To say I'm overprotective of my baby bump is an understatement. It is my cocoon, my safety nest. It may be riddled with scars but it is his home for nine months and I plan to make the most of it. The only people who are allowed to touch it are Peeta, Lily and the doctor. Haymitch tried to touch my belly once. I yelled at him for over an hour and he vowed to never touch it again. Peeta says I'm being paranoid but I don't care. I have an excuse; I'm pregnant.
Though I had to cut Lily's lessons short due to my condition I know she understands. I promise that we'll start them back up again after the baby is here. In return, she insists I braid her hair every day and I grudgingly do. I hate seeing her curls all squashed up but it's what she wants.
After much argument Peeta finally agreed to let me temporarily transfer our room to the first floor guest room. I don't ever go upstairs anymore and I kiss Lily on her cheek every night before Peeta takes her to her bedroom to tuck her in. I ask Lily if she minds and she tells me she doesn't. To say Lily is excited to have a little brother along the way is an understatement. She is beyond ecstatic and has been telling everyone at school about it. It's kind of nice that we waited because now she can fully understand what's going on. I hope nothing goes wrong for her sake as well as Peeta's and my own. She'd be heartbroken if we lost him now. At this point I'm eight months in so even if there is a mishap of some sort there's a good chance he would make it.
For once we're ahead of the game in terms of naming; Asher Finn Mellark. It just seems right to us. It's not a flower name but it's a tree one. Peeta chose it out and immediately fell in love; who was I to deny him? Though the nightmares have returned they're not as bad as they were with Lily or Affodell; maybe because of how safe I feel.
And another thing; I am huge. Like absolutely humongous. If the doctor hadn't assured me just a few weeks ago that there is in fact only one baby boy in my belly than I would have been sure there were twins on the way. But no, just one big healthy baby. It makes me smile to think of how well I've cared for him. He'll make it, and he will be perfect, those two things I am sure of.
Peeta's continues his greeting ritual like he did with Lily and Affodell. Everything just feels so right. I may still have nightmares about the Hunger Games, but neither Coin or Snow or present in my dreams. That helps, a lot. It hurts my feet to walk and I'm constantly snapping at everyone despite my happiness; blame it on the hormones I guess.
Two weeks later my water breaks and I am suddenly so terrified I can't breathe. Peeta calmly takes me to the hospital where they set me up on a bed. I then proceed to endure sixteen long hours of labour. I only had nine hours with Lily, "This is complete bullshit!" I yell at Peeta. He looks halfway between jumping for joy and passing out. "And this is the only other baby you're going to get!" I yell too. He nods in confirmation, squeezing my hand. Finally the doctor comes in and says I can push. I can safely say that this was way harder than Lily's was, even with her facing the wrong way. Peeta keeps whispering encouraging words into my ear. I accidentally break one of his fingers in my grip; great wife I am.
Asher is eventually introduced to the world and I am unsurprised by his blue eyes, though they are already darker than Lily's are. His head is piled with soft curly blonde hair but I wonder if it will stay that way. I rest my head against the pillow and Peeta picks up our son for the first time. Tears stream silently from my eyes. He is here, he is okay, he is safe. Peeta's hand grips my own.
"You did it." He whispers into my ear, before I quickly succumb to sleep as I hear my son quietly fussing in Peeta's arms.
As it turned out, his eyes turned grey; matching my seam eyes. His hair also lost a bit of its curl, falling around his face in soft waves instead. He is safe, and he is here to stay.
Sorry this is short. You can expect updates to be irregular now that school has started. I wasn't sure where I was going to go from here before but I finally have an idea about what the next chapter will be like. Hooray! Please Review!