Chapter 11

The next morning dawned bright and early. Michaela was not used to being woken up by all the commotion in the house, but she loved it because it meant family. She could hear the babies crying, and the kids laughing, and the adults talking while preparing breakfast. Michaela smiled and got out of bed. She put on her fuzzy robe and headed downstairs. "Mornin' Ma!" said Brian.

"Momma!" Katie and Brooke yelled.

"Morning Gramma!" said Anna Rose.

"Good morning everyone!" Michaela said. Sully and Brian had helped Matthew into the kitchen.

"How'd you sleep, Ma?" He asked.

"Amazing!" she replied. "What about you? How are those ribs feeling?"

"I slept pretty well. I feel a lot better than I have in a while. I had Andrew check me out for you. He said I am healing up just fine!"

"That is great, Matthew. Thank you, Andrew, for doing that for me, that is one less item on my list for today!" Colleen and Mabel were making breakfast. Baby Thomas was crying in his crib by the sofa, and Colleen had Baby Benjie on her hip while mixing batter. He was not very happy at all either. "My, oh, my! My two grandsons are sure upset this morning!" Michaela walked up to Colleen and took Benjie from her. He stopped crying immediately. "What's the matter, my sweet boy?" She crooned. "Since you girls got breakfast handled, I am going to get some snuggle time with my two boys! She walked over to the crib and picked up Tommy as well. He also stopped crying. Then she sat in her favorite rocking chair and rocked them. They fell quickly asleep.

"I guess Gramma here is a baby whisperer!" said Sully.

"We have all tried to quiet them this morning, but nothing worked!" said Brian. Matthew and Andrew laughed.

"They didn't even want to be with us!" Matthew said.

Michaela sighed a sigh of happiness. "This couldn't get any better!" she thought. That day, Michaela stayed home and watched the kids. She had five of them all together. Sully, Matthew, and Brian mysteriously disappeared, claiming to have Christmas business to attend to, and Andrew went into town to talk to the Smith family about buying their house. Colleen and Mabel went with him to do some Christmas shopping. Christmas was in just ten days! The kids kept Michaela busy all morning. Right before lunchtime, Michaela received a surprise visit from Dorothy and Grace.

"We saw the girls in town, and they said you were at home with all the kids! We figured that you would probably need some lunch, and so we brought you some!" explained Grace.

"And we came to help you finish those Christmas presents you told us about!" said Dorothy. For Christmas, Michaela was making blankets for each of the children, and a quilt for Mabel. She had finished the quilt but still had to finish the blankets. She had special ordered a matching set of stethoscopes for Colleen and Andrew. Robert E. was making Matthew and Sully brand new hatchets and leather cases for her, and she had bought an engraved journalist's pen for Brian. "We figured you would probably need the help with all these kids runnin' around!"

"Awww, you girls are so sweet! I definitely need the help. These kids are like little banshees! The babies are trying to sleep and I am about to my wit's end!"

"Let's feed them, and then put them to bed for a nap, and then we can get to work on those blankets of yours!" said Grace.

After everyone was fed and put down for a nap, the woman moved into the parlor to work on the blankets. They talked while they worked, and after two hours, by the time the babies and the girls woke up, they were finished. Michaela was excited and relieved that her presents were finished. They were even all wrapped and stashed under her and Sully's bed. She gave her friends big hugs and sent them on their way. The men and Mabel and Colleen returned to the house at four.

"How was your day?" Sully asked when he walked through the front door and saw her playing with the kids. He came up behind her a kissed her cheek.

"It was good! I finished all my presents and I had a great time playing with the children and talking with Grace and Dorothy, but I must say, I sure am tuckered out!"

"I bet! Why don't you go lie down for a minute before supper?" suggested Sully.

"Maybe I will! A nap sure sounds nice!" and so she did. She slept for an hour until Sully came to wake her up for supper. They had a big family dinner together. After they were finished and everything was cleaned up, the men retired into the parlor to play checkers, and the girls got the youngsters ready for bed. Michaela put the three girls in the bathtub, and Colleen and Mabel had the two babies in a small wash basin. They all sat laughing and talking in the washroom. "Scrub-a-dub-dub! Three little girls in the tub!" sang Michaela. They giggled.

"You're funny Gramma!" giggled Anna Rose.

"Ya Mama!" said Katie.

"Out you go!" Michaela told Brooke, as she picked her up and wrapped her in a towel. She dried her off and put her in a nightgown. Then, while Katie and Anna were toweling off and getting dressed, she brushed Brooke's red hair.

"Will you brush our hair, Gramma?" asked Anna Rose.

"Of course, Sweetheart!" She set them all in a row and brushed their hair. Then she took them to their bedroom. She tucked them in and read them a bedtime story. They begged for another, but after much debate, they settled on a lullaby from Michaela. Before she was finished, they were all fast asleep. She tiptoed out of the room and quietly closed the door. She walked into the room where Mabel and Colleen were nursing and putting their babies to sleep. They were both just finishing up when Michaela entered the room.

"Ma?" Colleen asked, "Do you want me to do that checkup now, or later?"

"Now is as good a time as any, I suppose." She answered. Colleen put her baby in his crib and followed Michaela as she led the way to her bedroom. She quickly changed into a nightgown. Mabel quietly entered the room and asked if Colleen would like some help. Colleen said that she would love the help. Michaela laid on the bed.

"You said you are four and a half months along, right?" asked Colleen.

"Yes, I should be due around the middle of April, I pinpointed the date at around April 23rd. Although I think I am bigger at this time than I was with any of my other pregnancies. Don't you think?"

"I would agree." Said Colleen. After a few more routine questions, Colleen began her examination. She measured, and listened, and felt, and when she was done she said, "All is well! Baby is doing great!"

"That's a relief!" Michaela said, "It's late! I better go to bed."

"Ma, you always take care of everyone, and you always have. Now it is our turn to take care of you and tuck you in." They pulled back the covers and Michaela slipped her feet in. Then they brought the quilt up around her chin. They kissed her forehead. "Goodnight, Ma!"

"Sleep tight!" whispered Mabel.

Michaela closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She placed her hand on her stomach. "Glad you are healthy, little one!" Then she drifted off to sleep. She didn't even hear Sully get in bed and pull her close.