Here is the next chapter. It's about a month later and Meredith is now 7 months pregnant.
Just another chapter leading up to the birth. This chapter is just a doctor's appointment, baby shopping, babysitting then siblings fighting.
Meredith wakes to her alarm. She doesn't have to go to school today as it is a Wednesday but she still has to get the kids up ready to go. She walks down to their rooms.
"Time for school Jackson." She says.
Jackson stirs and gets up out of bed slowly.
"Good boy."
She walks across to Charlie's room and opens her curtains.
"Wake up Charlie."
Charlie gets up out of bed and starts getting dressed.
Meredith walks downstairs into the kitchen where Derek is making breakfast for the kids.
"Good morning." He says.
"Morning."
"Wow 2 months to go." He says.
"I know and I'm so excited." She says beaming.
"Well that's good. What time is the doctor's appointment?"
"9 o'clock."
"Okay so we drop the kids off and head over to the doctors then."
"Sure."
Charlie and Jackson come wandering into the room. They sit down at the island bench and Derek hands them their breakfast. They start eating.
"Mer how many months are you know?" Charlie asks.
"I am 7 months today. Why's that?"
"I just wanted to know and does that mean you have 2 more months until the baby is born doesn't it?"
"Yes that's right."
They kids finish their breakfast and they go upstairs to finish getting ready.
...
Derek and Meredith drop Charlie and Jackson off at school and they head over to the doctors.
They are sitting in the waiting room. When the nurse comes out.
"Meredith Grey." She says.
Meredith and Derek both get up and walk into the room. They take a seat at the doctors desk and he comes and joins them.
"Hi guys how are you."
"Great." Meredith says beaming.
"Well you do look great for 7 months." He says smiling. "Today we're just going to do the ultrasound and see if everything is developing well a blood test for the same reason and just weighing and discussing your birth plan."
"Okay then." Mer says.
"So why don't we get you into a gown and we can start."
...
Meredith is lying on the exam table with Derek next to her. Her doctor walks in.
"Okay you know the drill. It's going to be a little cold at first."
Mer nods her head as he puts the gel on her stomach she winces at first but gets used to it.
"Okay you don't want to know the sex of the baby do you's?"
"No we want to be surprised." Derek says.
"Okay then, well we will just look at the baby and make sure everything is working and there are no abnormalities." He puts the wand on her stomach and searches for the baby. "And here is your baby." The baby flashes up on the screen. "Now everything looks normal. And here is the heartbeat."
The heart beat fills the room. It is stronger than the first ultrasound she had. Mer can't believe that in 2 months they will have their baby.
"I'll just go and get this printed off for you and if you could get dressed and meet me back in my office where we will discuss your birth plan"
The doctor leaves the room and Meredith stands up to get changed.
"Do you want me to leave?" Derek asks.
"No don't worry about it." She slips her pants on under the gown. "Can you unbutton the gown for me please?"
Derek undoes the gown and Meredith slips it off and throws her shirt on.
"Okay let's go." She says.
...
Derek and Meredith are leaving the doctors. They have organised everything for the birth.
"So where to now?" Derek asks.
"Um we need to buy baby clothes and all those little things." Mer tells him.
"Okay well go and have a look."
They pull up at the plaza. They both get out of the car and walk down to the baby store. As they get in they see Kathleen there. They walk over to her.
"Hey guys." She says.
"Hi Kath." Derek says. "Look at you Braden. You're getting big aren't you?"
"Yes he is. He just started crawling this morning and I can feel a tooth coming through." Kathleen says proudly.
"Wow." Mer says.
Kathleen's phone then goes off she passes Braden to Mer and she goes and answers it. Meredith and Derek entertain the 7 month old. Kathleen walks back over to them.
"Is something wrong?" Mer asks.
"Yeah I have to go into work. I was wondering if you two could watch him for me."
"Sure we can." Mer says.
"Okay. I'll give you my car keys and we can swap cars." She gives him her keys and he gives his to her. "I should be around at tea time. I've got to run." She hands Derek the bag and she hurries off to go to work.
"Come on Braden." Mer says.
They all walk down to the clothes. They go into the newborn section and they all browse through the clothes.
"So what size do we need?" Derek asks.
"Um for newborns you need 5 0's.
He nods his head and searches through the racks for onesies. He grabs half a dozen onesies that are for summer. Then he grabs a few winter onesies.
"Are these good?"
"Yeah they are, we can get more when the baby is born."
"Okay what else?"
"Socks."
He finds where the socks are and takes a few off the rack and shows her. She points to a few pairs and Derek puts them into the basket. Meredith grabs a few beanies and throws them into the basket.
"Bibs?" Derek asks.
She nods her head and he grabs a mixture of bibs and throws them into the basket.
Meredith looks over at the blankets and grabs a few blankets. She puts them into the basket.
The two of them grab mostly everything they need.
...
They arrive home. Braden fell asleep in the car on the way home. Meredith takes him out of his car seat and takes him inside. She lays him down on the lounge and places a pillow in front of him so he can't roll off.
