My favorite Mary

Chapter 38: Sleepless nights

Mature content in this chapter toward the end:

Their first week home:

Tristan hears the baby crying and he is trying to open his eyes. He is so tired and he knows Rory is exhausted. Newborns are very persistent with feeding and diaper change schedules. He rolled out of bed and literally landed on the floor. He steadied himself and climbed off the floor.

He walked to the nursery and stumbled into the door frame and the wall before making it to Michael's door. He walked in and picked him up.

"Hey, there little man. Sssh daddy's here buddy. I will dry you and then take you to mommy so she can nurse you. How's daddy's little man now? Good because daddy is holding you. I love you Michael but mommy and daddy really need more sleep buddy."

He wiped the tears off his face and changed his diaper. "Feel better now? Yeah, you're all dry and now we go visit mommy so she can feed you. Yes, we will." He walked back to their room with a burp cloth. 

"Rory, baby I have Michael and he is hungry. He has been changed and I will burp him for you after you feed him."

Rory slowly opened her eyes and sat up. She held her arms out for Michael and Tristan placed him in her arms. Rory sat there and fed Michael. 

Tristan walked to the bathroom to relieve himself and washed his hands. He walked back into their room and stood at their doorframe looking at his wife who was sitting straight up and asleep.  Michael was still eating. He walked over to the bed and easily sat down beside her and she startled awake. 

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to fall asleep feeding him. That is dangerous."

"Hey, baby don't apologize we are new parents and haven't had more than five hours of sleep since he was born. We are both exhausted. I wish there was some way that I could help you out but you are the only one that can feed him I don't have the same equipment." He wiggled his eyebrows at her and smiled.

"I could pump and we could freeze it. Someone got me a breast pump at the shower. I completely forgot about it."

"Really? Okay, so why don't we do baby duties in shifts? So, we can each get enough sleep."

"Really, baby? That would be awesome I am so exhausted. I well we haven't slept a solid three hours straight, since he was born. You are such a good dad and an even more amazing husband." She leaned her head toward his and he came the rest of the way until their lips melted together.

He put his arm around her and held her close while she finished nursing Michael. When he was finished eating Tristan took him and burped him. "I am going to take him back to the nursery you go back to sleep and I will be back shortly to cuddle up with you. I love you, baby." He kissed her on top of the head. 

He walked back to the nursery and sat down in the rocker and rocked Michael back to sleep while singing to him and gently patting his butt. "Good night sweet boy we will see you in three hours. Daddy and mommy love you." He laid him back in his crib and quietly shut the door. 

He walked back to their room and crawled into bed and curled up next to Rory's back. He soon drifted off to sleep. 

Later that day:

"Okay, baby now I am going to do the overnight feedings and you will do the daytime feedings. So from ten until six is my time. I will go to sleep after his six am feeding and then he will be back up at nine. Then I want you to wake me up at three so we can spend time together that will give us each eight hours of solid sleep per night."

"I know Tristan I just feel like I am a bad mom who can't even enjoy motherhood because I am so exhausted. My mom raised me without any help. Why can't I wake up and feed my son?"