Parents.. with different treatment

First as parents

Valerie and Colby stood in the doorway of their home, cradling their newborn son, Xander, in his tiny, soft blue blanket. The hospital stay felt like a whirlwind, but now they were home, and reality was setting in: this was the beginning of their life as a family.

Valerie had imagined this moment so many times—bringing her baby home, settling into life as a new mom—but in the quiet of their living room, the weight of it all sank in. The once-familiar space seemed different now, like a new chapter of their lives was beginning, full of unknowns and unexpected moments.

Colby, still holding Xander, looked at Valerie with a mix of excitement and uncertainty. "Can you believe it? We're really parents now."

Valerie smiled, though her exhaustion was evident. "I know. It's surreal, isn't it?"

They walked to the nursery, which they had meticulously prepared for months. The crib stood in the corner, soft toys arranged neatly, the rocking chair waiting in the glow of the nightlight. But it all felt more real now that Xander was here—small, vulnerable, and completely dependent on them.

Valerie gently took Xander from Colby and sat in the rocking chair, gazing down at his peaceful face. "Look at him," she whispered. "He's so tiny."

Colby knelt beside her, running a finger along Xander's soft cheek. "It's like...he's a miracle."

They spent the next few hours simply watching him, as though they were afraid they'd miss something important in his delicate, newborn sleep. But soon enough, the tranquility was interrupted by Xander's first cries at home—a reminder that their new life would be anything but peaceful at times.

"Okay, here we go," Colby said with a nervous laugh, as Valerie carefully tried to calm Xander, who was squirming in her arms.

"Is it time for a feeding? Or maybe a diaper change?" Valerie asked, her mind racing as she tried to recall everything the nurses had told them.

"Probably both," Colby replied, running to get a bottle they had prepared just in case.

Valerie gently rocked Xander, trying to soothe his cries. "Shhh, it's okay, baby. Mama's here."

Colby returned with the bottle, and they fumbled together through Xander's first feeding at home. It wasn't perfect—Valerie struggled to get him to latch onto the bottle at first, and Colby spilled milk as he tried to help—but eventually, Xander settled, and the house was quiet again.

Once Xander was fed, Valerie lay him in the crib, watching as his tiny chest rose and fell with each breath. "I don't think I'll ever stop staring at him," she admitted, half to herself.

Colby smiled, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "We'll get the hang of this. It's just going to take some time."

The first night was filled with moments like that—feeding, diaper changes, soothing cries, and figuring things out as they went along. They took turns holding Xander, whispering sweet words to him, and offering each other encouragement when exhaustion started to creep in. Every cry felt like a test, and every time they managed to calm him, it felt like a small victory.

By the early hours of the morning, Xander was finally sleeping soundly in his crib. Valerie and Colby collapsed onto the couch, barely able to keep their eyes open.

"That was... a lot," Valerie said with a tired laugh, her head resting on Colby's shoulder.

"Yeah, but we did it," Colby replied, squeezing her hand. "We're doing it. One step at a time."

Valerie looked over at the crib, where Xander lay, peaceful for now. "I can't believe we're parents."

"Neither can I," Colby admitted. "But I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else."

Valerie smiled, feeling a deep sense of love and gratitude. As overwhelming as it all was—the sleepless nights, the uncertainty, the constant worry—she knew they would get through it together. Their little family, new and fragile, was strong in ways she couldn't quite explain yet.

As they sat there, the house finally quiet, they knew that the journey had only just begun. There would be more sleepless nights, more challenges, and a lot of learning along the way, but in that moment, with Xander safe and sound, they felt ready for whatever came next.

They were parents now—Valerie, Colby, and baby Xander—and everything was just as it should be.