Derek walks inside with all the bags of baby gear. He sits the bags on the lounge room floor and they start taking everything out of the bags. The clothing, blankets, bottle, bed linen, baby monitor and all the bits and pieces that they will need.
"Um I'll wash all the clothes, blankets and bed linen." Meredith says.
She makes a pile for them to be washed. She gets up and places them in the laundry to be washed.
Meredith walks back out and sits next to Derek and they go through all the other stuff they got. Meredith opens up the carrier and puts it on.
"How's that?" He asks.
"Good, very comfy." She says.
Braden then wakes up and starts crying.
"Oh what's wrong Braden?" She says taking the carrier off and picking him up. "Do you want your bottle?"
She opens up his bag and takes his bottle out. She sits down on the lounge and starts feeding him. He finishes the bottle.
"Good boy." She looks around the room and notices that there is nothing to entertain him with.
"What are you looking for Mer?" Derek asks.
"Something to entertain him."
"Um we have the baby swing."
"But that is in the box."
"I can take it out." He gets up and gets the box. He brings it back out and opens the box and takes the swing out. With one motion he assembles the swing and plugs it into the wall. Meredith sits him in there and pushes him softly. She sits back down next to Derek and he takes the breast pump out of the bag and laughs.
"What Derek."
"Nothing. I'm so glad that I don't have to use this." He says passing it off to her.
"Shut up Derek."
She looks over at Braden and he is asleep.
"Oh that's so cute Derek." Mer says.
"Yes it is. Do you want some lunch?" He asks.
"Yes please."
Derek walks into the kitchen and Meredith picks everything up and takes it upstairs to the nursery.
...
After lunch Meredith is asleep on the lounge. Derek is studying for his trials. Braden is also still asleep in the swing. He closes the book and goes into the study where all baby gear is. They are all in boxes waiting to be opened. He sorts through what needs to go where. He pushes the car seat and the pram right to the back. He opens the first box and assembles the high chair. He drags that to the back of the room and then grabs the bassinet box. He opens that makes the bassinet. He takes it upstairs and sits it in Meredith's room, in the corner.
He walks back downstairs and pokes his head into the lounge room to make sure that Braden is still asleep.
He walks back into the study and grabs another box. He takes all the parts out and assembles the cradle.
"How many beds does this baby need?" He asks himself.
"This many." Meredith says from behind him.
"Really three beds?"
"Well the cot will be the permanent one. The bassinet for a month for were the baby can sleep of a night and the cradle for downstairs as it will be easier to have the baby there of a day time."
"Okay."
"You didn't have to assemble this stuff."
"Well yes I did because I was bored and it needed to be made."
"Okay well let me help."
She goes into the study and opens the boxes for the pram and the car seat. Derek makes the last few things. Braden then starts to cry again.
"Um he must be hungry again." Mer says. "There should be baby food in the bag."
Derek gets up and walks out to Braden; he lifts him out of the swing and opens up the baby bag. He takes the jar and his spoon out and walks into the kitchen.
"Hey Mer could you bring the high chair out?" Derek calls.
Meredith rolls the chair out and puts it at the bench for Derek. Derek puts him into the chair and starts feeding him.
Meredith looks at the clock.
"Charlie and Jackson should be here soon."
A few minutes later they walk through the front door and into the kitchen.
"How was school?" Mer asks.
"Okay." Jackson says going to the fridge.
"School was fun. We decorated biscuits with icing then we out lollies on them." Charlie says sitting at the bench.
"Were they good?" Derek asks.
"Yes they were. They really yummy."
"That's good." Mer says.
"Why's Braden here?" Jackson asks.
"Kathleen had to drop into work and we are babysitting for her." Meredith says.
"Okay. How did the Doctors go?" Charlie asks.
"Good. We got new scans done." Mer says taking them out of her bag and showing the kids.
"Peanuts getting really big." Charlie says.
"Yeah Peanut is."
Derek finishes feeding Braden and cleans him up.
"Jackson do you and Charlie want to come for a walk with us to the park?" Mer asks.
"Okay. Can we take the dogs?" He asks.
"Yes we can. If you can go and get their leashes on then we can go."
Jackson runs out to get the dogs leashes. Meredith takes Braden out of the high chair.
"Is his pram in the car?" She asks.
"Yeah it is. I'll go and get it and you get." He leaves to get the pram as Bundy and Juno come running in with Jackson chasing after them. He clips the leashes to the collars and takes them outside.
"Charlie can you grab the baby bag for me."
Charlie grabs the bag and walks into the kitchen.
"Thank you." Mer puts her phone and keys into her pockets. She throws her shoes on and they go outside.
Mer straps him into the pram.
"Let's go."
They all take off for the trip to the park.
10 minutes later they reach the park. Derek lets the dogs go in the dog yard. Charlie and Jackson go and swing on the swings and Meredith takes Braden out of the pram and sits him in baby swing. She straps him in and starts pushing him. Little giggles escape from his mouth causing Meredith to laugh.
"Braden it's not that funny." She says.
He continues to laugh away.
They spend an hour at the park when it starts getting darker.
"We better get going." Mer says.
