress up and nail painting and princesses. As much as Burt wanted a son, he didn't mind having a daughter, because he was going to be her daddy.
"Everything looks healthy," the technician went on. "That's her arm right there, and her foot." Burt didn't see anything more than a mass of black and white, but apparently the technician could tell everything apart. She switched off the little screen and rubbed the gel off of Elizabeth's stomach. "You can sign out at the front desk when you're ready. Congratulations on your baby girl." Elizabeth thanked her, and the woman left the room.
"Burt, we're having a girl," his wife gushed, hugging him tightly. Burt put his arms around her, feeling thankful. Their baby was healthy and a girl and he was going to have a daughter.
The next several weeks were a whirlwind of activity. They got the nursery in order and hired painters to paint her room baby pink with large white polka dots scattered on the walls. Burt missed his endless dreams of raising a son. If he was having doubts about parenting a boy, then a girl wouldn't be any easier. But he told himself that he could still teach her how to throw a football, and let her watch basketball with him.
Some of Elizabeth's friends from work put together a baby shower for her. Burt was expecting them to buy things like blankets and bottles, but that wasn't the case. Her coworkers apparently went out and bought every pink dress and stuffed animal and accessory there was. Burt had never seen so much pink in his life. It was a little overwhelming.
They received several gift cards as well, so Elizabeth made Burt go shopping together for a crib and changing table and stroller. There was so much to choose from, but he just wanted to make his wife happy, so he let her pick everything out. They wound up spending way more than they should have, but it was for their baby, so Burt didn't care if he would have to spend some extra time in the garage to bring in a little more money.
"Burt, we're going to have to pick a name out. At this rate she's going to go to kindergarten nameless," his wife complained one night. They were on the couch eating dinner, and baby names were pretty low on Burt's priority list at the moment. He didn't want to be put under the pressure to give his kid a name. She was going to be stuck with it for the rest of her life, so they had to make it something good.
"Do you have anything in mind?" he asked. Overall he didn't care what she was named, but he wanted something simple, like Lauren or Danielle or Emily. Not fancy like Destiny or Juliana. Their little girl was not going to have a bratty name.
"What about Katherine?" Elizabeth suggested. Burt thought it over. It wasn't too fancy, and it sounded good. Plus they could always call her Katie or even just Kate.
"I like that," he agreed. "I didn't know it would be this easy. What about a middle name?" Burt didn't want to have to pick it out, so he just listened to his wife's suggestions.
"Katherine Joy Hummel. Do you like that?" she asked.
"Katherine Joy Hummel," he repeated. "Sounds good. Let's go with that." Within five minutes their baby had gone from just their baby girl to somebody. She was Katherine -Kate- Hummel.
By the time Elizabeth was 38 weeks pregnant her doctor said the baby could come any day. Burt stayed close to the phone at the garage in case it was time. The whole reality that in just a few short weeks they would actually be parents was finally setting in. Burt was beginning to get cold feet about it all. He wasn't fond of waking up at three in the morning to a crying baby. His wife assured him he would do great, but he was still doubting himself.
A week later he got the call. It was Saturday and he was at the garage. Elizabeth was at home and said she was pretty sure she was in labor. Burt hurried home to her and drove her to the hospital. They would have a baby in just a few hours. Burt was nervous, yet excited at the same time. He was going to see his baby for the first time. He just wanted everything to go okay.
Apparently the baby was breech. Burt wasn't sure what that meant, but they were going to have to do surgery to get her out. Elizabeth was getting worried, especially since the doctor said Kate's heart rate was low. Burt was worried, too, but he didn't want to make his wife even more nervous that she actually was.
"Burt, what if something goes wrong? What if there's something wrong with her?" she worried. Burt tied her hospital gown around her back for her and kissed her cheek.
"She'll be fine," he promised. "They're gonna get her out and she's gonna be just fine. Then we'll get to see her and hold her." She smiled and took his hand, still visibly uncomfortable.
The doctor made Burt put on scrubs to go to the operating room. He walked next to his wife, who got to ride in a wheelchair down the hall. They had to put a needle in her spine to make her numb for the surgery. Burt held her and tried to not worry. She was fine. The baby was going to be fine. With any luck she'd look like her mother.
Once they got started with the operation, Burt was just waiting for the sound of her crying for the first time. It seemed like ages. He could feel his heart beating in his chest, anxious and excited and nervous and impatient. He peeked around the blue paper curtain and saw the doctor holding a tiny little body. He smiled and tried to get a better look at her.
"It's a boy!" the doctor called out. His smile turned into shock. He didn't believe it. Everything happened at once. A nurse took the baby over to a little table to be looked at, and a tiny whimper filled the otherwise silent operating room.
"It's a boy?" Elizabeth asked. She was just as confused as he was. "Burt, go look." He wanted to stay by her side, but knew better than to argue. He kissed her forehead and got up. A nurse was cleaning the baby off and another wrapped a band around its ankle. Burt got up close and looked down at it. Their baby was most definitely a boy.
