Six Weeks Old
(Part 2)

I sat comfortably on the sofa breastfeeding Noah for the first time while Angela cuddled up with Harper, covering our little girl in sweet kisses. I could hear Jane quietly working in the kitchen, cooking our first Sunday family dinner that really would consist of the whole family. I tried not to let myself become overwhelmed by the thought of not only so many people being in our house with our fragile babies, but knowing they were going to be passed around like footballs.

I had no doubt they were safe, that was never in doubt. Every member of our extended family completely worshipped our little miracles. It was more the thought that I wouldn't be able to have at least one of them in my arms at all times that was making me nervous. Noah had just come home from the hospital today. I had barely had the chance to spend time with him before I would have to share him with the whole family.

I looked down at his young face; his eyes wide open and staring back into mine. His tiny fingers were gripping at my hair that fell by his face as he made quiet sucking noises. I couldn't suppress the smile that found its way onto my face away as I brushed his hair completely away from his face. His eyes never left mine as he continued tugging on my blonde locks. I flinched slightly as a few strands came loose from my head and stayed in his fingers. I sighed quietly, shaking my head at him though the smile stayed planted on my face.

"You think you're funny, don't you?" I asked him in a hushed whisper, a sudden smile coming onto his lips as he looked up at me. It was clear he was finished eating, but there was no chance I was ready to burp him and hand him off to his grandmother just yet. "You're cheeky," I pointed out, tracing the slight dimple on his cheek as he continued smiling up at me. I detached him from my boob and covered myself up, pulling his tiny body up toward my face so I could kiss his dimple the way Jane was always kissing mine.

"Hey, babe. I've been thinking…" Jane's voice came from behind me suddenly, forcing both Noah and I out of the little world we had found ourselves completely immersed in. I carefully placed him over my shoulder, patting his back as I started to burp him. "Maybe we should talk about re-homing Bass and Jo." My eyes widened at Jane's words, Angela looking up from Harper to examine my face.

"What? Why on earth would we want to do that?" I questioned her, my eyes automatically moving to the sleeping dog in the corner of the room. Jo had her head resting on one of the toys Frankie had gotten for Harper when she came out of the hospital, and I started to see what she was referring to.

"Just with two babies around the house; it's not exactly sanitary. Plus we are going to have our hands full. Don't you think they deserve a home where they can be loved all the time?" I knew what she was saying made sense, and the longer I looked down at Jo resting her not-so-clean fur on Harper's belongings, the more I wanted to agree with her.

"I understand getting rid of Jo, but Bass…" I pouted up at my wife who smiled down at me empathetically, placing a hand on the top of my head as she leant down and kissed the side of my face just as Noah let out a quiet burp. "I have had him for a really, really long time. I'm not willing to get rid of him just like that, Jane."

"The turtle does keep to himself, Janie." Angela agreed, and I decided that since she was on my side, I wouldn't chastise her for referring to Bass as a turtle. I knew that before long Angela would be asking to swap babies so she could spend some time with her grandson, so I held him closer to my chest and rocked him; hoping if he fell asleep she wouldn't want to disturb him.

"Hello!" Frankie announced loudly as he walked through the front door, shutting it loudly behind him, causing both of the babies to begin to whimper. Harper had six weeks to get used to her uncle barging in and announcing himself but for Noah, this was a first. Within seconds his loud, scared cry echoed through the living room. Jane reached for our little boy, cradling him close to her chest as she shot Frankie a glare. I was sure that Jane was so insistent on holding Noah in order to stop herself from hitting him.

"I hate you." Jane growled at him, rocking from side to side as Frankie held up his hands apologetically looking down at his nephew. My arms suddenly felt extremely empty as I sat beside Angela, who was quietly calming Harper back down by blowing raspberries on her stomach. Never in my life had I ever really been a jealous person; but seeing Harper smile up at her grandmother as she kissed her stomach sent shocks of envy through my body.

"Can I hold him?" Frankie asked Jane nervously as she looked across at the kitchen, noting how much more work she had to do before dinner would be anywhere near ready. I bit down on my bottom lip, completely aware that this was the first person apart from Jane or I who would be holding our little boy. I looked on anxiously as Jane shifted Noah into her brothers arms, his neck completely supported the whole time.

"Be careful," Jane warned him with a smirk before she made her way back to the kitchen, leaving Frankie standing in the dining room with Noah cradled in his arms. The anxiety in my chest wouldn't settle until Frankie was sitting down and not moving around with our little boy; I had no doubt.

