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Two months after Gohan’s birth, Goku and Chichi were thriving as a family. They loved being able to dote on him and show him how important he was to them. They hadn’t made any outings with him yet since Chichi was still recovering from giving birth but they had managed to establish somewhat of a routine for him. She had told Goku that the most important moments of each day were when she nursed him and when she rocked him to sleep. Nursing Gohan brought Chichi a feeling of peace. She also felt empowered at the idea that she could provide sustenance and comfort for her son with her own body. To hold the life she and Goku created together in her arms was like holding the whole world. Nothing mattered more to her than his happiness.
When Gohan would cry she would rock him or rub his back and when that didn’t work she would swaddle him tight in his blanket. Goku had once asked if it was safe to wrap a baby’s arms and legs up against his body but Chichi reassured him that it was meant to simulate the comfort of being inside the womb. She was always mindful of his little tail too, gently moving it to the side of his body before wrapping him.
Goku observed every moment of how Chichi interacted with Gohan. She was such a natural at everything, sometimes he wondered if she was born knowing how to take care of an infant of if perhaps it was an instinct that manifested the moment he was born. It took him weeks to get over his initial nervousness about being a father. He was constantly questioning every move he made, worried he might trip if he held his baby and walked at the same time, or that he might underestimate his own strength and accidently hurt him. What if he dropped him? But Chichi always reminded him that their love for their son was stronger than their fear of ‘What if?’
Now that Goku was getting used to having a son he was realizing that being a parent could actually be pretty fun. He could tell his son stories and make funny faces or sounds and Gohan would smile so sweetly with his eyes squinted and his nose scrunched. It warmed his heart to see such happiness on such an innocent face. Life, as Goku knew, could be unpredictable though. He knew logically that raising a child wasn’t all smiles and giggles. Even though Gohan was so young it was quite rare for him to have a bad day. So when he did have a bad one they just equated it with him being a new baby experiencing life and all it had to offer for the first time. Every new experience had a fair chance for Gohan’s mood to change.
When Gohan suddenly woke up crying from his evening nap Chichi rushed to his bassinet to check if he was wet. Sometimes if she could catch him soon enough and get him changed she could have him lying back to sleep in no time. But he wasn’t wet. She tried burping him but had already done so thoroughly before he went down for his nap earlier. Feeding him didn’t seem to soothe him either, in fact he wouldn’t even latch onto her nipple. When swaddling him didn’t work either, she decided to give him a nice warm bath. A bit of warm water and some baby shampoo usually did the trick of putting him to sleep pretty quickly. But this time the water only seemed to irritate him further. Finally Chichi decided to give Gohan his pacifier. She usually only let him have it as a last resort. But he wouldn’t accept it. Chichi was at a loss for what to do. She couldn’t even hand Gohan off to Goku since he was still wasn’t home from the market yet. Sometimes there wasn’t any particular reason for him to be upset, he just wanted a change of arms to be held in.
When Goku finally did come home he set the groceries down and followed the sound of crying up the stairs and into their bedroom. When Goku entered their room Chichi immediately handed Gohan to him, desperate for him to stop crying. But he still didn’t stop. “He’s been like this nonstop for two hours,” she said. “Nothing I do works.”
“He could be gassy,” Goku suggested.
“I’ve already burped him. Twice, actually.”
“Did you try rubbing his belly? It worked that one time, remember?” He held Gohan in the crook of his elbow, pulled down his blanket, and started rubbing his belly in slow circular movements, shushing him and kissing him all the while.
“I really don’t know what to do for him, Goku. I’ve tried everything!”
“Leave it to me,” he said, determination in his voice as he rewrapped Gohan and then headed for the door with him.
“What are you doing?”
“We’re goin’ for a walk. Find a scarf, I want to secure him to my chest so I can have my hands free while I walk.”
“But Goku, it’s already getting dark out! It’s not safe to wander around with a baby,” Chichi worried. She never wanted her son out of her sight but it was pretty obvious that she was in need of some relief. She was starting to make her ‘I have a migraine but don’t want to complain about it’ face.
