Teddy and Owen were busy getting ready for Allison's first birthday party. They couldn't believe their little girl would be one the next day.
"Where has this year gone," Teddy asked.
"It's gone fast," Owen agreed.
"A year ago we were curled up on the couch thinking we still had a week," Teddy said, "I had just done my last shift. Annie and I did a valve replacement. And it was her first pacemaker she did the leads. I didn't even think I was close to going into labor."
"I remember you were so uncomfortable that night. You couldn't stay still no matter how I tried to help you," Owen said.
Teddy nodded, "my back hurt. You massaged it until I fell asleep."
Owen replied, "looking back do you think that could have been the beginning."
Teddy, "no because I was able to relax and go to sleep. I slept in the next day. I didn't get up until 8 or 8:30 and Meghan came around 10."
Owen laughed, "you really slept in. You're always out of bed by 6:30 even if Allison was up all night."
Teddy nodded, "sleep wastes time."
"Are you teaching both girls that," Owen asked.
"Annie sleeps less then I do," Teddy said, "even when I first met her she wasn't a big sleeper."
"I can't believe it's been a year since we were alone in the house," Owen said.
"We've only had one night alone," Teddy said.
"Our wedding night," Owen pointed out, "maybe she could start spending the odd night with my mom, Annie or Meghan."
"She still nurses to sleep for bedtime," Teddy said, "I'm torn about it. She only really nurses two or three times a day now and is fine with the bottles but I'll miss the time with her. But there's days I'd like my body back and not to be mauled by our daughter and her pulling my shirt up or down when she wants to in public."
"That's up to you," Owen said, "I can't decide for you."
"I can't believe it's been a year," Teddy said, "I'm still thankful she was only 8 hours of labor compared to 24 or 25 with her sister. She was so different. Annie was slow and gradual. I didn't even know what it was at first with Annie. With Allison I had some minor contractions then my water broke and it hit me full force."
"Different babies," Owen said, "was Annie really 24 hours."
"About 24 hours," Teddy explained, "I had cramping and a sore back the Friday in class but Annie wasn't born until late Saturday night, it was 10:30 or 11pm. I didn't realize I was in labour until about 9:30 the Friday night, but had been uncomfortable all day. Annie was also 10 days late and a pound and a half smaller. I still don't know how Annie is so tiny."
Owen, "she lives on rabbit food. And never stops moving."
"She's shorter," Teddy said, "Steven was a few inches taller than me, but his mom was maybe 5 feet."
"It's amazing how much both girls look like you," Owen said.
"Allison has the Hunt hair," Teddy said, "she's another ginger."
"What's wrong with being a ginger," Owen asked.
"I like your hair," Teddy said, "I'm looking forward to seeing Allison with her red hair in little braids."
"The braids are Annie's hair style," Owen said.
"I keep meaning to talk to her about that," Teddy said, "I get that their practical and her hair is so long and so thick but it's not mature enough as a surgeon. Annie looks young. French braids like she wears don't inspire patient confidence. Ponytail, bun, twist, half up but not little girl braids."
"I'd like the residents to stop doing long sleeved t shirts under their scrubs," Owen said, "it's sloppy."
"I've already told my group of second years I don't want to see it," Teddy said, "working on getting Bailey to order them Grey Sloan jackets like atttendings get. The hospital gets cold. I know Annie is constantly cold there but the long sleeves are a mess."
"She had a Grey Sloan jacket on the other day," Owen pointed out.
"Mine," Teddy said, "I was in my office all day and she was shivering so I lent it to her. She had those hand warmers for skiing in the pocket of her lab coat."
Owen chuckled, "stop being mother hen to the residents. We can't do anything about this now."
Teddy replied, "what can we do tonight for her party tomorrow?"
"Did you have to do a Mini Mouse theme," Owen asked.
"It was cute," Teddy replied, "we're only going to do this once so let's do it well."
"Only once for Allison," Owen said.
"Once," Teddy replied, "I'm too old for another baby."
"We could try," Owen said.
