One Year Later: 2002 - Winter

The past year flew by - Maggie, and Beth really loved having a little brother - Hershel fell more in love with Meredith everyday, along with little Joel. The girls really grew close with Meredith and Joel.

"Dah-dah." Joel cried and stumbled as he walked over to Hershel whom was sitting on the couch with Meredith. He was upset with Meredith because she told him no - and not to bite.

"I'm not giving you sympathy Joel." Hershel sighed picking him up and rubbed his back. "No bite. Not nice."

Joel looked at him and then at Meredith, he smacked Hershel.

"That is not nice." He said putting him down, and sighing having him sit on the floor. Joel cried and threw himself back on the rug.

Meredith smiled slightly. "Have to love this new age." She had finished nursing him and he was still adjusting to it. Joel was 15 months now. Meredith let him throw his fit got up and went to use the bathroom. She had had a miscarriage earlier that year when she was 8 weeks along. She bit her lip taking another test. She kept the door locked - which was impossible usually with two girls and a husband in the house. She smiled slightly seeing the positive test. She wrapped it up and threw it away. She took the garbage out, she didn't want Hershel to find out yet. She wanted to surprise him on his birthday next week.

She walked back into the living room, and took a drink of her water and smiled watching the girls play with Joel on the floor.

The night of Hershel's birthday, she made steak, with baked potatoes, and green beans and rolls and gravy. They ate dinner and had a cake that Meredith baked and the girls decorated - Joel tried helping but ate more of the frosting than anything else.

A while later the girls were off to bed along with Joel jumping up and down in his crib until he fell asleep with his butt sticking up in the air.

"I will be back." Meredith smiled kissing him. She disappeared into the bedroom, and came out a bit later with a new black lace and mesh babydoll nightie and panties. She smiled slightly with a blush seeing him sit straight up in bed. She was carrying a small box wrapped. "Happy Birthday, Bear." She said smiling as he pulled her onto his lap, and she straddled him.

Hershel chuckled and kissed her hard pulling her close. "Well.. You look beautiful." He smiled running his finger under the lace bottom of her nightie.

"Thank you." She smiled watching him and kissed him again. "Would you like your present?"

He glanced at the package. "I though the gown was my present." He teased kissing her more.

"Bear." She giggled as he kissed her neck. "Seems like we're newlyweds."

"Well.. Making up for lost time, Dove" He teased kissing her more and groaned moving the straps down a bit kissing her collarbone and shoulder.

"Bear." She smiled kissing him more. "Open it please." She smiled handing him the gift. "Not your only present you get tonight." She had two things in the box.

Hershel smiled and sat back, opened the package and removed the tissue paper across the top. It was a really nice and new stethoscope with a personalized Id tag on it with a dog bone attached to it. The stethoscope was a dark blue color also - his favorite color. "Oh my. Thank you, Dove." He said smiling looking it over. "I love it." He kissed her.

"You're welcome, your other gift is underneath the other tissue." She smiled softly.

He looked at for a minute, then looked down at the box, and removed the remaining top layer of tissue, and saw a positive pregnancy test. He looked at it hard for a minute, and smiled big looking up at her. "Really?"

Meredith smiled and nodded. "Yes."

He put the box on the bedside table and kissed her hard and held her close. "How far along?"

"No idea." She smiled biting her lip. "Found out last week." She kissed him back hard.

"This is great." He smiled and held her close, kissing her more.

"I thought so too." she smiled more and kissed him back. She reached up and turned off the lights. "Let's get this real present going." She laughed.

Hershel chuckled softly kissing her more. "I'm ready to unwrap it."

Meredith went to the doctor with Hershel a few weeks later and got an ultrasound done and everything, She was due around the end of June. They told the kids later that night, and the girls were excited, Joel didn't really understand, but giggled playing with his toys.