The sounds of the waves crashing on the shore mixed with the cries of the gulls – and the leaves blowing in the wind wafted through the air and through the open master bedroom window of the Mason family beach house.
Not a sound was heard in the master bedroom, except for little coos coming from the youngest Mason. Little seven week old Olivia.
Her parents, Perry and Della Mason, and big brother, John, were napping on the bed behind her bassinet.
Those coos woke up John as he gently crawled over to his sister and stared at her as her coos were silenced.
"Hi, Liv."
That was John's nickname for his baby sister.
Della moaned softly feeling movement on the bed sitting up and smiling softly. It was a precious moment as she heard a soft moan from Perry,
"Shh… leave them be."
Della whispered smiling softly… thinking about the day Olivia was born – along with how hard her labor was, even though she had a decent pregnancy.
It had all started when she was reading John his favorite bedtime story, Goodnight Moon.
"OK, Mr. Big Brother to be. What book do you want Mommy to read tonight?"
Della asked, already knowing the answer, to which John happily replied,
"Goodnight Moon, please."
Della smiled before getting up holding her rather large baby bump after what she felt was a practice contraction, which so happened to be a weak but very real contraction.
Perry had been working in his office before he heard voices reading a rather familiar book,
"Goodnight kittens, and goodnight mittens."
John sleepily read as Della smiled kissing his forehead before silently wincing for another contraction.
Perry walked to their son's room and pressed against the door and looked in seeing Della standing and kissing John's forehead whispering,
"Goodnight noises everywhere. Mommy, Daddy, and baby brother or sister love you John."
John moaned in his sleep before Della walked out and kissed Perry before a strong contraction hit.
"Call Paul, Gertie, and my doctor. It's time."
Perry nodded while they moved semi – quietly around the house, which unfortunately woke up John as he padded to sit with his Mom.
"In a few days, baby brother or baby sister will be here. That doesn't mean Daddy and I will love you less. We get to love you more."
John nodded and cuddled with Della while they waited for Paul and Gertie.
"Hi Della, don't worry about John. We'll be fine. Just focus on you and that baby."
Gertie assured her with a hug and smile before another strong contraction hit as Perry held Della up,
"O… OK. Thanks you two. Bye, John."
Della said as she kissed her sleeping son's forehead before Paul carried him back to bed.
"John's going to be fine, Del. Just focus on breathing."
Perry reassured Della when she looked back at their house as they drove away which garnered a nod.
"I know but…"
She trailed off as Perry finished,
"You're worried about John and how he'll take to the new baby."
Della nodded and when they got to the hospital,
"You're only 3 cm dilated Mrs. Mason. This baby is taking its time."
Della nodded,
"Is the baby doing alright?"
The doctor nodded,
"So are you."
Della nodded while the doctor walked out as Perry held her hand,
"You should sleep."
Della sighed and tried to get some good sleep.
"Ow! Perry… Wake up…"
She winced as Perry shot up to hold her hand,
"Just breathe, that's good."
Perry coached Della through the tough contraction while Della's face was contorted in pain,
"Ooh, the contractions didn't hurt this much when I gave birth to John."
She breathed once the contraction was over… not knowing that she would be experiencing these tough contractions the entirety of her labor with Olivia.
But in the end it was all worth it once Olivia made her appearance to her beaming parents.
"I love you, Liv."
John cooed softly while Perry sat up which made John turn back and clamor to his Daddy to which Perry smiled and cuddled with him, which sent Della to the bassinet to pick up her daughter.
"Good morning, sunshine. Have nice nap?"
Della asked while Olivia cooed happily at her Mommy as Della sat next to the father and son, completing the beautiful family portrait.