"I don't want to," Teddy said, "I always told myself two or three kids. I know you want one more but I don't think I can do another pregnancy. I have never felt more alone then when I found out I was pregnant. Sitting alone in my bathroom waiting for that stick to tell me what I already knew. Not being able to keep anything down for weeks and no one to hold me and tell me it would be all right. Owen I can't do that again. I love the girls but I can go through feeling that alone again. I've done that twice and it would kill me to do it again."
"You won't be alone this time Teddy," Owen said, "I'll be right there every moment. I was with Allison from the moment you came home."
"I'm 47 Owen it might not even be possible. For all we know we got really lucky with Allison and she was a one in a million chance," Teddy said.
"What if we let nature do its thing and see," asked Owen, "Allison was one night."
"Almost two years ago," Teddy said, "four times in 24 hours was amazing but when have we had time to do that since."
"Our wedding night was pretty close," Owen said.
"The last night we were alone," Teddy smirked, "but I'm serious I don't want to go through another pregnancy. I'm not saying no to another child I'm saying I don't want to go through the all day sickness, blowing up to the size of a small whale, I hate the hormone surges."
"What are you saying," asked Owen.
"I think we look into adoption," Teddy said, "when Allison is a bit older we can adopt another baby or a child who needs a family to love them. I've been the scared girl trying to find a family for her baby hoping for the best. Maybe we could be that for another girl."
"So it's not no child it's no pregnancy," Owen clarified.
"Exactly," Teddy said, "I don't like being pregnant. I know you've always wanted a big family and said 3 or 4 kids. I always wanted two or three. Why don't we adopt one more?"
"It'll give Allison a sibling to play with," Owen said, "three with you would be perfect."
"Doesn't solve the age gap with Annie but that's okay," Teddy replied.
"She's closer in age to us then to her siblings," Owen said, "she's only 18 years younger than me."
"Don't remind me that I'm 3 years older than you," Teddy laughed.
Owen pulled Teddy into his arms, "I'm sorry you felt alone with Allison. I wish I could change how that happened so I could have been with you. I'm sorry you went through that alone."
Teddy nodded into his chest, "I didn't call you. I should have the moment that test was positive. I'm sorry I kept you in the dark. Me being alone with Allison was my own choice."
"You were scared," Owen said, "and you had reason to be. But the next one we'll do the whole adoption process together."
Teddy smiled, "we will. When our girls are older I want them to have more traditional lives then we've had. I want Annie to finish residency, get married and settle down after her fellowship with a good man and a couple kids. I want to see Allison go to college find something she loves and find the right person before starting a family. We did things out of order and it worked for us but I want the girls to do that with someone they can depend on. I know Annie wants kids one day I want her to find out with someone who will be equally excited and count down the timer with her, who will hold her when she's feeling sick and do anything to make her feel even a little better."
"I think we'll see our oldest married before her residency is over," Owen said, "I overheard Josh and Duncan in passing."
"Annie is still my little bear," Teddy said, "she's not old enough to be married."
"She's 26 and her and Josh have been together a while," Owen said, "they've only gotten stronger after that incident a few months ago."
Teddy agreed, "they have. You'd think they've been together longer than they have. They say officially their last night of school. That was the first time they kissed or so she told me. But I thought something was going on at the start of her third year when I saw them together in my lecture. They were too comfortable and at ease with each other to be just friends. Then I freaked that that was Josh Riggs and he knew her so well. Apparently Nathan freaked out that she's Annie Altman and my daughter. I told her if she liked him to learn from my mistakes and tell him that she had to tell Josh how she felt. It took her nearly two years to get the courage to do that. She learned way too much from me."
"The night I came to see you she texted something about her and Josh being an actual couple," Owen asked, "was that the same night?"
"It was," Teddy said, "they had just finished classes and they had gone out with friends to a bar they liked to drink and dance. He brought her flowers that night, kissed her for the first time and they finally told each other how they felt. But the same night you came to Germany and we made Allison."
"Does Annie know that," Owen asked.
