Grace

28

"Grace! Are you ready yet?" Alex called up the steps as Grace was still getting ready for the first appointment at Mason's pediatrician.

"Yeah, I'm coming." She nodded, "Do you have him ready?"

"Yeah. He's in the car seat chilling,"

"Is he okay in there? He's not crying right?" She asked, making a beeline for the car seat.

"He's fine Hun. He's just sitting there,"

"He's on the table. He could fall off!" She freaked, blowing it a little out of proportion seeing as Mason was strapped into his stationary car seat on the dining room table.

"Grace, he's not going anywhere," he told her again, knowing it was more of her new mom anxiety as well as the hormones talking. The doctor had warned him, especially about that.

"He could fall,"

"He's 6 days old honey. He can't move the car seat enough to make it fall,"

"But he could,"

"Grace. He is not strong enough yet," he said before adding, "It's okay,"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," he nodded. "It's okay. He's okay,"

"Okay," she nodded, taking a breath to calm her anxious feelings down.

"He's fine. Look at him. Looking all over, just to see what's going on," Alex reassured her as they both stared at the infant in the car seat.

She just nodded, watching the child for a moment.

"I know there's a lot that's going to scare you about him but we're gonna raise him right and he's going to be a resilient little boy,"

"I guess you're right," she nodded, running her hands over her face as she tried to remind herself that she was a first-time mom and her child had a medical condition before birth. It shook her up a little bit and understandably, she was doing whatever she could to keep her baby safe and healthy.

"Let's get him in the car and we'll go," Alex said as he kissed Grace's head before grabbing Mason's car seat off the table.

Once the baby boy in the seat was safely clicked into the base, both of them got in the car for them to leave.

Grace sat quietly in the car, watching out the front windshield as Alex drove. Once they pulled up to the pediatrician's office, she went inside and started the check-in process while Alex got Mason out of the car.

She found a seat and Alex sat with her, setting Mason's car seat on the tile flooring beneath them. Mason was lying comfortably inside, while Alex rocked the seat with his foot.

"Everything is gonna be fine," He reassured Grace as he saw her wringing her hands.

"How do you always stay so positive?"

"I don't know. I just always did after I married you," he shrugged.

"I don't feel that way now," she sighed, wishing that it was their turn so she wouldn't have to talk about it anymore.

"Mason?" A nurse in dark green scrubs said as she came out, carrying a clipboard.

"That's us," Grace said as she and Alex stood up and her tall husband picked up the baby's car seat.

The nurse took them to a room and instructed them to undress Mason so the doctor could do her checks. The problem was, that Mason hated being cold, as most babies did.

"I know Mase. It's not fun buddy," Grace said as she pulled the onesie over his head carefully.

When the baby was only in his newborn-sized diaper, Grace gently picked him up and wrapped him in a blanket to keep him warm.

"Hi there," A man in a white coat said as he came in, "I'm Doctor Jennings,"

"Hi," Grace smiled, shaking the doctor's hand, "I'm Grace, this is Alex and our little guy,"

"Hey buddy," the doctor smiled, "How are we doing?"

"Pretty good. Still a little concerned about the spins bifida and what that means for his future but other than that, he's been okay since he came home," Grace explained as she gently set Mason on the exam table.

Mason squirmed slightly, seeming like he wanted to huddle back up in his mother's arms. It only took a few seconds before the infant started to wail while the doctor did the initial exam.

As soon as it was over, Grace lifted Mason off the table again, wrapping him in the blanket and cuddling him against her.

"He's eating normally?"

"About 3 ounces every 2 hours," Alex nodded, both watching as the doctor typed everything into the computer.

"And he's sleeping okay?"

"Yeah. Usually, he eats and goes right down,"

"Great," he nodded, smiling as he typed more.

The doctor asked a few more questions before asking them to schedule his 1-month appointment before they left. After that, they were free to go.

Grace got Mason dressed and they scheduled his appointment for 1 month in the future before getting in the car and heading back home.