"Mommy's gonna get you." I coo at Marliya as she giggles and rolls onto her tummy trying to belly shuffle away. I playfully gasp. "Marmar is tryna run from momma!"
I slap my hands against the carpet either side of her and crawl above her making her look up at me with her two bottom teeth showing. "Boo!" She giggles harder and rolls onto her back looking up at me. I feather kisses all over her face.
"Papa and nana will be home soon." I tickle her tummy and she babbles, chewing her foot.
Carlisle and Esme went on an extended honeymoon - they told everyone it was their second but it has to be their like 100th. They've been gone 3 weeks, almost 4; my siblings all sort of went on with their own things. Alice and Jasper went to London about a month ago, Rosalie and Emmett went to Alaska and Bella and Edward went away 2 weeks ago to go on a ski vacation with her mom.
It's been just me and my little family for at least 2 weeks now and it's been amazing. Marliya has grown so much - she's almost 7 months old now. We're not yet crawling but close. She says 'dada' and 'mmmm', she claps and giggles, rolls over, sits up. She sleeps through the night most of the time, in her big girl crib. She's my absolute world.
The doubt is still there, but it's doesn't control me like it did in the first few months. I sleep better than I used to and I feel like I'm doing good with her, succeeding as a mom. I'm still learning - as Edward said - but we're getting by.
"Shall we try some baby chips mm?" I talk to her as I pick her up and carry her to the kitchen, sitting her in her chair on the counter. She bangs on the tray as I open the chip bag and set a few on it for her and one in her hand.
She's greedy like her dad, sassy like her aunts. She's cheeky like hee uncles and has a soft heart like me. I'm so proud of her, I literally have a 1000 photos of her on my phone... I'm that mom.
"Hello? Anyone home?" Esme calls.
I squeal. "In here!"
She comes in a moment later and I throw myself at her, hugging her close. "I missed you too!" She chuckles and pats my back. She gasps. "And there's my big girl! Eating chips!?!"
Carlisle smiles as I hug him too. "Solid food? Gosh she's changed a lot in the last month. How are you sweetheart?" He kisses my head and keeps an arm around me.
"I'm good, dad. I missed you guys. How was it?"
"Amazing. Relaxing. Refreshing." Esme sighs as she smiles at Marliya.
"I'm glad you guys got a break... mom she's fine stop hovering." I roll my eyes.
Marliya giggles as Esme scowls. "Its weird seeing her on solids."
I giggle. "I know but she handles them like a pro. She's a piggy just like her daddy. Just look at those chubby thighs."
Esme kisses her head and brushes her soft brown hair aside. "She's grown so much. I want cuddles once we've unpacked." She points at me.
I laugh. "Go on, get sorted. We're not going anywhere."
They disappear upstairs and I clean her up when she's finished eating. I carry her on my hip to the living room and just about have a heart attack when I see Alice and Jasper on the couch.
"HOLY CRAP!" I hold a hand to my chest.
Alice smirks. "Hi." She makes grabby hands at Marliya.
"Ohhh no mom's first. She'll kill me if I let you go first."
"Too right I will." Esme says as she appears beside me and takes Mar.
Alice scowls. "Then I'm next."
I roll my eyes and hug Jasper. "I'd say I missed you both but I think I just missed you, Jas."
He chuckles and cuddles me on the couch. "I missed you too kid." He stops the book, thrown by Alice, hitting my face and throws it back. "I tried to leave her behind but she saw my every move. I'll try harder next time." He teases and she scowls deeper.
"You two don't love me."
"Nooo of course not." We roll our eyes.
Esme sits on the floor with Mar and hovers by her as she sits chewing a toy. "She sits by herself, ma. And she's almost crawling." I smile.
Esme scowls. "I missed so much! Ness grew in weeks and was mostly grown up by the time we went on vacations. We go on a get away for literally a month and it's like you switched her off with another baby."
