The school year went by quickly. They had a good long school year, the girls were kept busy helping on the farm while Hershel was going to take break from the vet for a month to spend time at home with the family. They also were going to surprise the girls by taking them to Tybee Island for a vacation and going to the beach and staying for about 3 days to see everything and just enjoy time together. They had a blast - took a lot of pictures and had a lot of fun.
They came back and returned to life on the farm. The girls moped around for a day or two, but soon were back to themselves. Hershel and Meredith took the girls to their open house - Maggie was going into 4rd grade and Beth was going to 1st. They wanted to try the girls out in school again this year and if they didn't like it or it wasn't going well - they would homeschool them.
"I'm ready for First Grade, Mama." Beth giggled and hugged Meredith.
"I'm glad you are. Are you ready for 4th grade Maggie?" She smiled and hugged Beth back.
"I guess so, Mama.." Maggie said playing with her deck of cards.
"It'll go good." Meredith smiled softly, rubbing their backs. It was the first week of September and school started next week. Meredith's due date was in 2 weeks also. Meredith was hugh, swollen and uncomfortable. She was helping out as much as she could on the farm and not stress herself out. They had everything ready for the baby - she was mainly using Beth's old things, her crib high chair, changing table.
"Go rest." Hershel said walking over to the garden and held a hand out to her. "You've picked enough today hon." He smiled and helped her up. Joel was playing next to her in the dirt. He scooped the boy up also. Joel was 21 months old already. He was such a good boy, and really loved his sisters and mama and daddy.
"Alright." Meredith sighed and got up, she leaned up and kissed him softly. She wiped off her hands and followed him as he lead her inside. He had her sit on the sofa after she took off her apron, she sat back and laid her head against the pillow and breathed.
"Doing okay?" He asked sitting down with her putting a cool rag on her neck.
She moved a little bit and nodded. "Just a few contractions.." She sighed and smiled slightly.
Hershel smiled and rubbed her stomach. "Got 2 weeks left - not that, that means anything." he chuckled slightly. "Could go late like you did with Joel."
"I hope not, that was a pain." Meredith laughed softly. "Ready to meet this baby." She propped her feet up on the coffee table and closed her eyes.
"Rest up." He smiled and kissed her forehead. "I'll work on lunch."
She nodded. "Alright." She turned her head and kissed him back but on the cheek, and cuddled with Joel on the couch while Maggie and Beth came inside after giving their dogs baths outside. "Did you girls have fun?" She smiled and laughed seeing them, they looked like they had a bath too. " I guess I don't need to have you girls take showers tonight." She sat up a bit.
"We did mama." Beth smiled taking off her boots and let the dogs off their leshes. They came running into the living room and jumped on the couch with Meredith.
"Harley, Tanner and Spot." Meredith smiled kissing them all and rubbing their heads and behind their ears, "Nice and clean, Thank you for giving the girls a bath." She said laughing getting licked by all of them. The farm had grown also - they had 4 new calves and 2 more coming in a month, along with 6 new baby lambs, along with more chicks and Beth's dog spot was due to have puppies in 2 weeks. They also had a few pigs on the farm now. Hershel also bought more land to extend his corn fields. He hired on some new farm-hands to help out.
Tanner ran back outside and Spot laid on the couch next to Meredith's feet and fell asleep. Harley took off back outside also. Meredith smiled petting Spot. "I don't blame you girl. I'm exhausted too." She rubbed the dogs back more.
Hershel came in carrying a sandwich and veggies for Meredith. "Well aren't you two comfortable." He smiled.
"Might as well be." Meredith smiled back, taking the plate. "Thank you." She kissed him and looked down at Spot. "Here girl." She gave her a piece of ham off her sandwich.
Hershel sat on the coffee table and rubbed Meredith's feet as she ate and broke off some for Spot. She relaxed as he continued rubbing her feet.
"Magic hands - Bear." She groaned softly giving her leftover crusts to Spot and laying her head back as he kept rubbing her feet.
"Do I?" He smiled rubbing more.
"Of course, how do you think we ended up in this position." She teased and groaned.
