Hey People! I am so sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. I have some stuff for future chapters pre-written, but this chapter was so hard to write for some reason. Hope you enjoy!
For the first two years of her life, Allie Claire was a very healthy little girl who had only been sick about five days in her whole life.
However, not long after her second birthday, things changed. Beca went to get her up one morning to take her to day care and Allie Claire was not happy.
"Hurts Mommy," she said, pulling at her ear.
"Come here Peanut," Beca said, picking her little girl up and feeling her forehead, "Oh Allie Claire, you're burning up."
"Hurt," Allie Claire said, putting her hand over her ear.
"Alright," Beca said with a sigh, "It's ok. Mommy's gonna take good care of you."
Beca called her office and canceled her meeting for the day before calling the pediatrician's office and getting an appointment. Allie Claire was very clingy and didn't want to be put down. Beca took her to her appointment where she was diagnosed with a double ear infection. Beca was diligent with the drops and antibiotics and within a day, Allie Claire was feeling better.
However, a few weeks later, Jesse went to get her up from a nap one afternoon, and again, she was complaining about her ears hurting. Another trip to the pediatrition revealed another double ear infection.
Six months and eight ear infections later, Beca, Jesse, and Allie Claire found themselves in a pediatric ENT office making an appointment to get tubes put in Allie Claire's ears. The toddler was essentially oblivious to what was going on, but to Beca and Jesse, this was serious news. Jesse had had tubes in his ears when he was young, but now that it was his own little girl, he was terrified.
As they drove home from the appointment, date set in three weeks for the tube placements, they tried to be happy and up beat for Allie Claire.
However, that night they stayed up late, researching the surgery. Everything they found said it was very safe and helped the kids with chronic ear infections. They both knew it was the right choice, but they were still nervous.
Three weeks later, they were heading to the hospital. They had let Allie Claire sleep late that morning because she couldn't eat breakfast, and just like Beca, she was very cranky when she was not fed.
"Mommy," Allie Claire said, finally awake enough to realize what was going on, "Where's we goin'?"
"Remember we talked about how the doctors are going to give you some sleepy medicine and put tiny tubes in your ears so they stop hurting?" Beca said, looking in the back seat at their little girl.
"Oh," Allie Claire said, rubbing her favorite blankie against her face, stuffed bunny held tightly to her chest.
A few minutes later, they pulled into the hospital.
"Come here Peanut," Jesse said, picking her up from her car seat as Beca grabbed the bag they had packed for the day.
They headed in, checking Allie Claire in. Beca took the paperwork and filled it out while Allie Claire cuddled in Jesse's lap, rubbing her blankie against her face. Twenty minutes after Beca turned in the paperwork, Allie Claire was taken back.
"Hello Allie Claire," a nurse named Susan said, "I have some special pajamas for you to put on. Your mommy can take you in the bathroom right there to put them on."
"Come here Peanut," Beca said, taking the hospital pajamas and the toddler, taking her into the bathroom where she helped the two year old change.
"Up," Allie Claire said as soon as she was changed, holding her hands up to her mom.
"It's gonna be ok Peanut," Beca said, scooping her up and holding her close.
They headed back out into the room where Susan and Jesse were waiting.
"Look at you Allie Claire," Jesse said, rubbing her back, "You look so cute."
"Alright," Susan said, smiling at the toddler, "I was wondering if you wanted to pick a special smell to use to fall asleep?"
Allie Claire nodded against Beca's shoulder, not moving from her mom's arms. Susan brought out a few different scents, letting Allie Claire smell them. Allie Claire picked the orange one and Susan helped her make the mask smell good.
"Alright," the ENT doctor who was performing the surgery said, coming in, "Are we all ready?"
"Yep," Susan said, "Are you ready to come with me Allie Claire?"
Allie Claire clung to Beca, reaching out for Jesse with one hand.
"You can bring your blankie and bunny with you," Susan said, picking up the toys from the bed."
"Mommy," Allie Claire said, eyes welling with tears, "Daddy."
"We will be here when you come back," Jesse said, rubbing her back, "You are gonna go take a special nap and when you wake up, your ears will be all fixed."
Allie Claire had big tears rolling down her cheeks but went with Susan after a kiss from Beca and Jesse. Susan held her and headed down the hall, passing through a set of double doors to the operating room. Beca had tears in her own eyes as she watched her little girl.
"You two can come with me," another nurse said, "The waiting room is right here. The procedure only takes about ten minutes with a little time in recovery. I'll come get you when she's done."
"Thanks you," Jesse said, guiding Beca to a chair.
They sat there for a while, Jesse holding his wife tightly, whispering in her ear that their little girl would be fine.
Sure enough, about twenty minutes later, the nurse who had shown them the room came back.
"Allie Claire is in recovery," she said, "You can come with me so you can be there when she wakes up."
Beca and Jesse got up, following her back to the recovery room. Allie Claire was in a bed, blankie and bunny tucked in next to her. She had an IV in her hand, and she looked so small. Her eyes were just starting to flutter when they walked in.
"Hey Peanut," Jesse said, going over to one side of the bed, "You did so good. Mommy and Daddy are right here."
Allie Claire opened her eyes a little and smiled at them.
"She did amazingly well," Susan said, coming in, "She should be good to go in about half an hour. I'm gonna go grab a popsicle for her."
Within thirty minutes, Allie Claire was much more awake. She was a little cranky and groggy thanks to the anesthesia, but Beca and Jesse got to take her home.
By the next morning, after a few movies and lots of cuddles with Mommy and Daddy, Allie Claire was back to her normal, happy self, much to her parents' delight.
So there it was. I know some of you wanted more aca-family chapters which will for sure happen in the next chapter. I also know a ton of you want Beca to have another baby which will not happen in the next chapter, but I might have something up my sleeve for future chapters. You never know. Thanks for reading and being so patient! College takes like all my time so this tends to slip through the cracks. More updates soon!