The hotel room was quiet. Thankfully. Since the kids were born, we now have adjoining suites when we tour. It's just easier, and Stevie and I don't want to be away from them any longer than we have to be. We got back to the room later than we had planned. One drink in the bar after the show turned into a few more. Maria, the nanny that travels with us, mentioned Henry was having a rough go of it with his new tooth coming in. Annie, his twin, is having an easier time with teething. Stevie checked in on them when we got back to the room. Annie cuddled with her blanket blissfully unaware mommy was home. Henry, on the other hand, is such a mama's boy that he sensed her hovering over his crib and woke up instantly.
"Mama". And he reached up for her.
"Shhh, baby boy, go back to sleep." She rubbed his back until he dozed back off. I sent Maria back to her room and told her we would take the morning shift. Stevie and I always try to get up with them as much as possible. We waited a long time for these two, and neither one of us want to miss a second. The next morning, it couldn't have been later than 7am, I hear babbling from the next room. They aren't crying, merely keeping each other company until someone comes for them.
"Go get them, I miss them." I look down and Stevie is awake. I give her a quick peck on the lips and walk into the next room to grab our little miracles. They get very excited as daddy comes into the room. The babbling reaches a fevered pitch with both of them looking for mama.
"Wait 2 minutes. Let me change your diapers." I laugh at them. They are everything to us. Henry is the spitting image of me. Curls and all. Annie is Stevie's little doppelgänger. She looks at me with those big brown eyes and I melt. Just like I do when Stevie looks at me. A few minutes later I carry them both into our bedroom. Stevie is sitting up in bed waiting for us. Henry can't get to her fast enough.
"You know buddy, you can't take her to college with you." I can't help but laugh. Stevie grabs him and gives him a kiss.
"How are your teeth baby?" He's babbling away content in mama's arms. Annie and I climb back into bed and she makes her way to mommy too.
"Hi pretty girl. Mommy missed you. Were you a good girl for Maria?" I look over at Stevie holding our babies. Who would have thought after all this time, this is where we would be. My life is perfect. My whole world is in this bed right now.
"What?" She looks over at me. Not an ounce of makeup on her beautiful face. Her hair tousled, partially from sleep and partially because Henry has found his favorite place, nuzzled under all her hair in her neck.
"Thank you baby." I lean over and kiss her. "Thank you"
So--this little one shot popped into my head. Thought I would just add on to this as inspiration strikes.