“We’ll be back before you know it, I promise. I bet he just needs some fresh air. I’ll only walk around the yard a bit, I’ll even take a flashlight.” Once he had Gohan wrapped snug to his chest he went back outside and just started walking. He rubbed his hand firmly along Gohan’s back, his other hand holding his bottom for added security and comfort. “It’ll be okay, son,” he whispered to him. “You can’t cry forever. Daddy’s here for you, he’s gonna make it all better.”
An hour later when Goku came back inside Gohan was fast asleep. Goku set him gently in his bassinet before saying anything. “He finally fell asleep a few minutes ago. He cried himself hoarse.”
Chichi nods then asks “How far did you go? You said you were only going to walk around the yard but then I didn’t hear him after a while.”
Goku hesitated a moment before answering. “I went down to the river. I thought the sound of running water might soothe him.”
“You went by the river with our baby at night? Goku, that’s so dangerous! What if you had tripped?” She was quick to chastise him but there was no real heat to her words.
“Have you ever known me to trip?” He had to laugh. He was a lot of things but clumsy wasn’t one of them. “Besides, he’s asleep now. The water worked.” He sat next to her on their bed and took her hands in his. “He’s okay Chichi. He’s asleep now and hopefully he’ll stay that way for a while.”
“Don’t forget I’ll have to wake him in about an hour or so to feed him again.” His face fell at that. “He’s going to hate me. You know he wouldn’t even let me nurse him earlier. He was just so upset. I wonder what it is that set him off so badly.”
Goku shrugged and stood up to change out of his clothes. He looked down at Gohan as he spoke. “Maybe he had a bad dream?” The thought that at just two months old Gohan’s mind could conjure up an image severe enough to make him cry for several hours nonstop was disconcerting. He pushed it away. He didn’t want his son to ever experience the same worries and traumas he did as a young child. “Whatever it was, I’m glad it’s over now. He needs his sleep and so do we.”
The next morning Gohan was all smiles and sunshine when Chichi woke him up to nurse him. He had barely opened his eyes but he seemed like whatever had bothered him yesterday had moved on. Chichi lied back in bed with Gohan at her breast as she waited for Goku to wake up. She watched his face as he snored quietly and murmured unintelligible sounds. As innocent and ignorant as he was when they were just kids, as well as when they reunited again just a year and a half ago, Goku had definitely matured. He was a good husband, if a little lazy, and an amazing father. Yes, they had only been parents for two months now but they had nine months to prepare for these moments and prepare they did. Chichi liked to check out parenting and childcare books from the library in town and would often relay what she read to Goku since she knew he wouldn’t be picking up the books on his own. They had learned a lot together and she really had to hand it to him for not just letting the information go in one ear and out the other.
Goku wasn’t just a responsible father, he was a good dad and last night was proof of that. He had wanted to take care of Gohan and make him feel better. He had given Chichi a chance to relax by herself without Gohan’s crying as background noise. He had known that running water soothed babies and had taken him to listen to the sound of the river in the peacefulness of the late evening. What else did Goku do with Gohan to make him happy when Chichi wasn’t right there instructing him on how to care for him? What else did he know?
Before Chichi could delve further into that web Goku started to wake up. He turned over to face his family and smiled softly. He was still half asleep and didn’t answer when Chichi asked him if he slept okay. That was fine. He would be fully awake in a few minutes and Gohan was mostly done nursing now so she could start the day soon. Gohan fussed for a moment when she pulled him away from her breast but was mostly unbothered. After she burped him, he looked up at her with his big brown eyes and just stared. Was she really that interesting or did he just not know that he could look in another direction yet? “What are you staring at, baby? Are you watching me?” Gohan giggled. “Was that funny? Is Mama funny to you?”
“He likes the sound of your voice,” Goku said in his raspy morning voice. Chichi glanced at him just in time to watch him stretch, his shirt rising just enough to peak at the dark hair below his navel. She looked away before she could get caught staring. “He’s like me that way.”
“You’re full of it,” she laughed but she leaned over to kiss him anyways. “He’s in a good mood right now. Will you hold him for a bit? I wanna take a shower and get breakfast started. I won’t be long.”