Hershel laughed and smiled. "Well, to be fair you have magic hands too, so you're the one that really started all this." He winked.
Meredith laughed and smiled, "I'll remember that the next time your birthday comes around."
"Oh stop." He leaned in and kissed her more.
She smiled and kissed him more, and groaned softly, holding onto the side of her stomach. Spot sat up and started growling. "Mmm" She groaned softly, and looked down. "That's for making me so relaxed." She groaned, her water broke on the sofa.
Hershel chuckled slightly. "Sorry, I guess we need to keep to ourselves." He smiled rubbing her stomach, and started timing her contraction when she eventually started having them a few hours later. They came quick and hard.
Ms Anna came to the house later on the night and checked on Meredith and Hershel. She was glad to be able to be their this time around.
About 10 hours later, Hershel was helping Meredith squat as she leaned against him, with Ms Anna helping, and the girls watching from the chair beside the bed.
She smiled and cried as the baby was handed to her. "It's Boy." Meredith cried holding the baby close leaning against Hershel.
Hershel smiled looking down at the baby, and kissing Meredith, holding her close. "Hello, little one." He kissed Meredith more. "Good job Dove."
"Hello, Daniel Clark." Meredith smiled, kissing Hershel again, and held the baby close. Hershel smiled hearing the name. "After my brother Daniel?"
Meredith nodded and smiled. "Seems to fit him."
Hershel smiled and hugged her, and kissed her more. He wiped his eyes slightly.
Meredith reached up and wiped them and kissed him more. Then she groaned softly and breathed. "Feel like i need to push."
"Go ahead, just the afterbirth."
Meredith shook her head and pushed, it didn't feel like the afterbirth.
Anna watched and Hershel saw her face go pale.. "What's wrong?" He asked watching her.
"Its….there is another baby." Anna said softly helping Meredith.
"What." Meredith said taking a breath and pushing more groaning.
"Baby didn't show up on ultrasound. Keep going." Anna smiled slightly.
Meredith groaned and pushed harder, eventually the other baby came out. She laid back panting against Hershel and looked down at the baby.
Anna got the baby crying and handed the baby to Meredith. "Another boy." She smiled.
Meredith smiled and held them both close and cried.
Hershel looked down at both of the boys. "Luke James?" He asked looking at Meredith and kissing her again.
Meredith nodded and smiled up at him. "Luke James.."
Anna had taken the boys and cleaned them up a while later, and weighed them and got their measurements. "Gosh you make good sized baby's, Meredith." She smiled handing them back to her. "Daniel is 9 pounds 14 oz and Luke is 9 pounds 10 oz, both are 21 inches long. "
"I'm still surprised I didn't feel Luke... Daniel was kicking like crazy - well...I though he was. Who knows." Meredith smiled cuddling them close laying down in bed now with Hershel.
Maggie and Beth watched bug-eyed in the chairs. A bit later, they walked over to the bed and hugged their Meredith, and cuddled with her after everything was cleaned up and Meredith felt good. She held them close and held the babies close. Joel was asleep in his crib. She looked up at Hershel and smiled.
The girls held the babies for a little bit, before being taken back by Hershel. He laid the babies down in the crib. He knew he'd have to get a second one, and went to check on Joel and got the girls ready for bed.
Life with a 10 year old, 6 year old and 2 year old along with newborn twins was really interesting. Hershel and Meredith were getting the hang of it though. The rest of the year went by good and quick. The farm really grew, and they had expanded the vet also, adding on some more rooms and even adding another Vet to help balance out the work, so he could be home most night's to help with the farm along with the kids.
Meredith tried bouncing back quickly after having them - not really wanting to rest at all, she wanted to keep busy doing what she could outside, and helping with the kids along with nursing the babies. She fell asleep after nursing the babies and laying them down in their bassinet's with Maggie, Joel, and Beth watching a movie on the VCR - The fox and the hound. Hershel came inside and saw her finally sitting down and getting some rest, he tried to get her rest as much as she could and not worry about things on the farm. He came in and sat down with the kids keeping his boots on, they had more calves ready to be born anytime.
