A\N: Thank you so much to everyone who is reading and revewing this story it means so much to me.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize

Spoilers: None

Warnings: Warinings

Chapter 37

Early May

Lucas, Matthew and Julia were all playing in the front yard as they waited for their parents to come home with Elizabeth. They knew their parents were coming home sometime after breakfast so as soon as they finished eating, they rushed outside to play. They all rode their bikes for a while, the Julia began playing hopscotch on the chalk hopscotch game her grandfather had helped her draw with chalk the previous day. While Julia was playing hopscotch and Lucas was climbing a tree Matthew was looking at all of the different clouds. When Shane and Oliver arrived home, it was Lucas who first saw the car.

"Mommy! Daddy!" He jumped down excitedly from the tree, "Grandpa, Mommy and Daddy are here!" He ran to the front door and shouted excitedly as he ran to join his brother and sister and waited on the grass.

All three of the children were very excited their parents were home, but they wanted to do their best to listen to the instructed their parents ahd given them the previous night in their video chat. They had bene told that if they all started shouting at once it might scare Elizabeth and make her cry. So, they waited on the grass as they watched their parents get out of the car. They watched their mother open up the back and take out a baby carrier while their father opened up the trunk and started to get out the suitcases.

"Oh, you're being such good listeners," Shane smiled as she saw all three children waiting patiently, "Come here and give me a gentle hug," She instructed. "I've missed you all so much." He hugged the kids and kissed the top pf their heads, "Your new sister Elizabeth is probably getting hungry so I'm going to feed her and then maybe you can each hold her." Shane told the children as she took the baby carrier from Oliver. Sure, enough Elizabeth was soon crying. Shane took her out of the carrier and held her.

"She's so small," Julia commented as she looked up at her new sister.

"Why don't you kids go and show Mommy your sister's new room while I help Daddy unload the luggage," Joe suggested as he walked up to his Grandchildren, "I'm sure Mommy will love to hear all about how you helped put the room together."

All three older children ran back inside and took off their shoes and jackets and waited by the stairs for Shane to follow. "We helped with Elizabeth's room. I spelled her name for her." Matthew explained to his mother as he walked up the stairs and then opened the door to Elizabeth's bedroom.

Shane smiled as she saw the room, Oliver was right it had been completely set up with all of the furniture they had ordered and much more. The brown oak crib was agansit one wall next to a rocking chair. The changing table and dresser was set up on another wall near a closet and bookcase On the wall above the crib she noticed pictures and letters the children had coloured and drawn on canvass. Above the crib as well was Elizabeth's name just like her older sister and brothers had above their beds. Her name was in pink and purple letters, Shane guesses mostly out of Julia's insistence as those were the colours here name was made of.

"This looks fantastic, I love all your drawings you made for Elizabeth," Shane carried Elizabeth to the rocking chair and sat down with her. "And look at how nicely all of Elizabeth's books and toys are on the shelf. Lucas what did you help with?" She asked her son who had been the quietest of the children.

"I helped Grandpa set up the crib. I gave him the pieces he needed. It was so fun like LEGO. Grandpa said I'd be a good engineer. An engineer is someone who builds things," Lucas spoke as he walked further into his sister's room. He looked carefully at Elizabeth, "Is she still sick?" He asked.

"No, she's all better now," Shane explained, "You're such a good big brother for being so worried about her. Do you want to know why she needed to stay in the hospital?"

"Uh-huh," Matthew and Lucas nodded their heads just as Julia walked out of the room.

"Elizabeth was born a little early, so she needed to stay in a special place in the hospital to get big enough to come home. She's stronger now and I can feed her," Shane explained as Elizabeth started crying again. "Remember I explained to you last night how I feed Elizabeth?"

Oliver walked into the bedroom followed by Joe, "I saw the game Grandpa ordered for you Monopoly Junior. I suggest we go down and play it. I would very much like to teach you boys how to play it. Mommy is going to feed Elizabeth and then bring her downstairs." Oliver explained, "I know you want to spend time with Mommy but she and I both need to spend extra time with Elizabeth. She is only a small baby. That is why I want to play with you now. Where is your sister Julia?"

"Hi Daddy!" Julia ran excitedly back into the room and hugged him. "I missed you this much!" She held her arms out wide."

"I missed you too," Oliver smiled down at Julia. "I see you have changed into your Ariel dress and you have your microphone. How about you show me how you and your brothers made the basement less scary?"

"No," Elizabeth shook her head as she held up a baby doll, "I want to stay with Mommy and Elizabeth. I want to help. Please," She added as she looked at both od her parents.