Once she left the room Goku carried Gohan over to the changing table to change his diaper and dress him for the day, trading one onesie for another. What was it about one-piece clothing that just screamed ‘comfort’? He set him back on the bed to play with him, placing him on his belly and pressing lightly on his bottom to encourage shoulder and neck strength, something Chichi had said she read in her parenting book. In a few more months Gohan would be able to roll onto his belly and hold his head up all on his own. Goku was excited to see him progress and mature. It meant he would be more substantial and Goku wouldn’t have to be so worried about every move he made. He loved his son but parenthood was tough work.
After breakfast Goku took Chichi and Gohan out for a walk. He wanted to show her exactly where he had taken Gohan the night before, to reassure her that their son was safe at all times and was never at risk of falling into the river. When lunchtime rolled around they decided to have a picnic under the shade of their favorite apple tree. It was a calm day, warm sun peaking through the leaves, a slight breeze keeping them cool. Chichi always said she was lucky she had given birth before summer started. She couldn’t imagine having to be pregnant in the height of summer. She might have been the Princess of Fire Mountain but that didn’t mean she was obligated to suffer the oppressive heat of the season too.
In the evening they were still sitting under their apple tree, eager to show Gohan the beautiful sunset. It was almost time to nurse him again and Chichi was hoping to get him home first so she could settle him in bed soon after. Unfortunately Gohan had other plans. With no warning he let out a long shrill whine that transformed into a full blown meltdown. It was the same piercing cry as yesterday. Chichi went over the usual steps to try to calm him, checking if he needed to be changed, if he was too cold or too hot, if he was hungry, in pain, or tired. Nothing worked.
“I was afraid of this,” Chichi grumbled as she rocked Gohan in her arms. “He was perfect all day but suddenly he’s in the worst mood, I just don’t get it!”
“Let’s go over to the river, he might cheer up a bit sooner tonight,” Goku suggested.
“Fine,” she relented, “but only for a moment. I really want to get him home soon. He’s still too young to be staying outdoors or so long like this.”
When they made it to the river Gohan did calm down a little, his meltdown simmered into a long sob instead. Chichi pressed him to her chest and tried to cover him with his blanket when a gust of wind blew past them but that kicked his crying into overdrive. Finally Goku took him and sat down near the edge of the river, just close enough that they could see the reflection of their surroundings glimmering on the surface of the water. Goku positioned Gohan so that he was sitting in his lap facing river. He nestled him in his blanket just so and angled his head to look up at the sky. The sun had set now and the moon, though only a crescent, was shining beautifully against the water. Gohan continued to cry and struggle.
“I guess it was too good to be true. Maybe the water had nothing to do with it and he just tired himself out last night.” He shrugged and repositioned Gohan in his arms before standing back up. “We should get home before he disturbs the local wildlife, huh? You wouldn’t want that, would you Gohan?”
“Maybe he’ll have calmed down by the time we get to the house.” Chichi knew that was an unrealistic wish the moment she said it. But what harm was it to speak her hopes aloud? Maybe Shenron would take pity on her and grant just one wish without the dragon balls being collected. If only. The moment she thought of the dragon balls she pushed it away. How could she ever justify summoning Shenron and using a wish just to stop Gohan from crying? And what exactly would that mean? Would he only stop crying the one time or would he never be able to cry again? What kind of repressed life would he live, always keeping his emotions at bay and being physically unable to express himself that way? Just because she couldn’t handle a few tears. But this wasn’t just a few tears. This was a full blown meltdown out of nowhere. This was distress on a whole other level and neither she or Goku could tell if it was physical or emotional.
When they got home Gohan was starting to mellow out again. Chichi rushed past Goku once they were inside so she could retrieve his pacifier. Once it was in his mouth he quieted completely and just suckled on the nipple. Maybe it would be a good idea to start using it more liberally if it was going to work that quickly. She just didn’t want to be completely dependant on the pacifier just to see her son happy; she had read about moms who were unable to function without their kids sucking on one at all hours of the day and then being unable to wean them off of it until they were toddlers and she refused to be one of those moms. Besides it hadn’t even worked the night before.