I laugh. "Oh trust me, she still screams the house down at 7 for her bottle. And she still screams the house down if you don't give her attention for more than 5 minutes. Hey, she learnt that from Alice."
"MEAN!" She yells and I snigger.
"Love you, A."
She 'humph's and crosses her arms as I roll my eyes. Seth comes in. "Woah when did every one come home?" He laughs and knees a few feet from Marliya. "There she is! Daddy's princess!"
"Dadada!" Marliya shrieks and flops onto her tummy, army crawling to Seth who scoops her up, placing kisses all over her face.
I smile. "There's her favourite person."
"Did you guys have a nice vacation?" He asks both couples.
"Amazing, thank you Seth. I was just saying to Adley about how much she's changed." Esme tidies some of the toys up.
"I know, she's gotten big. My chunky monkey!" He tickles her toes and she giggles hard, drooling.
"She has teeth!?" Esme shrieks.
I smirk. "Oops, forgot to mention those..."
Esme tackles me to the floor and lays on top of me. "Why didn't you say any of this in the emails!!!"
I laugh and look up at her. "Because you were on a break - a total break. I only agreed to send an email every now and then to show were alive so you'd go."
She scowls and let's go of me, allowing me to sit up. "I want hourly updates next time."
"Yes mom." I smirk.
Seth kisses Marliya's cheek and sets her in Alice's lap. "Cheer up face ache. She left a present in her diaper for you." He smirks and I laugh.
"Here I'll do it." I get up.
Alice moved her away from me. "I can do it." She sticks her tongue out and walks upstairs.
I chuckle and go to Seth shaking my head, standing on my tippy toes to kiss him. "Hi handsome." I whisper as he wraps his arms around me.
"Hey beautiful. Sorry I left before you woke - Jake called, needed to talk to me."
"Everything okay?" I frown.
He nods. "Of course. We just switched patrols - he's gone to join Ness and that for the last few days of their trip. Renee thinks Edwards niece is at uni and couldn't come for most of it but they decided to go."
I nod. "Okay baby but don't over work yourself..." When he gets overworked and tired he's less in control.
"I won't I won't." He shakes his head and goes to shower.
I sigh and go to clean up the kitchen when I see it's already done. "Mom." I groan.
I hear her giggle and I sigh, going to do the laundry - oh wait, it's already on. I growl and go to the livingroom where she sits reading. "Stop doing that. I make the mess so I clean it."
She waves me off and keeps reading. I huff and go upstairs to find Alice and my baby. I find them in the nursery, Alice reading her a story in a soft voice. I stay quiet as I watch her with Marliya, so gentle and calm.
"That's how much I love you." She whispers and closes the book, kissing her head. Marliya drools as she sleeps with her mouth wide open; Alice gently lays her in the crib and looks over.
"She's such an angel." She whispers.
I smile and nods. "She is... wanna do my hair for me?"
Her eyes light up and she pulls me to her room, grabbing the curling iron. "I missed this!"
I giggle. "Surprisingly, I did too. Tell me about your trip."
I pull my knees to my chest as I listen to her chat on and on about it, about all the places they went that they still hadn't visited and how they bumped into some of Carlisle's old friends in Ireland and stayed with them for a while. I smile as I see she's forgiven me.
"Have you thought about the wedding?" She asks suddenly.
I choke on air, my eyes wide. "Um, no!"
"Why?" She groans and pouts.
"Because I'm not even 18 yet, Alice. I want to take my time with it."
"But you know you're meant to be with Seth, so why wait?" She huffs.
"Because. It's normal to do so, plus I don't want to do everything in life because I'm meant to be with Seth. I still want to spend my time loving him as his girlfriend before I love him as a wife. We'll get married, of course we will, but we don't want to yet."
She sighs. "Well it's all planned when you're ready."
"Alice."
"Its just a few suggestions..."
"Its my dress to choose. My wedding to plan." I scold. "End of."