I Got This
Happy was feeding her 6 day old baby girl. It was 2:36am. They had been woken up again from Gracie's cries. Happy was leaning back against Toby's chest, feeding Gracie.
They put the tv on and Toby added his arms under Happy's that were holding the baby. Happy had been the only one getting up since Gracie was born, because Happy had been denying Toby's offers to help. She didn't want him to be tired.
Happy would feed her and Toby couldn't do that, so why should he be up. She thought it was something she could do on her own but, was quickly learning that she needed him.
Gracie held onto Happy's boob and drank her mother's milk. Happy was falling asleep leaning into Toby's chest. He held his family in his arms. He noticed that Happy was forcing herself to stay awake.
"Sweetheart, it's alright I got this. Sleep. You need it. I'll put her back to sleep when she's done."
"Thank you." She says quietly.
Toby smiled. His wife was starting to let him help. It made sense. Happy had an awful childhood and was very protective of herself. It was no wonder that she would be super protective over her baby. Even protective from the baby's father because her father gave her up and she was abused by her many foster fathers.
Happy looked so beautiful sleeping. Gracie looked like her mother. Gracie let out her little noise that told her parents that she was done. Toby pulled the burp cloth from Happy and set it over his shoulder. He lifted Gracie out of Happy's hands. Toby set her over his shoulder. He burped his little girl. Once she burped he laid her back in the bassinet by the bed.
Toby tossed the burp cloth into the laundry basket across the room. He pulled Happy close and lifted her shirt to fully cover her chest. He moved his leg and laid her down beside him. Toby laid down beside her and pulled her close to his chest again. He soon fell asleep only to be awoken again at 4 am. Again he saw Happy taking care of Gracie without waking him.
"Happy." Toby said softly, reaching out to touch her back.
"Yeah?"
"Wake me next time."
"Why?" She rests Gracie on her lap. Gracie had a binkie in her mouth, happily sucking on it.
"Because I'm her father. Taking care of her is not a one parent job. There's parents that have to do it alone but it's tough. Happy there's supposed to be two of us. We made her together, we take care of her together."
"But one of us should be rested for work. You can't feed her so it's my job." Gracie was getting fussy for breakfast. Happy removed her shirt getting ready to feed her.
"Happy." Toby reaches over taking Gracie. She gets a little more fussy knowing that Happy is the one to feed her.
"Toby. I have to feed her give her to me."
Toby has his hands under Gracie's arms and hold her out in front of Happy's breast. Gracie latches on and starts eating. Happy looks at him.
"Why...why are you doing this. It's kinda weird." Toby stared at his wife with a blank face while he held Gracie up to her breast.
Then Gracie pushed away and Toby brought her back to him and had a burp cloth over his shoulder and burped her. He sat her in his lap and looked at Happy.
"Fed baby" Toby said.
"Okay, Fine. My milk makers are at your use when she needs to be fed and you want me to get more sleep. I'll let you help."
"Thanks. I am her father and it's not like we are separated or not in love. We're very in love and happily married. We take care of her together."
"Alright…"
Gracie was being held by Toby and he watched her cuddle into his chest. Happy rested her head on his shoulder. He gently leaned back to let her cuddle close and repositioned Gracie onto his chest.
Toby watched his girls sleep carefully. Within less than an hour he woke up to Gracie whimpering on his chest, she was getting ready to start wailing. Toby saw Happy begin to stir awake. Toby gently rubbed Gracie's back. He wiggles away from Happy and holds Gracie to him, trying to calm her before she woke her exhausted mother.
He rocks her gently while he thinks of why she might be crying. He soon remembers feeding her and he smells her diaper.
"Smelly. My baby girl doesn't like being smelly?" Toby asked playfully. He carries her to the nursery and lays her on the change table. Toby changes her diaper and puts her in a onesie that's purple and says daddy's girl. Once they are back in bed, he lays her in the bassinet. He goes back to sleep holding Happy close.