"She did the math," Teddy said, "she thinks it's weird timing but she loves you. Her only comment was that why I didn't respond to her and Josh being together right away."
"She's always liked you and thought we should be together," Teddy said, "her response was about time. The shock wasn't you, it was Allison."
"I still can't believe that tomorrow Allison is one," Owen said.
"It's been an amazing year," Teddy said, "I want to finish the cake then we'll go to bed."
"How can I help," Owen asked.
"You could be my scrub nurse," Teddy laughed.
"Tell me what you need," Owen said.
The next day Teddy and Owen got up early and decorated the house for the birthday party. Owen thought it looked like Disneyland had exploded all over the living room.
Annie knocked on the door then let herself in.
"Happy birthday Ali bean," Annie said, scooping up her little sister.
"Nee Nee," Allison babbled.
"Yes little one I'm Annie," Annie giggled, "you look so cute in your mini mouse dress. But where are your ears?"
"She won't leave them on," Teddy laughed, "cute dress sweetheart I haven't seen that one before."
"I've had it for a while," Annie said, "I like polka dots and when you said a mini mouse theme I had to have fun with it."
"Royal is a good colour on you," Teddy said.
"Thanks," Annie said, "what do you need me to do so you can get ready?"
Teddy smiled, "can you finish setting the buffet table?"
Annie smiled, "I can. Anything else?"
"Keep your eye on the stuff in the oven," Teddy said.
"What are we having," Annie asked.
"The same things we talked about," Teddy said.
"Cute mini things," Annie laughed.
Teddy smiled, "exactly."
Teddy came back down as Annie finished the table.
"Thank you for being such a big help," Teddy said, "I couldn't do the big events without you."
"Growing up in a big family you learn fast," Annie said, "that cake looks amazing. How did you do it?"
"Practice," Teddy said, "I'll teach you how to pipe icing one day it's not hard. Just time consuming."
Annie asked, "maybe I can help you with the Easter bunny cake."
"That would be a good time to learn," Teddy said.
"Can we give Allison her gift from us before everyone comes," Annie asked.
"What did you do," Teddy asked.
Annie smiled, "we had fun."
"Josh," Annie said, "do you want to get the gift from the Jeep?"
"I can," Josh said, "do you think they'll like it?"
"Like it and use it a lot I hope," Annie said, "I loved mine as a kid."
Josh brought in the red wagon.
"Happy birthday Allison," Annie and Josh said.
"A red wagon," Teddy said.
"We both had them as kids and loved them," Annie said.
"There's a gift bag in there but I think Allison is sitting on it," Josh said.
"What did you do," asked Owen.
"I had fun," Annie said, "I got to be creative."
"You had time to make this," Teddy asked.
"I did. I only did the embroidery, I ordered the rest. Evelyn showed me how," Annie said.
Teddy opened the gift bag to find tiny but perfect play scrubs in navy blue the same colour as her own scrubs. The little white lab coat had Allison's name embroidered on it just like the ones at Grey Sloan. Talking more things out of the bag, Teddy found a tiny doctors play set and a few picture books.
"Annie, Josh this is too much," Teddy said.
"The play set was all Annie," Josh said, "and the books are both of our childhood favorites."
"Josh was the one behind the wagon," Annie said, "we couldn't decide on which idea to go with. So we had fun."
"Thank you," Owen said, "we'll use the wagon a lot and for years."
"Your welcome," Annie said.
"Nee," Allison babbled again.
"Now do you believe me that Nee is Annie," Teddy said.
"I do," Annie said, "she's pretty cute."
The whole party went well. They had all of Teddy and Owen's friends from the hospital as well as some of the families of the other children Allison went to daycare with. Their family and friends filled the house with laughter and friendly chatter. Teddy was happy to have so many people who cared about them.
Later that night Teddy's phone rang, the number showed it was Klausman in Switzerland. Teddy was tired and didn't feel like doing this now, she just wanted to go to bed and curl up with Owen.
"Christina," Teddy asked.
"Teddy," Christina said, "how are you?"
"I'm good," Teddy said, "we just celebrated our daughter's first birthday."
