The Attention 386 Summary
In Chapter 386 of “The Attention 386,” titled “New Parents: Vicious Cycle,” Ashton experiences a rare moment of peace when he is free from work, allowing him and his partner to enjoy a brief respite from the chaos of parenting. The couple shares a tender moment, exchanging a kiss that feels like a sanctuary amidst the noise of their daily lives. However, their tranquility is abruptly shattered by the cries of their babies, Minnie and Mickey, forcing them to spring into action and tend to their children.
As they rush to the nursery, the scene is chaotic, with both babies crying. Ashton and his partner instinctively take charge, each holding one of the infants. While Minnie is her usual demanding self, Mickey’s cries are particularly distressing, causing concern for Ashton. Despite their efforts to soothe him, Mickey remains inconsolable, prompting his partner to suggest that he may simply be hungry. After feeding him, the atmosphere shifts, with the babies calming down and engaging with their parents through playful interactions.
Ashton and his partner take joy in their babies’ milestones, noting their progress during tummy time and joking about their differences in strength and temperament. However, the lightheartedness quickly turns to anxiety as night falls and both babies begin to cry incessantly, overwhelming the new parents. The couple struggles to find a solution, realizing that feeding them is not a straightforward remedy due to their delicate stomachs and the limitations of their feeding schedule.
The chapter highlights the emotional turmoil of first-time parenting, as Ashton and his partner grapple with the realization that their attempts to soothe their babies may not always be effective. The vicious cycle of crying and feeding creates a sense of helplessness, leaving them feeling lost and desperate. As they pace the room with their babies in their arms, the couple embodies the challenges and joys of parenthood, navigating the complexities of caring for their newborns amidst the chaos.
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**TITLE: The Attention 386**
**Chapter 386 New Parents: Vicious Cycle**
It was one of those rare, golden weekday afternoons when Ashton found himself free from the shackles of work, a delightful reprieve that felt almost surreal.
The children were tucked away in the other room, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, the bedroom was blissfully quiet, a sanctuary just for us.
In a spontaneous celebration of our rare moment of solitude, Ashton leaned in, his movements slow and deliberate, as if savoring every inch of the distance between us.
The warmth of his breath washed over me, and I could see the flicker of desire dancing in his eyes, a spark that ignited a longing deep within my own heart.
Finally, our lips met in a soft, tentative kiss, a sweet connection that felt like the world around us fell away.
But just as we were lost in that intimate moment, the sharp, piercing cries of two babies erupted from the other room, shattering the tranquility we had just begun to enjoy.
In an instant, we both sprang upright, adrenaline coursing through our veins as we leapt out of bed, the blissful moment slipping away like sand through our fingers.
“Mum’s coming, Mum’s coming…” I murmured under my breath, my heart racing.
The sound of their wailing tugged at something deep within me, a visceral pull that twisted my chest until it ached. I felt a wave of calm wash over me only once I had one of them cradled in my arms, their tiny heartbeat soothing my own.
In the nursery, the sight before me was chaotic yet achingly familiar. Minnie and Mickey had both awoken, their cries echoing through the room as if the very world was crumbling around them. I scooped up Minnie first—her fierce spirit always demanded attention—while Ashton took hold of Mickey, who typically had a more placid demeanor.
Yet today, something was amiss. Mickey’s cries were more desperate than usual, his little body squirming in Ashton’s arms as if he were in distress.
Ashton’s face reflected his concern, a shadow of worry crossing his features as he sat down, gently rubbing Mickey’s back in soothing circles, whispering soft reassurances. But the baby only cried louder, his tiny face scrunched up in discomfort.
Normally, the moment one of us held him, he would settle down almost immediately, lulled by our presence. This time, though, no amount of soothing seemed to ease his distress.
“Bring him here,” I urged, my heart racing with maternal instinct. “I’ll feed him. Maybe he’s just hungry.”
Sure enough, once I had him nestled against me and fed him, the room began to quiet. Both babies lay in their cots, their big, curious eyes gazing up at us, occasionally letting out a few coos that seemed like attempts at conversation, a delightful exchange that made my heart swell.
Since they were already awake, Ashton and I decided to engage them in a bit of tummy time. With gentle hands, we rolled them over, encouraging them to lift their heads, a new milestone we had begun to nurture just a week ago.
At first, their attempts had been fleeting, heads bobbing for mere seconds before plopping back down. But now, both Minnie and Mickey had progressed, holding their heads up for a few glorious seconds, a testament to their growth.
Ashton, ever the diligent one, had even created a spreadsheet to meticulously track their progress.
After a week of practice, Minnie could hold her head up for an impressive 7.8 seconds, while Mickey managed a commendable 7.4.
