Katniss POV- (January 31st)
"Good morning, Princesses." Peeta says, pressing a kiss to my forehead and then my belly.
I smile sleepily, "What are you doing up so early?" I ask him, seeing that the time is 8am.
"You have phone call scheduled with Doctor Coles about our stubborn baby."
I've tried everything to induced labor and I've had a few contractions but they're not steady and they don't last long.
Peeta and I have done exercises like stretching or bouncing on these stupid yoga balls and walking around the block. Dr. Coles even told me to begin walking up and down the stairs repeatedly just to try to speed it up. She said that Willow is starting to get a little too big so if I can't induce myself very soon, she will do it for me.
I sigh, "I've worn myself out doing all this physical stuff and she won't even budge." I laugh.
He chuckles, "We only have 9 more days if you have to be induced."
I turn my head and give him a smirk, "At this rate, it's going to be a long 9 days but I'm so excited."
He smiles, "So am I."
"What time is Dr. Coles calling to check in?" I ask.
"About fifteen or twenty minutes from now."
I sigh deeply, "Alright. I'll get up and go downstairs and get your phone." I tell him getting up slowly.
"Your phone is right there and she's calling you on your phone." Peeta chuckles.
"I don't care. I just wanted an excuse to walk down those damn stairs and back." I tell him.
He laughs and shakes his head, laying his head back on his pillow.
I open our bedroom door and start down the stairs. I go as fast as my body will allow me to waddle and eventually, make it to the kitchen, completely out of breath.
"Willow, you should really come out so mommy and daddy can see you already." I tell her as I grab Peeta's cell phone off the counter and grabbing us both something to down fast. An apple, banana and some water for us both.
I go upstairs and lay down next to Peeta, handing him the banana.
"Ugh, I'm so tired of being pregnant." I groan.
He chuckles, "You've done it for nearly nine months. Do you think you can handle it another nine days?"
"Maybe I can but I won't like it much."
"But you get to spend some extra alone time with me."
I scoff, "Honey, we haven't been alone in nearly nine months."
He smiles, "Very true."
"But I'm up for some me and you and Willow inside me time." I laugh.
"Well aren't you fun?" Peeta laughs.
"I try." I shrug my shoulders.
After about fifteen minutes, the phone rings so I answer, turning it on speaker so we can both hear and speak to her.
(On the phone with Doctor Coles)
"Good morning, Mellarks." She greets.
"Good morning." I say.
"No frequent contractions?"
"Nope."
She sighs, "Nothing else that shows your even close to being in labor?"
"Nothing that I've noticed." I tell her.
"Well, you've noticeably dropped so she's almost definitely in the birthing position. I think you'll just have to be induced, if we wait past the 8th it could mean lots of complications during birth so we need to have her before then."
"I've been trying to be more active without overworking myself but nothing. Occasionally, I'll get a contraction but they're infrequent or don't last very long." I tell her.
"Okay, well you two just keep doing whatever you can do induce yourself so we don't have to. Call me if anything changes."
"Is there anything else I could try to get it started?"
"Not much. There's a few things but I know it's nothing you'd try."
"We might. What is it?"
"Sex usually does the trick every time."
"Okay, we will see what we can do." I say, shrugging at Peeta.
"Maybe try spicy foods?" Dr. Coles suggests.
"Alright." I shrug.
"Just when you're not exercising, rest. Labor is going to be exhausting for you especially since you've already struggled before."
I sigh deeply, "I'll try."
"Okay, I'll be checking in on you Monday if nothing has happened yet."
"Thank you." I say and she hangs up.
I turn to Peeta.
"We could have sex. I mean we are not going to have it again for a long while." I suggest.
It sounds so unpleasant right now though.
I'm literally 45 pounds more than I was and my belly would really get in the way now, my boobs are huge. I've barely been able to shave my legs without Peeta's help so I can't imagine what they look like or anything else that I can't see.
I literally haven't seen my toes in months.
"We don't have to unless you want to." Peeta says.
I sigh, "Do you want to?"
"I don't care what we do." He says.
Of course he doesn't.
I groan, "Ugh, if it helps put me into labor or if you have a good time, I will do it but I'm scared you'll think I'm gross or I won't please you and I'm not in the mood for it."
"Katniss, if you're not up for it, that's perfectly okay. You won't disgust me or anything of the sort but I'm going to respect whatever you want to do. Whatever you want to try then I'll be there." Peeta says.
I sigh, I swear my Peeta Mellark.
"I don't know what I want to do but I really don't feel like sex is one of them." I say.
"Okay, that's fine. We could go walking some more. Maybe we could go to the mall?"
I shake my head, "Too many people."
He chuckles a little, "What about if we took Carter or Finn for the day?"
I sigh, "I don't care."
"Or we could take them both."
"Okay." I say.
He smiles, "Carter is learning to walk too so that could be fun."
I laugh, "Call them both and see if we can take them for the day. Maybe the stress of taking care of two babies at once will do something."
He chuckles, "Alright, I'll call." He says and he does.
At about noon, we are on our way to pick up Finn and Carter and take them for the day. Peeta and I walked the few blocks to Annie and Finnick's house and back with Finn in Peeta's arms.
Then Peeta is going to go over and pick Carter up after we get back.
"Ugh, I swear if all this walking doesn't help it's gonna piss me off." I complain.
"It's a head start on your exercising." Peeta reminds me.
I groan, "I don't even want to think about that right now."
