October 30th, 2005

Week 32

Ireland was having a Halloween parade at her school today. All the kids got dressed up and march around the gymnasium according to their grade. Lyric and Randi were going there to watch. Lyric insisted on dressing up as a princess, the same as Ireland on that day.

"Sell popcorn?" She asked.

"No, Baby doll." Randi chuckled as she waddled into the bleachers. "I don't think they sell popcorn here." Lyric sighed as she sat down next to her mother.

"Popcorn at home?" She asked. Randi nodded.

"Sure. When we get home." Randi said waving when she saw Elizabeth walk in. Lyric smiled at the British doctor.

"I thought I was going to be late," Elizabeth said as she sat down, "Where's Dave?" Randi sighed.

"Late." Randi said. Elizabeth nodded.

"How are you, Lyric?"

"Want popcorn." The child said. Elizabeth chuckled softly.

"I could go for some popcorn too." Elizabeth said.

"It's starting." Randi whispered. Cheesy march music started to play. Mrs. True's preschool marched out. Ella and Ireland were in the front of the line holding hands. Ireland was a princess and Ella was dressed as a lion.

"Oh aren't they precious?" Elizabeth smiled taking a picture.

"HI LAND!!!" Lyric squealed, beaming proudly. Ireland grinned as she marched around the gymnasium. Randi immediately took a picture these were moments you had to capture, especially when your husband missed them. As the preschool section of the parade ended, Randi got up to fetch Ireland.

"Mrs. Malucci?" Mrs. True walked up to her with Ireland.

"Mrs. True, hello." Randi smiled as Ireland hugged her legs.

"May I have a word with you about Ireland please? She asked.

"Sure." Randi said, "Ireland got up to the bleachers with Ella and tell Elizabeth I'll be ready in a second."

"Okay." Ireland yelled as she ran off.

"Is there a problem?" Randi asked Mrs. True.

"Oh on the contrary." She smiled, "Ireland is the perfect student. She excels in everything. She's the first one to finish work when I give it to them. You really raised her right." Randi blushed.

"Thank you." She smiled, "Both of my girls are treasures."

"I do have a suggestion though." Mrs. True said.

"Which is?"

"Since Ireland is doing so well right now, I would really love for her to skip her second year of preschool and go straight to kindergarten." Mrs. True smiled, "That would mean she'd probably be one of the youngest there, but not by much."

"You want her to skip?" Randi asked. She was stunned. She had always known Ireland was bright, but it was different when someone else said so. Mrs. True smiled softly.

"I know it's a big decision and there's plenty of time to decide." She smiled.

"Thank you so much, Mrs. True." Randi beamed proudly.

* * *

Randi walked into the house. Dave's car was in the driveway.

"Girls go upstairs and take your costumes off." The girls ran upstairs. Randi waddled into the living room to see Dave watching the television.

"Hey." He mumbled. Randi frowned deeply. She grabbed a throw pillow off of the chair and pegged it at him, "Christ, what?"

"What kind of father are you?" She snapped.

"Apparently one who doesn't know what he did." Dave stared at her.

"Have you forgotten something today?" Randi crossed her arms.

"I ah…I don't think so. Not our anniversary. No birthdays. Did we have a doctor's appointment?"

"No you didn't forget a doctor's appointment. You missed Ireland's parade." Dave stared at her blankly.

"Parade?" He asked.

"Her fucking Halloween parade. I left notes everywhere, Dave. Her first school event and you missed it." Randi said tearfully.

"I'm sorry." He sighed, "I completely forgot, Randi."

"Well….That's not the point." She said. "Mrs. True wanted to talk to the two of us about Ireland."

"Is she in trouble?" Randi shook her head.

"She wants Ireland to skip next year and go directly to Kindergarten." Randi said. Dave smiled softly.

"Well, that's great." He said.

"Yeah. It would have been great to have you there with me when she told me, Dave." Randi said. Dave sighed as he pulled her down next to him on the couch.

"I forgot." He said.

"You said that all ready." Randi muttered.

"How can I make this up to you?" Dave asked.

"I'm not the one you have to make it up to. Ireland is the one."

"Did Ireland ask where I was?" Dave asked. Randi looked away. "She didn't did she?" Randi sighed and looked at her husband.

"No." She muttered. Dave chuckled as he hugged his wife.

"Next time, I will be there. I promise." Dave said softly. Randi settled into his arms.

November 13th, 2005

Week 34

This was really uncomfortable. Randi swore that this baby was as big as Lyric and Ireland put together. She knew she wouldn't be but it just felt like that. She would be relieved to have this baby out so she could spend some time with her husband. She missed having alone time with him. Who would have thought five years ago that Dave and Randi, two employees at County General, would be here married with children?

Randi read through the pamphlet as she sat in the midwife's living room. Dave and Randi had decided to have a home birth with this baby. They decided that Dave would be delivering this baby, but they wanted someone there just in case something went wrong. Dave was honoured to be doing this. Not many men deliver their own children.

"Mr. and Mrs. Malucci, welcome." Hannah bishop stepped out of her kitchen, "I'm pleased that you're here."

"Me too." Randi smiled, "I was just reading over your credentials, pretty impressive."

"Thank you. I did over four hundred births in my agree." Hannah said, "I absolutely love it."

"Any fatalities?" Dave asked.

"Dave!"

"It's a fine question." Hannah smiled, "I have had one death and four still births."

"Pretty good numbers." Randi said, "How did the first one die?"

"It was a twin that went undetected by the ultrasounds. We though she was having one and we were prepared for only one. Then two came out. The twin was very sick because of twin-to-twin transfusion. We were just too unprepared." Hannah said, "If we knew she was going to have twins, I would have advised her to have them in the hospital." Randi nodded. Loosing one twin and not the other was too familiar.

"I'm sorry to hear that." She said.

"Well, tell me about yourselves." Hannah said, "Any other children?"

"We have two other girls." Dave said.

"Ireland is almost four and Lyric is two and a half." Randi smiled.

"Very close in age." Hannah smiled, "How long have you been married?"

"It'll be four years in April." Dave beamed proudly.

"Very good." Hannah said, "You're due Christmas right?"

"Yeah." Randi said as she rubbed her belly.

"That's my favourite day to work on." Hannah took a sip of her tea, "So, you just want me to be there to assist if anything happens?" Dave and Randi both nodded.

"I'm fully capable to deliver a baby." Dave said.

"I should hope so." Hannah smiled, "Do you have any questions?"

"No, I'm fine." Randi smiled as she pulled her sore body out of the chair.

"All right. I will be by your house sometime this week to drop things off and basically get things ready." Hannah said.

"All right. We'll be there." Dave said.

"Have a good afternoon." Hannah held the door open as the couple walked outside.

"She seemed nice." Randi said, "I highly approve of her."

"Yeah, me too." Dave chuckled helping her into the car.

"This is going to be so great. We're having our daughter at home, Dave. It's going to be so much more relaxing." She smiled.

"As long as your grandmother has the girls." Dave chuckled. Randi smiled gently. Now that they had Hannah as their midwife, this felt extremely good. It was all falling into place. Their daughter would be here in around six weeks.