He hesitantly reached out to touch him for the first time, and the baby wrapped his hand around Burt's finger. He cried and kicked his feet in the air before drawing his knees back up to his chest. He was so tiny, but somehow so loud. He had a little bit of brown hair, but his eyes were shut so Burt couldn't tell what color they were.
"You can hold him here in a minute once we weigh and measure him," the nurse told Burt. He nodded and dashed back to his wife.
"It's a boy," he confirmed, giving her a kiss. "They're gonna let me hold him in a second. I'll bring him over here."
"He can't sleep in a pink nursery," his wife panicked. "All the clothes we got are pink." Burt laughed.
"We can fix that," he told her. "Let's focus on you and him for right now, okay?" she nodded, a little out of it from all the drugs they had given her. A nurse came over to Burt holding the baby, who was wrapped up tightly in a blue blanket. He'd finally opened his eyes, and they were a plain shade of blue-gray. The nurse handed him over to Burt, and his heart skipped a beat as he took him. He didn't want to drop him, or hold him too tightly. The baby looked up at him but remained expressionless. Burt already loved him. He had his son he'd wished for all along.
"He's perfect," Elizabeth murmured, tilting her head to give him a kiss. "I want to hold him."
"I don't think they'll let you right now," he let her down gently. "They will once you're all done here."
"We need to take him to the nursery to do a few routine tests and give him a bath," the nurse explained, taking the baby back from him. Burt wanted to grab him right back from her and keep holding him. He barely knew how to handle a baby, but that was his kid and he was perfect.
There was a little part of him that was disappointed it wasn't a girl. He would've spoiled her rotten no doubt about it, but he was just fine with his baby boy.
"Burt, go with him," his wife ordered. "Make sure everything's okay."
"What about you?" he asked, holding her hand. She shooed him away.
"Go. I'm fine. Just stay with him." he kissed her again and then hurried to catch up with the nurse. He couldn't go in the nursery, but he watched everything they did to him through the glass pane.
The nurse stuck a needle in his leg and the heel of his foot, and he cried out. Another nurse put drops in his little eyes. He began to cry harder, but calmed down once they started to rinse him off. They just gave him a sponge bath and washed his hair, but it looked like he was falling asleep. The second nurse put a diaper and hat on him, then wrapped him in a new blanket. Burt was anxious to hold him again.
Soon after that the nurses led him down the hall to a new room, and his wife was reclining in the bed. Burt went over to her and hugged her gently before the nurse handed her the baby.
"Congratulations, Mrs. Hummel," she told her. "He's six pounds six ounces, and eighteen inches long and perfectly healthy." Elizabeth unwrapped him from the blanket and counted all his fingers and toes. He began to whimper, so she tucked him back in. Pretty soon it was just the three of them left in the room.
"Burt, he's perfect," she repeated. Burt definitely loved his son, he just still couldn't believe that the tiny little baby in his wife's arms was his. He was going to have to take care of it- him. He still was a little unsure about how exactly to be a father, but for time being he could just hold him and love him.
"We have to pick a name for him," Elizabeth reminded him.
"Burt Hummel, Jr.," he suggested, half-teasing. His wife looked at him as if he wasn't serious. "What?"
"Not Burt," she said. "Something with a K. Kate Hummel sounded perfect for a girl."
"Kurt rhymes with Burt, and it starts with a K," he told her. "We both get what we want.
"Kurt Hummel. I love it." Elizabeth yawned. "We can pick a middle name later." Burt realized he had been standing the entire time, so he pulled up a chair next to his wife's bed. He watched as she fell all over him, and talked to him and cooed at him. Burt wanted to hold him again, but she didn't want to give him up.
After a nurse helped her feed him, Elizabeth said she was going to take a nap, so Burt was finally getting his chance to see him again. He picked up his little son carefully and took him out in the hall so if he cried it wouldn't wake Elizabeth up. Burt held him awkwardly, still unsure how to do it properly. He was almost too small to cradle, but holding him with his head on his shoulder didn't feel right, either. He was going to have to adjust, though.
He walked up and down the hall with him, alternating between staring down at him and looking out the sixth floor window. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do with him. If he talked to him, could he hear him? Burt wasn't sure. He took him back into the room and sat down with him, holding him carefully with both arms wrapped around his little body. He kissed his forehead and watched him fall asleep, looking just as beautiful as his mother.
Author's Notes:
Here have a baby Kurt oneshot. I got this idea when a lady at my church was supposed to have a boy and it turned out to be a girl, and yeah. I tried to write this to the best of my abilities, but seeing as I am a teenager I'm not really sure how a C-section works. But anyways. Oh, and according to Ryan Murphy Kurt's middle name is Elizabeth. I'm not really sure how that happened so I just left it out. I hope you liked it, though!