A\N: I've had a difficult few weeks in terms of mental health so I just took weekends (when I usually write) to relax and do things that made me feel good. I'm starting to feel better now and over the last few weekends I've been able to write.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize.

Spoilers: None

Warnings: None

Chapter 8

Weeks 19-21

Shane stood in the mirror in a bra and underwear and looked at herself. She was now twenty weeks pregnant, and her stomach seemed to be growing more each day. It was also becoming itchier as the skin expanded. She was hoping the cream she had gotten in her newly arrived bump box woukd help soothe the itching. She picked up the cream from nearby dresser and gently applied it along her abdomen. Once she was finished, she lowered her shirt and headed downstairs where Oliver was making breakfast.

"Shane, I know you are quite excited about going shopping today for baby items. However, I would like to remind you to take plenty for breaks and do not over work yourself. Let other people push the cart and lift things. Also," He poured her cup of orange juice and handed her some prenatal vitamins "Please have the store deliver any larger items. I was happy when your pillow arrived on time, but I do not want us giving UPS anymore business. I do not like that those boxes you get do not come through the U.S, mail."

"I know Oliver," Shane laughed just a little as she took her vitamins, "And don't worry my Mom and Rita will make sure I'm aright. You, Norman and your Dad have fun building those bookcases out of those old mailboxes I found. They're going to look very cute when they're completed.

"Yes," Oliver made her up a plate of bacon and eggs, "I will however hide all of the tools once we are complete. The last thing we need is for you to take down a wall in this house." He joked.

"Funny," Shane quipped, "You don't know though there could be a secret room in this house." She joked as she began eating breakfast

"I think that's highly unlikely." Oliver responded.

The rest of the morning was uneventful as Shane and Oliver ate breakfast and talked about how they'd like to set up the nursery and other baby items around the house. Half an hour before her mother was going to pick her up for shopping Shane began to get ready and made her way out to the porch swing to wait. Soon her mother and Rita were driving down the road. Her mother parked in the driveway behind Shane's car while Rita parked on the streety. Shane greeted her mother and her best friends and then told Norman Oliver was inside waiting for him.

After arriving at the mall Shane pulled up some pictures and notes on her phone as she made her way into the baby store. "So, Oliver and I have a pretty good idea of what we want to get for the babies. I found some things I liked online but I want to see how steady and well-built they are. Some items are also crossed off on the baby registry. I told Oliver I wanted to have some of nursery completed before the baby shower next weekend."

"Oh!" Rita squealed excitedly, "Your baby shower is going to be so much fun! Everyone's been helping out with all kinds of games and activities. I can't wait until next Saturday. I know you can't know what you're getting but I think you should wait to get a stroller."

Shane laughed a little, "Alright that can wait." She rubbed her abdomen as she looked around the store and then back to her notes, "Let's look at cribs and cradles first. The nursery is white with blue and red outlines so many two matching oak cribs and a change table would be good. I also read the reviews on Amazon for this new rocking baby cradle. Oliver and I disagreed about on that purchase. Oliver feels babies need to be rocked by their parents or other caregivers, so they get some human contact. I agree but I'm thinking of all of those sleepless nights with two screaming babies. I think a self-rocker would definitely come in handy sometimes."

When getting to the crib aisle Shane read the descriptions on some of the cribs. "Oh, this one is interesting, Mom, Rita," She called them over to the crib she was looking at, "It converts into a toddler bed and then a child's bed as well. That would save time and money and there are two of them. Oliver's leaving this all up to me as long as I get the bigger things delivered. I'll just take a picture and then we can get two cribs and hopefully other things delivered," Shane snapped a picture of one of the boxes and then continued to walk.

In the two hours they spent in the store, they were able to buy everything they wanted and somethings that weren't on the list. The biggest and most important items on the list like cradles, change tables, pack and plays, two self-rockers, car seats and changing mats Shane arranged for delivery the following day.

Later that night Shane was laying comfortably in Oliver's arms as she scrolled through her social media pages while he read a newborn parenting book. Shane moved veery slowly and carefully as she felt kicks agansit her ribs.

"Oh!" Oliver smiled widely, he put his book down and put both hands on Shane' stomach, "I am feeling little flicks or movement. I am quite certain I can feel our babies moving."

Shane smiled, she was so happy Oliver could finally hear the babies moving, she knew that was something he'd been looking forward to for a long time. "I think you can too. One of them seems to be a little night owl. Always starting moving around and kicking my ribs most of the night so I can't sleep."

"Are you not getting enough sleep at night? Should we contact your doctor?" Oliver asked getting increasingly worried as he counited, "How long as this been an issue?"

"It's alright Oliver," Shane reassured him, "As the babies grow, they're going to take up more space and move around more. I'm sleeping as much as I can and having some days off at home has helped. I don't think I'll be able to sleep through the night for a long time."

Oliver frowned slightly, not liking the idea of Shane thinking she would be the one to get up with the twins, "When the babies are here, and they cry in the middle of the night I will go and them. If they need to be changed, I will change them and then put them back to sleep. If they need to be fed, I will bring them to you and then put burp them."