"You can stay Julia, but you need to be good," Shane told her daughter, "No talking loud and don't touch your sister unless I say you can."

"Okay Mommy," Julia nodded and sat down on the floor of the room as Oliver and Joe left with her brothers. Julia stayed mostly quiet while Shane was feeding Elizabeth. She played with her doll and then started singing and dancing when she got a little board.

When Shane had finished feeding and burping Elizabeth the baby seemed more content. She snuggled closely into Shane and gripped her finger, "Julia, if you're very quiet you can come and look at Elizabeth. I like how you were waiting so patiently."

"Thank you, Mommy," Julia smiled, she was very proud of herself for waiting so long. It was hard but she knew it was something big sisters did. Julia looked down at Elizabeth and smiled, "I'm your big sister. My names Julia Rose O'Toole, your name is Elizabeth Grace O'Toole. Mommy can I hold Elizabeth now?"

"I think Grandpa should hold her first sweetheart," Shane explained to her daughter as she stood up and walked out of the room and down the stairs. She carried Elizabeth into the family room. She approached Joe who was helping Oliver explain how Monopoly Junior worked, "Joe, would you like to hold your new Granddaughter?" She asked.

"Yes, I would like that very much," Joe answered with a smile he sat back on the couch and watched Shane place the baby in his arms. "Hi sweetheart," He spoke softly, "It is so good to finally get to hold you."

Not interested in the game anymore Lucas and Matthew joined Julia on the couch and looked at Elizabeth curiously. They were so little when Julia was born, they didn't remember her as a baby and since then they hadn't seen a baby up close.

Lucas leaned close to Julia and touched her hair, "She has blonde hair like Julia and Mommy," He observed.

"No!" Julia yelled and pulled his hand away "Don't touch her!" She frowned at her brother, "She's a baby!" Julia yelled.

Before Lucas could respond Elizabeth cried loudly which caused both Julia and Lucas to turn and look at her. "She's loud!" Lucas complained as he covered his years.

"Here sweetheart," Shane got one of her soothers and put it her mouth in order to help calm her down. With the soother and Joe rocking her Elizabeth settled down.

"Shane," Oliver stood up, "I know you are worried about Elizabeth, but you were up all night with her. You need to get some sleep. "You cannot look after her unless you are well rested. Please go upstairs and get some sleep. If Elizabeth needs to be fed, we still have a bottle. It Is in the fridge."

"I'll help Daddy, Mommy," Julia promised, "I know all about babies. I've been practising,"

"Thank you, Julia," Shane laughed sleepily, "I think Daddy knows more about babies however I am sure he would love some help. I am going to try and get some sleep."

"We'll be quiet," Matthew and Lucas said at almost the same time before they turned back to look at Elizabeth.

"Daddy," Julia walked into the family room with Elizabeth's bottle. She ahd gotten her grandfather to heat it up and then she carried it to her father. Elizabeth was crying loudly, and Oliver was doing everything he could to comfort her, "Daddy, Mommy woked up," Julia pointed to Shane who was walking into the family room.

"I'd rather feed her," Shane told Oliver, "I woke up as soon as she started crying. I tried to get back to sleep but I couldn't. I know she'd rather me feed her," Shane took Elizabeth into her arms the baby calming down immediately in her mother's arms.

"What about the bottle?" Julia asked.

"We can put it back in the fridge," Oliver reached out his hand for Julia to take, "I will feed Elizabeth when she waked up in the middle of the night. Mommy needs all of the sleep she can get. How about you do me a special favour? You go and get Mommy anything she needs for Elizabeth or herself? Can you do that?"

"Yes!" Julia smiled happily and handed her father the bottle and went back to the couch where her mother was feeding Elizabeth, "Mommy I'm your helper," She informed her with a smile.

"I heard," Shane told her, "Elizabeth is going to need a diaper change after she's fed. Can you go and get a diaper and package of wipes from her room?" She asked.

"I can!" Julia jumped up and ran out of the room and up the stairs.

"Very sneaky using Julia to keep an eye on me," Shane smirked as Oliver walked back into the room and sat down beside her on the couch."

"I am worried about you. I understand you need to look after Elizabeth most of the time, that does not mean you need to do it alone. My father told me how excited Julia has been to have Elizabeth home. She loves the idea of being a responsible big sister, I do not see any harm in having her doing something productive. If she is helping you then she will not be bothering her brothers, which seems to be something else she enjoys doing."

TBC

A\N: So in this chapter there was character growth and development for Julia. In the upcoming chapters you will see how Elizabeth is affecting Matthew and Lucas as well and how having a fourth child changes the dynamics of the household.