"Come here," I told him, shifting closer to Angela so I could be between both of the babies – that way I could keep a careful eye on them both. Everything inside me knew I was being overly cautious and that I was hovering, but my body physically couldn't move from that sofa.

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"I cannot remember the last time I was this tired," Jane admitted as we sat side by side on the living room floor, looking at the scattered toys TJ and the babies had left everywhere. Noah and Harper were happily sitting in their own rockers watching an old DVR baseball game and we were cherishing the quiet while it lasted.

"2004. It was the day of my last medical internship and I had to work two double shifts. That is the last time I was this tired," I responded, my whole body feeling suddenly overwhelmed by the mere memory of how exhausted I was that day. If I could go back and do medical school over again; I can't say that I would.

"Should we give them a bath at the same time?" Jane asked, her eyes closed as she leant her head against the couch behind us. I smiled across at her, noting the dimple that seemed to always be on her cheek even when she wasn't smiling. Noah had the exact same dimple.

"I'll take a shower with Harper and while I'm putting her to bed, you bathe Noah." Jane nodded, giving me the thumbs-up but not bothering to open her eyes. I moved onto my knees, pressing a kiss to my wife's dimple the way I had with Noah earlier before I forced myself to my feet.

"You, my beautiful girl, are coming with me," I told Harper who looked up at me with a bewildered expression, clearly wondering why I was tearing her away from her beloved baseball. Too many mornings I had caught Jane trying to teach our baby girl the rules of her favourite sport. If my wife thought I would ever let either of our babies anywhere near a baseball bat; she had another thing coming.

I held Harper against my chest with my right arm while I turned the nozzles on the shower, my hand lingering under the water as I waited for it to warm up. I turned to the counter and placed our little girl down on the changing mat we always seemed to have ready to go. Harper frowned up at me, seeming to understand what was about to happen. I rubbed my hands together as fast as I could, knowing that the second my cold hands touched her body she would start to scream.

"It's not a bath," I promised her, earning raised eyebrows and a small smile in return as I slipped her baby onesie over her head, tossing it half-heartedly into the washing basket before I removed her nappy; thankful to find it dry and empty. Harper was a shower baby. When you had her in your arms in the shower, she was happy. She would smile and let you wash her hair but the second you placed her in the bathtub, you had a very unhappy little girl on your hands.

I quickly stripped out of my clothes, my eyes never leaving Harper before I lifted her into my arms, opening the shower door and stepping under the warm water with my little girl. It was nowhere near as hot as I would have had it if I was in there alone, but it was good enough.

"You're my number one girl," I told her as I gently bobbed her up and down, dipping her head completely under the shower head every now and again to make sure her whole body got wet. "I love you," I reminded her, pressing light kisses to her head as I placed my hand underneath the automatic shampoo dispenser Hope had gotten us before I began washing her hair awkwardly with my free hand.

After ten minutes of merely lingering under the hot water, we got out and made our way to the bedroom. Harper was completely covered with a towel that was shaped to make her look like a duck, and anytime I looked down at her I couldn't help but giggle. She was perfect.

I placed her in the centre of the bed, turning the heater on to ensure the room was warm enough for her as I quickly dried my body, hearing the sound of Jane turning the bathtub on as I did so. I pulled on a pair of Jane's red and black pyjama pants and paired it with a simple black singlet before I started digging through Harper's drawer.

I pulled out her onesie that read Prize Winning Swimmer with a ridiculous picture of a cartoon sperm on the front of it. Jane had laughed harder than I had ever seen when Tommy gave it to us; I figured it was only fair I let one of our babies wear it at least once.

I sat cross legged on the mattress in front of our little girl, smiling down at her apologetically as I gently started to dry her body. I put her nappy on and sighed as I looked down at the embarrassing item of clothing I was about to subject her to. It was only to sleep in, I reminded myself.

"Blame your uncle Tommy for this," I told her as I pulled the piece of clothing over her head, pursing my lips as I buttoned it up around her nappy. I placed both my hands over my mouth as I gazed down at Harper, who had an adorably sweet smile as she looked up at me; clueless as to what she looked like. I let out a giggle and bent down towards her, kissing her tiny lips before I started stretching her legs.

I gently moved them in every direction they could before I switched to her arms, repeating the motions until she started to whine at me; yawning silently as she stretched her legs out.

"Do you want to do yoga with mommy tomorrow?" I asked her, earning a frown in response. There was no doubt; she was Jane's daughter.