Big Girl Panties

cloud nine

“You want to hold him?”

Trixie fixed the little red and black hat that fit snuggly on Jack’s head before looking up at Steve. The other Carcillo removed his hands from the pockets of his shorts and jumped at the opportunity to finally hold his first nephew. Unsure as to what to do exactly, Steve sat in the rocking chair that Trixie has been occupying and got ready for the baby to be placed in his arms. Trixie placed Jack in the cradle made from Steve’s arm and moved the IV line out of the way.

“He looks exactly like you.” Steve’s gaze didn’t leave Jack but Dan knew his brother’s statement was directed at him. “Thank god he got Trixie’s chin. Who’s eyes did he inherit?”

Jack was sound asleep when the Carcillo trio arrived at the hospital and even with the all commotion, the premature newborn continued to snooze with ease.

“He has my blue orbs.” Trixie smiled with pride. She loved her blue eyes and she loved the fact her son had been born with eyes of the same color.

With the ruggedly handsome looks and bad boy attitude he was sure to get from his father on top of those icy blue eyes, it was inevitable that Jack would grow to be a heartbreaker.

Steve rubbed the pad of this thumb over the new, soft skin of Jack’s cheek. “For your sake, little man, I hope you grow up to look like your mom. Your dad isn’t much of a looker.”

Dan crossed his arms over his chest and was getting ready to spit an insult back at his older brother, but just as he had thought of the perfect comeback, Dr. Hart, walked into the NICU wearing a set of salmon scrubs. Walking over to Jack’s bassinet she picked up his chart and flipped through it, quickly reading over the notes that had been made by the nurses since she last checked up on him the pervious night.

Dr. Hart put but the clipboard back in the pocket on the front of the bassinet and smiled down at the uncle who was enjoying his first visit with his nephew. The smile never left her face and she spoke as she adjusted the flow of fluids through Jack’s IV line.

“I have some very good news you.” Dr. Hart walked to Trixie and Dan.

“His apnea is finally gone, his blood work has come back perfect for the last forty-eight hours and he took a bottle last night. I don’t see any reason why he can’t go home with you at the end of the week.”

Trixie let out a major sigh of relief as Dan pulled his wife into a big hug. The couple was officially on cloud nine. Still high from the Stanley Cup win less than twenty-four hours ago, being told they would be able to take their son home this week only added to the bliss they were already feeling.

“He’s really going to come home, finally?” Trixie asked. She felt like she had to ask that question just to be sure she wasn’t being deceived by her brain by processing the information wrong.

“Jack is really going to be coming home. Let’s plan on him being discharged on Saturday morning. Give him a few extra days here in the NICU to continue to monitor his vitals and run some more labs to just to make sure nothing else changes.”

Trixie blinked back her tears but they still managed to stream down her face. It seemed like every little thing has made her cry over the last week but now she finally had a justified reason to let the tears flow. In just four days, Jack would be home with Dan and Trixie. They would finally be a family and the married couple would finally experience what it’s like run on no sleep. Trixie couldn’t wait for the sleepless nights, the 2am feedings and diaper changes and most of all she couldn’t wait to watch Jack grow and thrive.

Wiping the tears from her cheeks, Trixie looked at Dan with a worry in her eyes. “We have so much to do before Saturday.”

Dan tried to calm her down but there was talking her down when she was in the middle of one of her rants.

“We have to set up the crib and I have to go buy all new clothes because there’s way he’s going to fit into a onezies that I have for him…”

“Trix!” Dan grabbed her face and planted a kiss on her lips to stop her from talking. “Everything will get taken care of. Steve and I will put the crib together and you go shopping with your mom to get new clothes and all essentials. Don’t forget, in like 3 weeks, it’s your baby shower so you’ll get everything else you need. Everything will be fine.”

Looking into Dan’s eyes, Trixie moved her gaze from her husband to her son and smiled. Dan was right; everything was going to be okay. After everything they had been through, there wasn’t any mountain they couldn’t climb.