We're Having Our Baby

Twenty Two

"She's so tiny," Mason says in a small voice.

"I have a question," Jamie raised his hand like he was in school.

"Yes, Jamie?" Em says.

"How did she get out of your stomach?" I can't help but laugh as Em's eyes widen. She obviously wasn't expecting that question.

"Jared!" Em calls out.

"I'll tell you later, bud," Jared comes to the rescue.

"Okay," Jamie sounds satisfied with his dad's 'answer'.

"She's really cute," Mason says next. It's sweet to see this softer side of him. Usually, he's bouncing off the walls or getting into trouble.

"I agree, Mason," I tell him, "She's very cute. Just like her mum," I see Em shake her head at my sly compliment.

"Jamie, show them what you made," Jared encourages his son.

"Um, yesterday in class, my teacher wanted us to draw a picture of our family. Daddy told us in the morning that Charlie was born, so I drew all of us," he holds up a white sheet of paper with six stick people drawn in different colors.

"Aw, I love it," Em says.

"Thank you," Jamie says shyly, "I'm going to give it to you when we visit."

"I can't wait for you guys to come meet her. Aunt Em and I miss you guys like crazy," I tell them honestly.

"We miss you too," Mason and Jamie say off-sync.

A few minutes later, we hang up because it's time for the boys to go to school and Jared to work. We developed a bit of schedule when it comes to FaceTiming them. The boys wake up for school around 3pm our time, so we usually talk to them while they eat breakfast or Jared is getting ready for work.

"Can I take her?" I ask, setting my phone down on the armrest of the couch. Em hands me Charlie from where she's been laying in her arms. Charlie doesn't seem too small when Em is holding her, but when she's in my arms she looks like a tiny bug.

"Hi, Charlie," I smile at her but know that she won't smile back for a few more weeks.

"Can you tell Mummy to please go upstairs and take a nap?" I say next.

"Only because Charlie said so," Em reacts to my 'conversation' with our daughter.

"Even our baby knows you need to rest, babe," I try to say in the best way possible.

"I know, I just don't want to miss anything," she says, getting up from the couch and leaving me the burp rag in case Charlie spits up.

"Darling, she's two days old. There's not much she can do."

"Okay. Wake me up if you need anything," she leans down to kiss me before heading upstairs to sleep. I really hope she can take a nap because I know Charlie will be up every few hours tonight. That's the one thing I'm not looking forward to, but if it means keeping my daughter safe and healthy, I'll stay up all night.

"What should we do?" I ask Charlie who's laying on my thighs as I hold her up. I like watching her like this—just taking in all her cute, little features like her button nose and even the drool that occasionally spills from her tiny mouth.

It makes me pretty emotional sometimes how Em and I's love created such a perfect little human. I knew before she was born that I'd love her to pieces, but every time I look at her my heart just grows more and more. I really would do anything for her, and I hope she grows up to know that even when I'm away for work.