Derek clips the leashes onto the dogs. Charlie comes over.
"Can I push the pram?" She asks.
"Sure sweetie."
Charlie starts pushing the pram but can't see where she is going.
"Do you need some help Car?" Mer asks.
"Yes please."
Meredith helps Charlie push the pram while Jackson walks Juno and Derek walks Bundy.
They arrive home and see Derek's car parked in the driveway.
Jackson takes the dogs around the back. Meredith takes Braden out of the pram and Derek puts it back into the car.
Meredith walks inside and sees that Kathleen isn't anywhere downstairs. So she goes upstairs to the nursery. She walks in and sees Kathleen looking at the room. She turns around and sees Mer. She takes Braden out of her arms.
"How long have you been here for?" Mer asks.
"About 10 minutes."
"Okay."
"This is so amazing Mer." Kathleen says referring to the nursery.
"Thank you."
"If I known that you were this good I could have gotten you to do Braden's."
"Oh it's nothing but Braden's is cute."
They stand there for a few minutes extra.
"Anyway I better get him home. Thanks for watching him."
"It was my pleasure." Mer says. "Bye Braden." Mer kisses his cheek and Kathleen leaves.
...
Meredith is sitting next to the bath tub and Charlie is having a bath.
"Mer will you let me babysit Peanut?" She asks.
"Not by yourself sweetie."
"Why not?" She asks.
"Because you're too young. If you were older then I would."
Charlie doesn't say anything for a few minutes. Meredith knows that she is upset.
"I'm finished with my bath now." She says quietly.
"Okay."
Mer helps her out of the bath and wraps the towel around her. She pulls the plug and lets the water out and takes Charlie down to her room. She starts drying her and goes to help her get dressed when she says something that shocks Mer.
"I can do it by myself." She takes the clothes off Mer and starts getting dressed.
"Okay I'll come and tuck you in and read you your story in ten minutes."
"I don't want to be tucked in or read to." She says sharply.
"Charlie are you mad at me?" Mer asks taken aback at her attitude.
"No I'm not."
"Can I come back and read to you soon."
"No, I'm too young for stories and being tucked in. I can read to myself and I don't need to be tucked in."
"Okay, fine goodnight." Mer says annoyed at Charlie. She walks out of the room and shuts the door. Derek walks past her and sees that she is upset.
"What's wrong?" He asks.
"Nothing Charlie is just mad at me."
"Why?"
"She asked if she could babysit peanut and I said that she was too young."
"What happened after that?"
"I was going to help her get dressed then she took her clothes off me and dressed herself. I told her I would be back in a few minutes to read to her and tuck her in and she said that she was too old for them."
"Okay I'll go and talk to her. You give me a few minutes with her."
"Okay."
"Okay, I'll come and get you in a few minutes."
Meredith walks away and Derek walks into Charlie's room. He sees her sitting in bed with a book in her hands reading aloud. She doesn't look up when he walks in. He grabs her dolly and goes and sits on her bed.
"Do you want some help?" He asks.
She stops for a second. "No." She says firmly.
"Okay then, I am just going to sit here and listen to your beautiful reading voice."
She keeps reading when she gets to a word she doesn't know. She moves the book in front Derek and points to the word.
"Neverland." He tells her.
He sits there waiting for her to give up on the book. She closes the book and sits it on her night stand and she lies down and pulls the blankets over her body.
"What's wrong Charlie?" He asks.
"Nothing." She says. He knows her too well to not know that something is wrong.
"C'mon something must be bothering you?"
"There is but you can't say anything."
"Okay it will be our little secret."
Derek leans in close to Charlie.
"Mer called me a baby." She says.
"Hey sweetie I don't think she did mean it."
"But all I asked if I could babysit Peanut and she said that I was too young."
"That's because you are. You're too young to be able to look after the baby by yourself but I'm sure that Mer will let you help her when she needs it. It's no reason to get upset and for the record I don't think you should give up story time or being tucked in because Mer has the secret touch to delivering the best stories and the best tuck ins. If you didn't have Mer there to read you the story then you couldn't get to sleep yourself as when Mer reads them and you won't dream big. And with the tuck ins they keep away all the bad dreams and they keep you safe at night." Derek explains to her.
"She does keep the bad dreams away and she does tell the best stories." She says.
"She does doesn't she. So how about I go and get her and she can read you a story, tuck you in and keep all the bad dreams away."
"Okay."
"I'll go and get her."
Derek leaves and gets Meredith.
Meredith walks in turns the lamp on and turns the big light off. She lies down next to Charlie and starts reading the story to her.
"Night Charlie." Mer says tucking her in and kissing her forehead.
She closes her eyes and falls asleep. Meredith turns the lamp off and leaves her room closing the door halfway.
What did you think? Please review and let me know.
I will more than likely have the chapter up in a day or so.
That chapter is 8 days. The last week of school for them and the traditional things that happen on that last week. Well the traditional things that happen at my school anyway. The Saturday is their final doctor's appointment. The Sunday is their baby shower and the Friday of that week is Meredith's birthday when she has a surprise that is 3 weeks early.