"Our," Christina said, "who's the father?"
"Owen," Teddy said, "we got married in August."
"Congratulations," Christina said, "when did you get together?"
"Well Allison turned one today," Teddy said, "so before that."
"Almost two years," Christina said, "say hi to him for me."
"I will," Teddy said, "why did you call Christina?"
"I actually have a case I wanted you to consult on," Christina said, "but it would involve you coming and bringing a resident with you to Zurich. I was thinking you could bring your older daughter."
"What is it," Teddy asked, "I can consult from here."
Christina described the patient to Teddy who suggested, "I can't leave Allison to go; she still needs me too much. Stephanie Edwards and Owen were with me. He won't go but I can ask Bailey about Edwards."
"Why not thing one," Christina asked.
"She was banned from cardio when I did that and I wouldn't have had her scrub in on that anyway. The patient is her boyfriend's father. Annie needed to be with Josh," Teddy said.
"You banned your own kid from cardio," Christina asked.
"Bailey and Webber," Teddy said, "she only was doing cardio or trauma. It wasn't her skills, it's that she wasn't doing other things she needed to. She's loving peds."
Christina asked, "can you consult on this, maybe Skype you into the OR?"
Teddy replied, "I don't know let me talk it through with Owen. Him and the girls come first. Allison is only one and Annie is 26 now."
"Annie. Mer calls her Grace or mini Altman,"Christina said.
"She legally changed her name in med school. She's Grace Annabeth Altman. Family still uses Annie for her at home," Teddy said, "at work she's Grace."
"Grace though," Christina asked, "it's simple and doesn't reflect either of you."
"It was her middle name and what I almost named her, it's actually my middle name," Teddy said, "but I should go. I need to get Allison to bed. I'll talk it through with Owen and let you know. It was good to hear from you."
Teddy put her phone in her pocket and walked upstairs.
"Who was that? What are you talking through with me," Owen asked.
"That was Christina Yang," Teddy said, "she has a similar case to Ian Riggs. She wanted me to fly out, which I can't Allison is too little. And it's your ex wife, it's a bit weird. She didn't know about us or Allison."
"I thought Meredith would have said something," Owen said.
"She wants me to skype or zoom into that surgery," Teddy said, "she's never done one on her own. I don't know why she's losing her nerve. She wanted me and Annie to fly out and scrub in."
"She's still your student," Owen said, "I respect her as a surgeon but Teddy that's my past. You, our girls, that's my future, that's what I want."
"I can't do that with her," Teddy said, "send Edwards out to her or Warren."
"This isn't about me or Allison is it," Owen asked.
"No it's about me," Teddy said, "and not wanting to relive a horrible night. I do that with her. I have to think about that."
"Then consult but only do what you're comfortable with," Owen said.
"She's your ex wife," Teddy pointed out.
"My past. Not my present or my future," Owen said.
Teddy nodded, "but today of all days to call when our Ali turns one."
"That was a perfect party for her," Owen said, "it looks like Disneyland threw up in our house."
"When she's bigger we'll take her," Teddy suggested.
"Both girls and Josh," Owen said, "family vacation. Mom, Meghan, Nathan, Faroke."
"That would be fun," Teddy suggested, "maybe next year when Ali can do some of the rides. But do 27 and 28 year olds like Disneyland?"
"Annie likes roller coasters and rides," Owen said, "Josh is another adrenaline junkie. Plus Annie sings Disney music with the kids in peds. Her response when I asked why was to keep singing a spoonful of sugar. "
"She's been, I know that," Teddy said, "Leslie and Dan took the whole family a couple times. I've seen pictures. But she does love Disney."
"Then next year for Allison's second birthday we'll go," Owen said, "the three of us for sure hopefully the whole family."
"I've never been," Teddy admitted, "my parents never had the money then by the time I did there was no point going on my own. I travelled with Annie a bit but always in Europe and sightseeing."
"I haven't been since I was nine," Owen said, "I want to go again do the big family vacation."
"We will," Teddy promised.