"You're going to be an amazing father Oliver," Shane smiled as she pictured Oliver rocking the twins to sleep and reading them bedtime stories.

"You are already an amazing mother," Oliver kissed her head gently, "I do suggest you let me help you get ready for bed now. I know you are tired, and it is not good for you to fall asleep on the couch."

Shane slowly sat up and smiled as Oliver stood and then helped her stand and then helped her walk up to their bedroom.

The rest of the week flew by, and before Shane knew it, it was the day of her baby shower. She arrived at Rita and Norman's house just in time to see Rita open the door and a small blur run up to hug her legs.

"Baby party!" Twenty-one-month-old Stella yelled happily as she looked up at her Godmother, "New dress!" Shen tried spinning around but tripped and fell over her new shoes, "I okay!" She stood up and reached for Shane's hand, "Baby party!

"Let Auntie Shane come in Stella," Rita picked up her daughter, "She's just so excited about this party. We've been telling her about how she's going to need to be a good friend to the new babies and know how to share.

"My baby!" Stella spoke up.

"Yes, that's a good idea, go and get your baby to show Auntie Shane," Rita put her daughter on the floor and led Shane into the family room which has been all decorated for her baby shower. One of Norman's cousins suggested we get Stella a baby doll to play with, it helped his older daughter learn how to be gentle to her new baby sister. Stella is getting there, she's sometimes still a little rough."

"I know having two babies will be hard for her, I'm glad you're trying to get here prepared for the change," Shane sat slowly down on a couch just as Norman carried Stella back into the room. In her hands Stella was carrying a baby doll swaddled in a blue blanket, "You found your Daddy and your baby," Shane grinned as Norman" sat Stella down on the couch.

"Daddy no!" Stella forgot all about her baby and climbed down off of the couch and ran after Norman, "I go!" She demanded.

Norman knelt down so he was at Stella's height, looking at her he said, "Daddy is going to Uncle Oliver and Auntie Shane's house to help Uncle Oliver finish the new babies' bedroom so that Mommy and Auntie Shane can bring everyone to see it later on. It won't be much fun."

Stella started to cry as she hugged Norman, "No Daddy."

Norman hugged Stella back, "I promise I'll play with you later. We can have an owl tea party if you want."

Stella happily clapped her hands, "Yes."

Norman kissed her cheek and then lifted her up and carried her over to Rita before he left. Stella was upset for a few minutes only until guests started to arrive and she started liking all of the presents and attention she was being given,

Once all of the guests had arrived and food had been eating and games played it was time to open up presents. Shane didn't know what it was, but she suspected something was up when all of the wrapping paper for all of the gifts was either blue, green or red. There had to be some kind of theme associated with all of the gifts.

"So, to make this more fun we have three big gifts hidden and ten smaller gifts wrapped here. All of the presents in the same colour wrapping paper are clues to a big gift. You can use those POstableds detective skills to good work looking at the gifts and trying to figure out what the bigger presents are." Rita explained to her friend, "Stella is going to help find presents for you to open."

Shane was definitely intrigued at the way Rita had organized her presents and was ready to try and figure out the clues, "Stella, can you find me a red present?"

Stella nodded her head and with Rita's help she was able to find a red present. Shane opened it to see two pairs of sunglasses. Soon after all of the thirty presents were opened, she sat and looked at all of the presents. "Well," She laughed, "I know one gifts a stroller since I was told not to get that. I'm guessing the sunglasses, twin baby bag, changing pad, baby food and bottle containers, the outdoor toys and blanket are to go with that."

"That was the easy one," Her mother told her, "We thought you'd like the challenge oif gessing. You can call Oliver to help if you want."

"No," Shane shook her head, "As much as I tried to convince him Oliver insists baby showers aren't for expectant fathers. We compromised by having the nursery tour be at the end. I'll get this I'm just not in the office as much anymore." Shane studied the rest of the items in front of her with a determined stare.

"Let's start off with the presents wrapped in green," Shane had already observed that all of these were educational toys or books Oliver would approve of. "I know Joe knows about all of this and he told Oliver not to worry about needing a bookcase so I'm going to say all of these presents are related to a bookcase.

"A baby and toddler friendly bookcase, one you already love. It's the same bookshelf as Stella's" Rita smiled and pointed to the small and sturdy bookcase she and Norman had bought for Stella when she was a baby. It was hard to knock over as it had a good base and it's low and large shelves made it easy for Stella to independently take books off the bookshelf and put them back on again. Both Oliver and Shane had said they'd like the bookshelf.

"I'm sure Oliver will have these babies loving books and reading before they're old enough to read," Shane rubbed her abdomen, "I can honestly say I have no clue what the last present is, I really don't know what a digital photo frame and two baby seat mirrors have to do with one another."

"A two-year family season pass to the Denver Science Museum and the Denver Children's museum," Rita told her, "You can take lots of pictures and the boys will be in the car so much you'll want to be able to see them in the mirror."

"Wow," Shane breathed in. She had known she and Oliver would be getting a lot of presents but she had never expected so many presents or that so many of the presents were going to be big, "Thank you so much everyone."

As the party wrapped up gifts were put in cars to take to take to Shane and Oliver's house for the reveal of the twin's nursery.

TBC