Both Chris and Sonja took Mother LaSalle's advice seriously about having children. They talked intensely about when to begin to prepare for the child. Knowing that Christopher would be the primary parent, he had to consider what his professional goals would be. Odd Sonja thought that raising the children would impact the male in their household the most. LaSalle began to watch government job announcements. He also began to attend more community meetings knowing he would encounter professionals outside his normal purview.
The loving couple made an appointment with Sonja's OB/GYN the day before their fourth anniversary. The doctor spent considerable time with them discussing diet and meal supplements. Kasie had mentioned to Sonja the fact that African American women were still having challenges with pregnancies. Additionally, she suspected that her friend would need to enhance her vegan lifestyle to provide a sound biological foundation for a fetus.
Percy returned to the doctor after her next mission to have her IUD removed. The pregnancy happened quickly since her birth control method had not stopped her from ovulating. Her unsettled stomach was the first clue. She swore her husband to never reveal that it was him, not her, that realized that her vomiting was probably the result of being pregnant.
They returned to the doctor together four months later to find out the sex of their baby.
Lynn flew up the next weekend to help them brainstorm for decorating the nursey. Having had three children of her own they realized that she could give them some insight on preparing for their child. She brought two boxes of baby items with her. They laughed and talked as they spent Saturday washing, folding, and hanging up baby clothes, sheets, and blankets. In the end they only had to buy a snowsuit and hat and warm pajamas for the cold northern winters. Lynn also helped Sonja compile a list of additional items that she would need for the baby's first year of life. Most of the items on the list ended up being given by friends and family at one of their three baby showers.
Sunday, they went to the store and bought diapers. Lynn had suggested that she try every brand on the shelf to determine which one worked best for the mother and child. Lynn told her that her youngest son could not wear a specific immensely popular diaper brand. They gave him a bad rash and she realized that the allergy could also affect her blood brother's child.
The next weekend Mary Brody flew in to help Sonja and Kasie buy the basic items for the nanny's quarters. They selected a pale-yellow paint color for the walls. They decided to let the nanny select the bed coverings and to determine if she wanted drapes or curtains. Mary bought a mini crib for that bedroom as the baby's gift. The contractor had wisely suggested that they leave a corner right outside the closet where a full-sized baby bed could be placed. The crib and a changing table fit perfect in the spot.
While Sonja was tired at the end of the day on Sunday, she enjoyed her time with her former teammate. She was happy that Mary had also found her soulmate. Her old friend was enjoying her time away as well. Like her mother, Brody's pregnancy also resulted in producing twins.
This Christmas would be challenging for Percy. The doctor stayed after her about her lack of weight gain and her diet. "While I can give you some medications, I would rather that you eat the nourishment that your daughter will need Mrs. LaSalle." He was a little surprised that the 'cravings' that most women endured did not inflict her. The doctor and Chris finally found something that she could not resist. Ice Cream. Percy had quit eating it years before she started working for NCIS. She saw it for just what it was, empty calories. New flavors had been developed during all those years. The brownie chunk flavor of a national chain called her name. She was extremely disappointed to have to give it up after Olivia was born.
Percy had never felt pain quite like that of her labor. It was much worse than recovering from the gun shot that she had experienced years before. After the delivery she was not sure if she wanted to do it again, but she had promised her husband a son. Thank goodness for her friend Kasie. She had read up on birthing process when carrying her own son and stood there encouraging not only Sonja but LaSalle who was just as frighten as his bride.
Percy petite size caused some issues with the baby's head coming out. While they had talked with the doctor about both an episiotomy and a C-section, Sonja had asked Kasie to assess the situation and to be the one to agree with the doctor that the additional steps were actually necessary. Regardless of how many times either of the procedures were completed, there were adverse effects related to both of them. In the end the doctor took Kasie's suggestion to turn the baby a little more and her head soften just enough for the newly redesigned vacuum extractor to come out with her head.
Olivia came out screaming but quieted down after being placed on her mother's stomach and LaSalle started talking to her with his distinctive voice. Sonja wanted to be so done but she had to wait what seemed forever to expel the placenta. She was glad once again to have her friend with her. Kasie insisted on seeing the placenta herself. She stepped over to piece it back together to the chagrin of the nurse. She grew impatient with the nurse. "You know just like I do that African American women have trouble with pregnancies. I am double checking for my stressed-out friend so live with it."
The nurse cleaned up the new bundle of joy while the doctor checked Sonja out. "Looks like you are going to need a couple stiches Sonja. It could have been worse. You sure are a little thing."
Mom, dad, and the baby spent the next 24 hours in the birthing room. Sonja was more than happy to get back into her own bed at the house. She was sore and she did not actually realize the aftermath of those hours and what would happen to her body. The nurse had come into the room several times to check on her uterus to make sure that it was continuing to retract and was firm. She was not quite ready for all the bodily fluids but was glad that Kasie had provided some items to help her through this messy segment of bearing a child. This was one part of being a woman that she did not want to share with her husband no matter how caring he was.
She was so happy that she had such an attentive husband. She almost wished that she had told her mother not to come. Kasie had a plan and she hoped it worked. In the end, she made Christopher lock the bedroom door and dared her mother to knock.
The LaSalles entered into a new routine. Percy was grateful that Olivia was a good eater. The late night feeding soon allowed her to sleep in until 6 a.m. She would feed the baby then her daddy would take her and bathe her allowing Sonja to read or to go back to sleep. She did the laundry every other day during Olivia's sleep time. It always amazed her how small the baby clothes were. It appeared that the baby girl would be as petite as her mother.
A month after Olivia was born, LaSalle had a job interview. He took the position and negotiated a start time in four months. He felt bad when he returned to NCIS and then put in his resignation, but he agreed with Sonja that that is how life works sometimes. This was his life now. He needed to do what was best for his child.
Sonja was an old hand at the mother thing by the time that LaSalle returned to work. They knew they had done right thing in realizing that he needed to be at home when Sonja got a horrible head cold and was knocked down. LaSalle would often return to find Sonja fast asleep with the baby still on her breast. He took pictures to show her later. They would laugh at them, but it only confirmed what a team they were.
The nanny was a good fit with the family. She had adjusted well to how they household needed to work. Chris wanted to be a hands-on father. Both his mother and Miss Loretta had cautioned him that Olivia would have challenges with Sonja's comings and goings. She would need to understand that her father was the constant in her life. It would be early in her life that she would become a daddy's girl, but Christopher would see later in her infancy and through her early toddler years that she would cling to her mother whenever she was in the house.
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Our Merry Christmas
FanfictionWe learned early on just how much Chris LaSalle loved Christmas so it would only be fitting that the day would play pivotal in his love life as well.