"I'm telling you that you're going to pop back to your normal size within a week." He tries.
He's told me that the whole time but if Willow is less than ten pounds, how have I gained 45?
"I hope you're right."
"Plus, didn't you say breast feeding makes you skinnier?"
I nod my head.
"There you go."
"If you're wrong, you have to exercise with me." I tell him.
He chuckles, "Deal."
I groan and we keep walking.
"Finn, are you and Carter going to be extra ornery today for your Aunt Katniss?" Peeta asks Finn.
He looks over and me and smiles wide, clapping his hands.
I manage a smile, "I think so."
Peeta chuckles, "Good job, Buddy."
He smiles and mumbles some things.
I laugh and we keep going until eventually we make it home.
When we get there, I sit on the couch, taking a break while Peeta and Finn go get me a drink.
"Here you go." Peeta says, handing me a glass of water as Finn crawls behind him.
I smile and watch him as he makes his way to us.
"Good job, buddy. You're getting so good at that crawling stuff." I tell Finn.
He plops down and stares up at us, chewing on his hands.
I laugh, "Something tells me that Willow isn't going to be as calm as Carter and Finn are."
Peeta looks at me and smirks.
"Well, I'm going to leave this one with you and go get the other one." Peeta says, his hand on my thigh.
"Okay." I say as he stands up.
He leans down and presses a kiss to my lips, "Are you sure that you can handle it?"
"Peeta, I'm positive that I can handle a baby."!
He laughs, "Okay. I'll be back in a bit. Call me if you need me."
I nod my head and he pats Finn's bronze head and goes.
"Finn, what are you doing down there?" I laugh as I feel him playing with my feet.
Of course, I can't see him well enough, "Are you playing with my toes?" I laugh.
He sits down again in front of me where I can see him.
"When are you gonna start walking?" I ask him.
Finn laughs and claps.
I smile, I swear he's the cutest thing.
"I think Carter still has some toys in the closet over here. How about we go take a look?" I suggest, taking forever to stand up.
I eventually manage to get off the couch and bend down, scooping Finn up.
I walk around the couch with him and open the door.
"Let's get a few of these little toys to play with, they're not much fun but I'm sure you'll like em." I say, handing him a few teethers and rattlers.
We walk back over and I place him on the floor, he plays with the toys and stays put for the most part.
I sit on the couch and just watch him.
He's so good.
Same for Carter.
I know I will love Willow no matter what she's like but I just really hope she's like Peeta is or was as a kid. I heard he was the cutest thing around, but I still think he is. I just hope she's as good as Carter and Finn are or as sweet.
I'm just afraid she's going to be like I am or was as a kid.
Hard to make smile or laugh, expressionless for the most part. Merely bored with everyone.
In no time at all, Peeta comes back with Carter who's super excited in her environment.
"Hey." Peeta says, sitting down as I stare attentively at the two kids before us.
I turn and face him, "Hey." I say.
"What's wrong?"
I shake my head, "Nothing. Just thinking."
"About Willow?"
I nod my head.
I see him nod from my peripheral vision.
"I know we've talked about it some but who do you think she will turn out like?" I ask him.
He takes a deep breath, "I think she's going to have some of our best and some of our worst characteristics."
I sigh, "Do you think she's going to act like me?"
He shakes his head, "No." He says in a daze it sounds.
"You?"
Peeta shrugs, "I just think she's going to be her own person. All we gave her was her looks and a toolbox of personality traits but it's going to be up to her about how she uses them, I guess."
I look at him and try to understand how someone can be so good with words and understanding the world and people so well.
He really amazes me.
"So, do you think we got our father's traits personality wise?"
He nods, "Well, I hope I'm nothing like my mother but I see some good things in you that your mother has."
"Like what?"
Peeta shrugs, "I don't know how to explain it. It just there's something, it's nothing bad though. I promise."
"Okay." I say.
"I can assure you that no matter what Willow looks like or acts like, she will be perfect." Peeta tells me.
"She's your child. Of course she will be." I laugh.
He scoffs, "I still don't see how you think I'm perfect."
"You have your moments but that word is honestly the only one that describes you best." I tell him truthfully.
"Well, I think you're pretty perfect too." Peeta says.
I scoff, "There is where you're wrong."
"Back to Willow, look at Finn. You've known Finnick and Annie almost your whole life and what do you see in each of them that you see in him?"
I bite my lip, trying to describe them all.
"I see that he's really sweet like Annie is."
"Okay and Finnick?"
I smirk, "He loves food and seems to be funny and likes a lot of attention like him."
"Exactly. There's both good in bad in that."
I understand what he's saying now.
"Carter?"
I sigh, "Well, I definitely don't know that there's anything bad about her or really even Finn."
"Just describe her." Peeta says.
I shrug, "She's sensitive towards things. I guess like Brandon is." I start.
"Okay and Bristol?"
"She's concerned and caring like she is. I don't know how to explain it really." I tell him.
"Exactly."
I smile, "I understand what you're saying but I'm still just anxious about it all."
"She is going to be perfect in her own little way. No matter what she acts like, I'm going to love her with almost all of my heart."
"Why not your whole heart?" I ask him, annoyed he said 'almost.'
Who else is there to love?
"Because you took a big chunk." Peeta says and my heart melts.
My mouth gapes open and I let out a laugh.
"What? I'm telling you the truth." He laughs.
"I'm sorry, you're just so cute." I say.