“Do you think the nurse mixed them up at birth?” I joked lightly, a playful smirk on my face. “It feels like Minnie came out first.”
Ashton glanced over, his brow furrowing in thought. I pointed at the chart displayed on his tablet. “I’m serious! Look at this—whether it’s her appetite, her height, her weight, or just her energy, Minnie seems stronger than Mickey in every possible way.”
Ashton pondered my words for a moment before nodding in agreement. It was indeed true.
In those early days, the differences between them had been negligible, but as time passed, the gap became increasingly apparent.
After their feeding, the two little angels remained awake, playing with us for nearly two hours, their laughter and coos filling the room, before finally succumbing to sleep once more.
One-month-old babies don’t sleep quite as much as their newborn counterparts, but they still require at least eighteen hours of slumber each day.
As first-time parents, Ashton and I were blissfully unaware that their earlier cries were not entirely normal, a fact that would soon become painfully clear.
That night, our real nightmare began.
“Waaah… waaah… waaah…”
Both babies stirred, waking one after the other, and with each cry, they crescendoed into a wail that was more desperate than the last. Ashton and I were completely overwhelmed, darting around the room like headless chickens, each of us trying to calm them down, our hearts racing with anxiety.
Many people might assume that the solution to a crying baby is simple: just feed them.
If only it were that straightforward.
The reality is that with babies this young, you can’t feed them every time they fuss. At their tender age, they could only be fed once every three or four hours. Their delicate little stomachs were simply not equipped to handle more than that.
That night, both Minnie and Mickey cried on and off for what felt like an eternity. Out of instinct, I tried to comfort them the only way I knew—by offering them milk.
But it wasn’t long before both of them began to spit up, the milk curdling as it came back up.
“Mira, stop feeding them,” Ashton urged, his voice urgent. “They don’t know when to stop. If you keep this up, their stomachs won’t cope.”
Panic surged through me. My arms ached to hold them close, but I hesitated, fearing that picking them up would only exacerbate their discomfort. Every time I did, their little heads would instinctively turn towards me, mouths open wide, searching for sustenance.
If I didn’t feed them, they cried even harder, their faces scrunched up in distress. Yet if I gave in and fed them again, they would only become more uncomfortable, bloated and restless, spiraling into an even deeper cycle of crying.
It was a vicious cycle, and I finally grasped the harsh truth: feeding them to calm them down worked—but only to a point.
“What do we do then?” I asked, my voice tinged with helplessness. I couldn’t bear to see their tiny faces reddened and scrunched in anguish, and I could see that Ashton was just as lost as I was.
He scooped up both babies, one cradled in each arm, and began to pace the room, his footsteps a rhythm of desperation and determination.
Conclusion
As the night wore on, the exhaustion settled into our bones, but amidst the chaos, a profound realization began to dawn on us. The cries of Minnie and Mickey were not just sounds of distress; they were a reflection of our own fears and uncertainties as new parents. Each wail echoed the weight of responsibility we felt, the overwhelming love mixed with an equally overwhelming sense of helplessness. Yet, in those frantic moments of pacing the room, cradling our babies, we discovered a resilience within ourselves that we never knew existed. The bond we shared as partners in this tumultuous journey deepened, and in the face of adversity, we found solace in each other’s presence.
By dawn, as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the nursery window, the sound of soft coos replaced the earlier cries, signaling a fragile peace. We had survived the night, and in doing so, we had taken our first steps into the uncharted territory of parenthood. The vicious cycle of crying and feeding had not broken us; instead, it had woven us closer together, forging an unbreakable connection that would guide us through the trials ahead. As we looked down at our sleeping babies, a sense of hope blossomed within us. We were learning, growing, and embracing the beautiful chaos of our new reality, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, hand in hand.
What to Expect in Next Chapter?
**What to Expect in the Next Chapter?**
As the night deepens and the cries of Minnie and Mickey echo through the house, the tension within the walls grows thicker. In the next chapter, we’ll delve deeper into the emotional turmoil that Mira and Ashton face as new parents, grappling with the overwhelming realization that their idyllic vision of parenthood is colliding with the harsh realities of sleepless nights and frantic attempts to soothe their distressed babies. How will they navigate this tumultuous journey, caught in the relentless cycle of feeding, crying, and exhaustion?
Expect moments of vulnerability as both Mira and Ashton confront their fears and insecurities, questioning their abilities as parents while desperately seeking solutions. Will they find a way to break the cycle and restore a sense of peace in their home? The chapter promises to explore the depths of their bond as they rely on each other for support, revealing how adversity can either strengthen or fracture relationships. With sleepless nights ahead and the stakes growing higher, readers will be left on the edge of their seats, eager to see how this young family will adapt and thrive amidst the chaos.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
