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“Hey, squirmy-wormy… hold still,” Pam cooed as she tried to wrestle J.D. into a set of pajamas. “Look buddy, I know you’re used to being naked, but it’s time to stop being an exhibitionist. It’s time to start wearing clothes like a normal person.”
Pam finally pulled his little arms through the sleeves and put on his cap and booties. She smiled as J.D. continued to fidget, utterly confused at the ridiculous trappings that he was being forced to wear.
“Oh my God, you look so cute. Daddy needs to see this.” She pulled out her cell phone and snapped a picture, and then sent it to Jim, who was at work.
Over the last week, J.D.’s condition had improved rapidly. He was continuing to steadily gain weight, and had been moved to an open crib. He no longer needed oxygen, and was taking all of his feedings by mouth. He still needed some extra care; he was having periods of apnea, and he had developed reflux, but it was being easily managed with medication. At 4 pounds, 10 ounces, his little cheeks were filling out, and he now fit into preemie-sized clothing.
Since his first few days of life, he had received sponge baths, but was now able to be bathed in a tub, a task Jim and Pam were more than willing to take on. His first bath had been thoroughly nerve-wracking; he was already a squirmy little guy, and his skin was slippery, which caused Jim and Pam to worry that he would slip out of their grasp. But with some help from Abby, they learned how to support his tiny body to keep him safe. After that, bath time became an enjoyable activity.
Although they had felt like parents from the moment he was born, with the routine they had now fallen into, they felt even more so. They changed his diapers, they rocked him to sleep, Pam nursed him without assistance; it felt like practice for when he came home. Pam was surprised at how easily she had transitioned to the role of “Mom.” In the past, she had always felt that she was bad with kids, but with J.D., everything came so naturally.
Later that evening, Pam had just finished changing J.D.’s diaper when Jim arrived. He kissed Pam and then turned his attention to J.D.
“Hey, buddy,” he said. “Daddy’s back!” J.D. gurgled and began to wriggle around, something he had recently started doing whenever Jim arrived in the morning, or after work, as if he was so excited that he couldn’t contain himself. Jim laughed and picked him up, pressing kisses to his cheek.
“I missed you so much today,” he murmured in between kisses. “Were you good for Mommy?” He looked at Pam. “Weren’t you wearing a different shirt this morning?”
Pam laughed. “Yes I was. J.D. gave me a surprise shower when I changed him earlier. ” Jim smirked.
“I told you, put a wipe over him when you change him!”
“Ugh, I know,” she said, burying her face in his shoulder. “He was crying, I dropped the diaper, and when I picked it up, boom.”
“Fountain.”
“Yyyep.”
Jim held J.D. out in front of him. “Dude… you have got to stop peeing on Mommy. And spitting up. And pooping. She’s gonna run out of clothes.” He brought J.D. back to him and cradled him in his arms. J.D. puckered his lips and began to root around against Jim’s chest.
“Sorry, buddy,” he laughed. “I do not have breasts.” Pam burst into giggles and held her arms out. Jim passed J.D. to her. “Mommy, however, does.”
Pam sat down and nursed him, and after, as she was burping him, Dr. Grandy knocked on the door and entered the room.
“Hi guys,” he said. “How’re you doing tonight?”
“Good,” Pam replied. Dr. Grandy flipped through J.D.’s chart.
“Well, I have some good news. Even though he’s not quite 5 pounds, I think he’s ready to go home.”
Pam’s jaw dropped. “Really?!” Dr. Grandy nodded.
“Mm-hmm. He’s taking all his feedings by mouth, he’s maintaining his temperature, and his jaundice has completely cleared up. He’ll need to go home with an apnea monitor, but I think you guys can handle that.”
“So, when are you thinking of discharging him?” Jim asked.
“On Monday. That’ll give you guys the weekend to prepare. We need to make sure that he’ll fit in his car seat, though. Bring it in either tomorrow or Sunday, and we’ll make sure.”
“And if he doesn’t fit?” Pam asked warily.
“We have a special preemie-sized car seat. Don’t worry,” Dr. Grandy reassured them. “He will go home on Monday. I’ll go get his discharge paperwork started. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
Pam and Jim grinned at each other and stood up. Jim wrapped his arms around Pam, sandwiching J.D. between them.
“You hear that, buddy?” Pam murmured, kissing the top of J.D.’s head. “You’re coming home.” She looked up and Jim bent down to kiss her, squeezing her tightly. Pam sighed contentedly.
“I guess that means we need to go buy his car seat,” she said.
“Actually…” Jim said, smiling. “We have it already. I was going to surprise you when we went home tonight.”
“You bought it already?”
Jim shook his head. “Nope. Believe it or not, it was a gift from everyone at work. Everybody chipped in. I can’t guarantee that Creed’s money wasn’t counterfeit, though.” Pam laughed and rested her head against Jim’s chest.
“I can’t believe it,” she said. “He’s coming home.” Jim squeezed her tighter.
“Finally,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of Pam’s head. “Finally.”
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Summary - Dr. Grandy brings some good news.
Disclaimer: I do not own "The Office." I do, however, own a food dehydrator. It's freakin' awesome.
Disclaimer: I do not own "The Office." I do, however, own a food dehydrator. It's freakin' awesome.
Chapter End Notes:
Reviews are almost as good as a murder mystery, I do declare.
J.D.'s pajamas
A special preemie-sized car seat
