being a mother is learning about strengths you didn't know you had...and dealing with fears you didn't know existed.

 Chili was glad she didn't have the baby at home. Certainly, there was a moment she thought it might happen. Even on the way to the hospital in a thunderstorm now played out like a nightmare. But after all the little obstacles, the big one came. Although the labor went on far longer than she ever imagined. 

It was good to have extended family there. Em was good at keeping them both calm. Yet, she never overstepped Axton. In the end, it was just the two of them. Chili had a C-section. Hatcher weighed almost nine pounds.

"I'm glad he's big," she said. 

"Well, he's healthy and that's what matters the most," Axton assured her, who was already on Daddy duty. He did know more about infants than she did. After all, he did work at the child care center, so he was ready for anything. And she could tell by the grin on his face that he was happy to be a Daddy again.

Luckily, they were back home a day or so later. All on their own with the newborn. Of course, she wasn't going to let him do all the caregiving. And she knew he wouldn't let her either. 

They were learning new words, like Skin to Skin time. And she was breastfeeding, would could be both rewarding and exhausting.

"I wonder how things are at the Coffee Shop?" She asked about a week later. A part of her felt she should go back to work.

"Everything is fine," Axton told her not to worry. "Just think about us."

Chili knew he was right. It was hard to not think about her work family. Of course, she loved just watching the baby and seeing Axton's smile and her eyes in Hatcher's face. 

"You're right, I think I should take off the next three months, at least." She was doing the math. Em told her she could take care of Hatcher when she went back to work. Even so, she was thinking it would be best to only go back part-time.

She knew it would be a sacrifice, but watching Hatcher at the moment made her feel she needed to be at home with him.