There comes a time when every individual takes a moment to reflect back on their life and marvel in what it has become. For some there are only disappointments and regrets and for others there are only pleasant memories of a well planned and executed life. For most of us though there is some combination of these two that makes up all the events that have led to the present we find ourselves in. Amy wasn't interested in reflecting on her entire life though. In her 43 years there had been many moments to dwell on the past and the choices she had made. For now, as she sat in the quite darkness of her son's nursery, she was content to think back to the events from the last decade that had landed her here. To be fair, it had actually been about eleven years and seven months since this journey began but unlike Sheldon she didn't feel the compulsion to be that exact.
Eleven years was a long time and if you had asked her then if she ever thought she would be where she was now she would have laughed with a pang of sadness in her eyes and told you no way. It wasn't that she hadn't always wanted a life like she had now, one with children and a husband, but as she was already in her early thirties and had little to no prospects in the man department she was doubtful she would ever get there. That had changed suddenly when Sheldon entered her life but it hadn't been an overnight change in thinking on either of their parts. She had been the one to foster and force the relationship forward at every turn, constantly fighting to budge Sheldon even the tiniest distance in the right direction. It hadn't bothered her in the beginning because her thinking had still been one that failed to see a possibility of this future. As the time went by she and Sheldon progressed, however slowly, but she vividly remembered the day she made a drastic decision for herself.
It had been just a few months since her 34th birthday and she and Sheldon had just finished their third year together. They had gotten to the point of holding hands and sharing a kiss or two but the fact was there was no prospect for more intimate relations to occur and Amy could feel her biological clock ticking. It wasn't like she wanted children right that very minute, but she wanted it to still be an option when the time did come. She feared that at the rate her relationship with Sheldon was moving she would be beyond child bearing years when he finally was ready to enter into that chapter of their lives. So, she made a visit to her doctor and with his guidance decided to freeze some of her eggs for the future. The process would take a few months and she would have to undergo fertility treatments, including shots and pills, to prepare her eggs to be harvested but that didn't really bother her. After much deliberation she had decided against telling Sheldon for the time being, afraid she might spook him with such a notion as implying they had a future. Plus, she told herself, this way if Sheldon didn't work out she would still have the option of children on the table with someone else. It was a matter of preparedness and surely even Sheldon could appreciate that. So, four months later she had made the trip to the doctor and undergone the procedure she had long prepared for. They harvested six eggs and while she could have continued treatments to harvest more she felt this was a substantial number and left it at that. The thing that led to drastic change wasn't that she had decided to harvest her eggs but in a way was a result of that.
Much to Amy's surprise and delight, Sheldon took leaps and bounds forward and after careful consideration had decided it was time to consummate their relationship. When Amy had asked him why then he had given her a long speech involving social protocol and pressure from friends and family doubting his intentions. She would have argued against his reasons but she was so happy he was finally willing to take her virginity and give her his she had gone with it. He hadn't stated it explicitly, but she guessed he had enjoyed the experience because just a week later he had proposed a repeat of the behavior. Sure it was planned and it made the entire act seem almost clinical, but Amy wasn't going to be overly picky when she was getting what she never thought she would have. Sheldon was a fantastic lover, gentle and willing to take advice and instruction, slow and methodical yet able to quicken his pace just at the right moment to leave her breathless and in a daze when they finished. She blamed the excitement and spontaneity of his decision to move forward for her forgetfulness. She had taken birth control for years but stopped during the egg harvesting process and that coupled with the fertility drugs made her extremely fertile. She had discovered this error in planning two weeks after their second love making and was horrified but strangely glad for this unexpected development. That pregnancy had changed both their lives beyond measure and nine months after that she gave birth to her and Sheldon's first child, a girl they named Frances Marie Cooper with the intent of calling her "Franny".
Amy smiled fondly to herself at the memory. Franny was now eight years old and heavily favored her mother with long brown hair. Her eyes however were green and she was beyond bright just like her parents. Amy rocked the baby in her arms and glanced down at his Sandy blonde locks. He was only two weeks old and was their only child not to have brown hair like his parents but she knew as he grew that might soon change. He did, however, already have chocolate brown eyes and favored his father in many ways. They had decided to name him Isaac Wil Cooper after Isaac Newton and Wil Wheaton. Amy wasn't overly fond of Wil but she didn't mind the moniker since his middle name would rarely be used anyway. Isaac stirred a bit and Amy decided it was probably time to feed him so she stood and made her way to the kitchen while letting her mind again drift back into the past.
