It takes a while before babies have control of their muscles. Ben isn't really even reaching yet. He'll grab things if they're close enough to his hands, but he's only reached purposefully once or twice.
When I was working, when my two daughters were each EBF babies, Dh was never really able to get them to take bottles. They would take the bottle if they got hungry enough when I worked long shifts, but for the most part they just reverse cycled ~ didn't eat while I was gone and then made up for it when I got home. They both hated bottles. He would offer them while I was gone, but they would usually refuse and be fine and happy until the tap was available.
They might try syringe feeding the expressed milk while you're gone. If he doesn't take to the artificial nipple a syringe might quench his thirst and hunger at least. It won't give him the comfort of sucking, but it might hold him over until you're home again.
Congrats to your mom on beating cancer!
ETA: And yeah, I totally know what you mean about money!
I sometimes feel a touch guilty about not working while Dh is working such long shifts just to make ends meet for us. I know that we would be a lot better off financially if I were working {well, at least we would be if childcare for five kids, two of them with special needs, weren't such a huge issue and expense}, but I love the time I get with the kids so much that the guilt fades away. I worked when every one of my older kids was a baby, so I missed out on a lot of infant time with them. Not this time!
He still has reflux and spits up frequently, huge amounts, but is gaining weight well. He thinks standing is SO funny for some reason; he loves for us to hold him so he can stand and then he laughs so hard he can't stand anymore.
