Chapter Thirty-One

711 15 0
                                    

I had never wanted to laugh more than when I was asked how much time Louis was taking off from work. It just didn't work that way in our industry. He was due back for select judges night on X Factor UK just a week after Asher was born. Not to mention his first single as a solo artist was set to be released soon, and he was performing it live in less than two months time on the show. There was no rest for him.
And best not to mention it around him, at all costs, because he was not happy about it.

"I just want to relax and spend some time with my little lad," Louis complained over lunch

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

"I just want to relax and spend some time with my little lad," Louis complained over lunch. Asher, two weeks old now, was in his little swing next to the table, taking a little nap.
"I know, baby, but it's all going to work out," I told him. "In two weeks time, Little Tommo will be cleared to travel, and the same goes for me. We plan on coming to watch you on the show, and we will stay in the hotel with you for a few days."
"If all goes well," he muttered, still upset.
"Louis," I sighed, trying not to work myself up for no reason. "Don't put yourself in a funk over nothing. This is just part of how things go, okay? After our trip to the show with you, you'll have a few days break for Thanksgiving, anyway. Aren't we going to your mom's for that?"
"We are," he replied, smiling again. 
Jay wasn't really getting any better, but she hadn't gotten worse, either. Still, any chance to see her was one that Louis didn't take lightly. We all knew what no one wanted to say: each visit may be the last visit. No one knew how the cancer would behave on any day. Cancer didn't play by the rules. Ever.

After we finished our lunch, Asher woke up, ready for his own meal. Louis refiled my water bottle and helped get Asher into a position to latch before he disappeared to clean up the kitchen. Lately, both of us had our emotions all over the place, but I would say we were faring pretty well.
Neither of us were getting much consistent sleep, but we both worked in an industry where that was not uncommon. It helped that at least one of us wasn't having to worry about a work schedule right now, though. Asher was almost solid on the schedule we were trying to get him on…

7:00am - wake up / feed
8:30am - nap time
10:30am - wake / feed
11:30am - nap time
1:30pm - wake / feed
2:30pm - nap time
4:30pm - wake / feed
7:00pm - bedtime routine ( feed & bath )
10:00pm - dream feed
4:00am - dream feed

It followed something called Baby Wise Scheduling, and this particular order of doing things should get us through his first four months of life. We knew that I thrived on a schedule, and we also knew how changes altered Louis' sleep and mental health. Because of all that, both of us were happy to have found something like Baby Wise. It had sample schedules like this one from birth all the way until the child starts school. It was amazing!
Anyway, it was about 1:30 in the afternoon now, and when Asher went back down in an hour, I was going to nap with him. After I finished feeding him, Louis took over for a little Father Son bonding, so I could get in my shower for the day.
During his first nap of the day, I would do yoga and some other light stretches, while Louis stayed asleep in the bedroom with Asher. While he took his second nap, Louis and I allowed for that time to be spent between the two of us as a couple. We didn't want to lose ourselves in the ongoing routine of parenting. Louis would use this third nap for business time. Whether it was making calls, answering emails, writing lyrics, or shooting off to the recording studio until dinner time, that's what he got done in this time.
Really, our routine was working out really well.
"I've got 'im, love," Louis grinned at me. "Go enjoy your shower."
Bless that man.
Postpartum was still really uncomfortable and honestly, gross. No one ever really talks about this part, but it sucked. Going to the bathroom was just now beginning to become an easier task, and God knows I miss being able to soak in a bathtub before I showered. I mean, really, my recovery was going by very quickly and smoothly, compared to most other women. My OB said it was because I was so active before and during my pregnancy. Plus, even in postpartum, I was trying to do what I could to keep my body active and healing.
It was working, but it was working like a bitch.

Dance With Me {l.t.} ✔Where stories live. Discover now