With Franny having turned a year old, Sheldon and Amy had decided it was time to make their relationship official. If truth be told, Amy always felt as though she had Sheldon's religious mother to thank for their marriage. Sheldon was completely rational except when it came to her and he would have probably seen little point in a ceremony that would yield little change in the dynamic of their everyday lives. They had already been living together and were raising a child he would have argued but the only difference was now it would be solidified on paper and in name. Sheldon did his best, at the urging of Leonard and Penny, to be traditional in asking Amy to marry him. It wasn't anything like the movies, but she had still cried and said yes through the sobs and tears while he slipped the solitaire diamond onto her finger. It was one of the happiest days of her life, right up there with the birth of their daughter and the day they had first been together. At the time she had felt nothing short of amazement that her life was coming together so nicely and in fact often pinched herself to be sure she wasn't dreaming. They, meaning Amy and the girls, planned a small ceremony and organized an event that they felt everyone would enjoy, even Sheldon. In the mean time, she was surprised when Sheldon brought up the possibility of having another child. He caught her off guard with all the statistics and benefits he provided about only children versus those raised with siblings which made her wonder how long he had been considering the subject. She had no idea why he would have thought she might not be open to the idea and told him so. With both parties on board, they decided to immediately start trying for a second baby because they both know that with Amy being over 35 and coming off birth control it could take a while to actually conceive. Their wait wasn't too long though and just four months later and two months before their wedding date Amy found out she was pregnant again. Both were elated and the wedding turned into a combination party to celebrate both events in their lives. When Amy had kissed Sheldon at the altar after being pronounced his wife, she remembered nothing but magic and feeling true thankfulness to whatever power ran the universe. Life only got sweeter when they welcomed baby number two seven months later. It was another girl whom they called Caroline Samara Cooper. Sheldon was smitten with his little girls and despite being Sheldon managed to be a good, nurturing father and loving husband. He wasn't overly affectionate, but he was comfortable with physical intimacy now, though never in public, and managed to meet Amy's needs in all areas, including the bedroom. They still had written agreements, but Sheldon was slowly growing more flexible.
With the bottle in one hand and Isaac in the other, Amy shuffled over to the couch in the darkness of their apartment. She was careful not to sit in Sheldon's "spot" even though he had long gone to bed. Everyone was slumbering peacefully in their beds except Amy and Isaac. She could see the pale glow of the night light from under the door of her daughter's bedrooms and imagined both of their brown hair sprawled across their pillows as they slept. Isaac was beginning to whimper so she settled him with the bottle and continued her mental time travel.
After Caroline's birth, Amy had started pressuring Sheldon to consider a move from his original small two bedroom one bath place. He didn't like change at all, but he had admitted that the area was becoming a bit cramped with toys and baby items strewn about for the girls. He wasn't used to sharing a bathroom with a woman, let alone three, even if two were just small children. After a few months of deliberation they had decided moving was inevitable so with a two year old and an infant in tow they went out in search of a new place to call home. Sheldon had been insistent that they at least stay in an apartment style home, which wasn't hard considering most of the area around their jobs was apartment complexes. Even though it was more space than they currently needed, they eventually fell in love with a four bedroom, two bath apartment right down the road. The girls had their own bathroom and the extra bedroom made a great toy room for them so that the rest of the apartment could stay more cleaned up. The one thing that hadn't changed and probably never would was that Sheldon still had his "spot" on the couch. Once all the dust settled, Amy and Sheldon truly began to develop a routine for their new lives. They had two beautiful little girls and were happy with what life had handed them. When Caroline turned two though Amy began to feel the itch for something new. She knew exactly what it was her life was missing. She wanted a baby boy to complete her image of the perfect life. She was almost 40 though and didn't want to push her luck by having a child at such an "advanced maternal age" as the doctor had said. It was then she remembered the eggs she had frozen a while back. She discussed the matter with Sheldon and although he had been hesitant at first he had agreed that having a son to share his passions with would be wonderful. Also, since they would be conceiving the child via IVF he proposed they hand pick the gender to ensure they got the outcome they desired. She was satisfied with that arrangement and they immediately started on the journey to parenthood again. They researched and found a surrogate agency and gained the necessary approvals. It took less time than they had thought and just six months later they were sitting in a doctor's office awaiting news of whether the embryos had taken. They had implanted two just in case and were overjoyed when they learned that one had taken. Eight months later, four weeks ahead of schedule they had their first son, James Albert Cooper. He had the same brown hair as his sisters but his eyes were a gleaming blue like his father. When he was born, the bedroom situation was altered so that the play room could be maintained and the girls had started sharing while James took Caroline's old room.
Isaac's conception and birth had gone much the same only this time it had been Sheldon wanting to reproduce again. He liked evenness and wanted another son to have symmetry. At 43 Amy had been a little weary of trying to raise a fourth child but she understood and appreciated Sheldon's need to have things be equal. Once they had confirmed the pregnancy and completed the second trimester, they made the decision to destroy the remaining eggs Amy had saved. They wanted their family to be complete with finality about the decision. It was a bit sad to see the possibility end but at the same time brought a kind of peace.
Amy heard the footsteps of Sheldon coming down the hall as she finished feeding Isaac. He had drifted back to sleep while eating and she had to coax him awake for burping. "Are you coming back to bed?", Sheldon murmured careful not to wake the children. "Yes. I will be there in a few moments. I was just reminiscing about our life together and everything that has changed in the past decade.", Amy whispered in reply as Sheldon made his way to the couch and sat beside her in his "spot". Even in the darkness she could see him smile as the memories no doubt flickered across his mind like a quick movie playing back. "Yes. A lot has changed," he remarked staring at her with loving eyes, "you turned my world upside down Mrs. Amy Farrah Fowler Cooper and I am forever grateful that you did." Amy blushed, thankful that the dark room concealed the red flush of her cheeks, unsure of what to say. She didn't know what was happening until she felt Sheldon's lips against her own as he hovered above her and his newborn son. They stayed that way for a moment while his hand came up and cradled her cheek. When he pulled away all she could say was the same thing she had said on the train all those years ago. "That was nice." she whispered, still caught off guard when Sheldon was romantic without some sort of planning or schedule. He took Isaac from her arms and grabbed her hand to guide her back to bed before responding with a single word, "good".