Parents.. with different treatment

The changes and the treatments...

It was a cool, early morning when Valerie's labor began, much like the day Xander was born. But this time, everything felt different. There was a familiar rhythm to the contractions, the rush to grab the hospital bag, and the drive to the hospital. Yet, in the back of her mind, Valerie couldn't shake the feeling that this time, things were more complicated.

Xander, now just over a year old, had become the center of their world. He was still so small, still in need of so much care and attention. And while Valerie was excited to meet Xavier, their second son, she worried about how Xander would adjust to sharing their love and attention.

Colby seemed calm, focused on the task ahead, but Valerie had noticed small changes in him as the due date approached. He talked more and more about how excited he was for Xavier to arrive, how he couldn't wait to hold his new baby boy. But in those conversations, he talked less about Xander, as if his focus had already shifted to the new baby. It was subtle, but it nagged at Valerie's heart.

After hours of labor, Xavier finally entered the world, his cries filling the hospital room. Valerie held him close, her heart swelling with love for her new son, but even as she marveled at the tiny life in her arms, a part of her mind drifted back to Xander.

"I can't wait to get him home," Colby said, smiling as he looked down at Xavier. "Xander's going to have a little brother now. It's going to be great."

Valerie nodded, but the unease she had been feeling all along still lingered.

---

The first few days at home with Xavier were a blur of sleepless nights, diaper changes, and feedings. Valerie had prepared herself for the exhaustion that came with having a newborn, but she hadn't prepared for how difficult it would be to balance caring for two children.

Xander, once the center of their world, seemed confused by the sudden shift. He toddled around, clutching his stuffed giraffe, watching as Valerie and Colby fussed over the new baby. At first, he tried to get their attention, tugging on Valerie's leg or babbling loudly when she was feeding Xavier. But soon, he started retreating into himself, his bright eyes dimming as he realized he wasn't getting the same attention he once had.

Valerie noticed it right away. Her heart broke as she watched Xander sit quietly in the corner of the living room, his toys untouched. She tried to include him, giving him extra hugs and playing with him whenever Xavier slept, but it was hard. Xavier demanded so much of her time, and no matter how hard she tried, it felt like Xander was slipping through the cracks.

Colby, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice. He was wrapped up in Xavier—holding him, feeding him, talking about how much he looked like him when he was a baby. He seemed almost obsessed with Xavier, and Valerie started to see a subtle but painful shift in how he interacted with Xander.

One afternoon, Valerie watched as Xander toddled over to Colby, holding up a book he wanted to read. "Dada!" he called, his little face full of hope.

But Colby, sitting on the couch with Xavier in his arms, barely looked up. "Not now, buddy. I'm holding your brother."

Xander's face fell, his lower lip quivering as he turned and walked away, the book still clutched in his small hands. Valerie's heart broke at the sight. She wanted to say something, to tell Colby that Xander needed him too, but every time she brought it up, Colby brushed her off.

"He's fine, Val," Colby would say. "He's got to learn to share the attention now. We can't baby him forever."

But it wasn't about babying Xander, and Valerie knew that. It was about making sure he didn't feel forgotten.

---

The days turned into weeks, and Valerie could see the changes in Xander becoming more pronounced. He became quieter, more withdrawn. When Valerie tried to play with him, he often seemed uninterested, glancing over at Xavier as if to see whether it was okay to have her attention. The bond they once had felt strained, and Valerie felt helpless to fix it.

Colby, meanwhile, was completely smitten with Xavier. He would spend hours holding him, cooing at him, talking about how Xavier was going to be his little sidekick. It was as though in Colby's mind, Xander had already taken a backseat, and Xavier was now his priority.

One evening, as Valerie was bathing Xander, she noticed he seemed especially quiet. He sat in the tub, staring at his toys, not splashing or playing the way he usually did. Valerie knelt beside the tub, gently washing his hair.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" she asked softly.

Xander didn't answer. He simply looked up at her with those big, brown eyes, filled with something Valerie had never seen in him before—sadness.

Tears pricked at Valerie's eyes, and she knew she couldn't ignore it anymore. After she got Xander to bed, she found Colby sitting in the nursery with Xavier, rocking him to sleep.

"Colby, we need to talk," she said quietly, but firmly.

Colby looked up, his expression puzzled. "What's wrong?"

"It's Xander," Valerie said, her voice shaking slightly. "He's not okay. He's feeling left out, and he's starting to shut down. I've been trying to tell you, but you haven't been listening."

Colby frowned. "Val, Xander's fine. He's just adjusting. It's normal for kids to act up when there's a new baby."

"No, it's not just that," Valerie insisted, her voice growing more emotional. "He's not just acting up. He's hurting, Colby. He needs us—both of us. And I feel like... I feel like you've been treating him differently since Xavier was born. Like you've been pushing him aside."

Colby's face softened a little, but he still seemed resistant. "I'm not pushing him aside. I love him, Val. It's just... Xavier's a baby. He needs more attention right now."

Valerie shook her head, tears slipping down her cheeks. "Xander needs you too. He's still so little, Colby. He doesn't understand why everything's changed. All he knows is that his world has been turned upside down, and he's lost his place in it."

Colby was quiet for a long moment, looking down at Xavier, who was peacefully sleeping in his arms. Slowly, he nodded, as if something was finally clicking into place.

"I didn't realize..." he began, his voice heavy with guilt. "I didn't see it."

Valerie wiped her tears, her voice soft but firm. "He needs you, Colby. He needs to know he's still important to you. We can't let him feel like he's been replaced."

Colby stood up, carefully placing Xavier in his crib. He turned to Valerie, his eyes filled with regret. "You're right. I've been so focused on Xavier, I didn't see what was happening to Xander. I'll do better. I'll make it right."

The next day, Colby made a conscious effort to spend more time with Xander. He read him the book he had ignored the day before, played with him outside, and showered him with the attention he had been missing. Xander, at first hesitant, slowly began to open up again, his eyes lighting up as he realized he hadn't lost his father's love after all.

It wasn't an overnight fix. The transition to a family of four was still a challenge, and balancing the needs of both boys took time and effort. But with Valerie's gentle reminders and Colby's renewed attention, Xander began to thrive again, and the family started to find its rhythm.

Valerie knew it would never be easy—raising two young children rarely was. But as she watched Colby carry Xander on his shoulders, laughing together as Xavier slept peacefully in the stroller, she knew that, together, they would make it work. Their love for both of their boys would always be enough.