Chichi hoped that with the minor delay in nursing that Gohan would be hungrier than usual so that she could nurse him to sleep. It would be good for both of them to have that time to wind down from the day and share a peaceful moment together. Maybe by the end of the week whatever was bothering him would pass and he would be back to his normal happy self again. It had only been two days but Chichi was starting to get worried. What if something was seriously wrong with him? She decided then as she watched her son sleeping in her arms, if this crying business continued to the end of the week she would call a doctor. If something really was wrong with him she was going to figure it out and help him. She just hoped there was something she could actually do to help.
The doctor said it was colic. Chichi had called at the end of the week just as she planned to and the doctor, after listening patiently for Chichi to recount every instance of Gohan’s crying over the week, had said one word. “Colic.” Chichi hadn’t read about colic in any of her childcare books so the doctor had to explain the illness to her. “It comes in threes. If the babe cries for at least three hours a day, at least three days a week, and for at least three weeks then he’s got colic. There really isn’t a definitive cause for this illness or even a cure. It will come and go on it’s own and you simply must wait it out.” That had left Chichi and Goku with more questions than answers but at least now they had more insight on what was happening with their son.
It was week five now. They were both exhausted and the house was in a perpetual state of disarray since all their time was spent either trying to keep Gohan happy or trying to stay quiet while he was asleep. Getting him to sleep was a feat of its own. Now that he was a month older he was starting to be more aware of his surroundings and so he actually wanted to be awake and interact with his parents. That was all fine, he was maturing at the pace he was supposed to, but it also meant he would be cranky if Goku or Chichi tried to put him in his crib or bassinet before he was ready. And if he was cranky he was going to let them know loud and clear and for a very long time.
Tonight was especially bad. Gohan’s cries had turned into screams and just a few minutes ago he had screamed so hard he lost all his breath. That only served to frighten him which made everything even worse. It was the middle of the night and Goku was standing in the middle of the yard with Gohan swaddled and wrapped to his chest. He was pacing back and forth, telling his son how much he loved him and wishing he would just cheer up and go to sleep already. Goku was starting to lose hope that Gohan would ever get better. How was it possible for such a small child to be this constantly upset when nothing had even happened in his short life yet? He wondered if he was ever like this for Grandpa Gohan. He doesn’t remember much anymore of his life with his grandpa since the old man had died several years before Goku met all his friends, but he really hoped his grandpa had it easy.
“Come on son, you’ve gotta sleep sooner or later. Help mommy and daddy out and do it sooner.” He knew talking to him made no difference since he was still too young to understand anything, but Chichi had told him that talking to your infant was vital to their development so he did it anyways. He continued to talk to him as he gently kicked off the ground and levitated just above the house. Since Chichi was asleep and he knew it would be a while before Gohan settled down he decided to go exploring. He took him beyond the treeline and finally settled in the middle of a clearing. It was a beautiful meadow full of soft grass and flowers of every shape, size, and color. Goku had never seen this part of the forest before so he took his time examining every plant and pebble, quietly explaining to Gohan how special it was to discover new details of the land they lived on.
When he stopped to take in the beauty once more he glanced up at the sky to see the crescent moon shining brightly above them. The moon always had a calming effect on him, not that he would tell anyone. He didn’t keep secrets but it was nice to have just one thing to himself for once. But he remembered how he felt the night Gohan was born, when he had stared up at the full moon with his family lying sweetly in his arms. He had felt cleansed and whole, if a bit emotionally raw. Seeing and holding his son for the first time was surreal. He had cherished that moment and held it close to his heart. Just as he did with his son now. He stroked his hair softly and bent his neck to kiss his forehead. He sat down in the center of the clearing to continue reminiscing the first week of his son’s life. He was so small and fragile and yet Goku knew he was utterly perfect. He still felt that way, even now as his cries began to die down finally.
Gohan was asleep in moments but he still shuddered with the sobs that wracked his poor little body for hours before. Goku wiped his tears away with the corner of his blanket and then headed back home. When he was back in his bassinet he finally settled into a deep sleep. His face was slack and his body was no longer so tightly wound up. Now Goku could lie next to Chichi in their bed. He pulled her into his arms without waking her and looked out the open curtains to watch the moon until he fell asleep, dreaming of better, happier days for their son.