11 Months Old

It had become increasingly difficult for Maura and Jane to keep tabs on where each of their babies were during the day. Based on how fast Noah crawled once he was down on all fours; you would never know he was in hospital for a month longer than his sister. The only time both Noah and Harper would sit still was during reading time; and only if it was Maura reading to them.

Maura sat in the comfortable rocking chair that had armrests wide enough to ensure she could easily hold both of her babies at once. It had taken her months to figure out how to breastfeed them both at the same time without feeling like a cow, and now that she had it down pat; she loved it.

She continued reading from the book she held awkwardly in her left hand, her right softly patting Harpers back in hopes she would fall asleep much like she knew Noah would. Finding ways to make Harper nap during the day had become a colossal task for the honey blonde parent.

It wasn't long before she noticed Noah had stopped feeding and was fast asleep with her boob still in his mouth, but to Maura's surprise Harper quickly followed suit and let her head fall backwards in her mother's arms.

"How the hell do you do that?" Jane asked quietly as she walked into the nursery they had only just begun using. The familiar smell of baby powder and Maura's lavender perfume filled Jane's senses as she looked across at her wife who was in the rocking chair with each of the babies fast asleep in her arms.

"I have mad skills." Maura responded with a playful wink, placing the book she was holding down on her lap between their babies so Jane was unable to see the cover. Maura was vaguely aware of the fact both of her boobs were hanging out of her shirt, but it was impossible to feel uncomfortable when Jane made no attempt to look at her chest.

"That book is huge; what is that?" Jane asked curiously, as she lifted Harper out of her wife's arms before she placed her comfortably in her crib. Maura scrunched her nose up and closed her eyes. She had been dreading this moment for the last two months.

"You're going to laugh at me." She told Jane as she closed the book and placed it on the floor beside her as she stood up, carefully readjusting Noah in her arms to ensure she didn't wake him up. Jane placed her hands on her hips, trying to hide her smile as she looked down and caught sight of the title of the book Maura had been reading to the twins.

"You're reading them Grey's Anatomy?" Jane asked, pursing her lips together hard in order to fight the smile that was playing at their corners. Maura sighed quietly as she placed Noah in his appropriate crib, turning on the baby monitor while she placed her boobs back in her shirt and gesturted for Jane to get out of the room.

Maura closed the door quietly behind them and made her way into the kitchen, her yoga top riding up to her waist; an action she made no effort to correct in hopes it would distract Jane from their conversation. Jane took a seat at the kitchen counter, a playful smirk on her face as she waited for Maura to give her an explanation.

"I won't laugh at you." Jane promised, the smile fading from her lips as Maura began placing the babies bottles in the steriliser they had been given at their baby shower all those months ago. "Not only does you reading them that book get them to sit still, but it actually makes Harper nap, and she doesn't nap. So tell me why so I can try it one day." Jane said, trying a different angle when it became apparent Maura really didn't want to share her secret.

"If you laugh you're coming to my next conference with me." Maura said seriously, placing the lid on the steriliser and making her way to the opposite side of the counter where Jane sat, placing each of her hands on the cold marble. A small frown made its way onto Jane's face, as though she doubted if it were a deal she was willing to make. Jane nodded in agreement at her wife who let out a quiet groan. "I started reading it when they were still in my stomach; it was the only thing that made them stop kicking enough to let me nap during the day. I know it's foolish and improbable that reading that they remember that but I feel like they understand me when I read it." Maura blurted out, sighing as she pulled her top back down to her hips in defeat.

"Why would I laugh at that?" Jane questioned with a soft smile, leaning forward to take both of Maura's hands in her own. Maura shrugged casually, looking down at their conjoined hands shyly as the familiar sound of Harper talking to herself came through the baby monitor.

"That's because you didn't let me finish the chapter." Maura told Jane with a playful smile, nodding toward the babies' nursery door. Jane rolled her eyes in response, picking up the baby monitor and making her way into the bedroom.

"Right, missy." Jane said, looking down at Harper who merely smiled up at her innocently. "That does not count as your afternoon nap."

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"Are you genuinely arguing with me about this?" Maura asked Jane in disbelief, her eyes darting to the babies who were both happily crawling around the living room, completely ignorant to their parents bickering. Angela was sitting silently on the sofa, watching her grandchildren with a bright smile as though she couldn't hear the argument taking place three metres away from her. Jane had her hands placed firmly on each of her hips, a deep frown embedded on her usually serene face.

"Maybe I should take the babies…" Angela started, both Maura and Jane's heads snapping in her direction as she quietly spoke.

"Don't, it's honestly okay." Maura responded, putting on the calmest voice she possibly could before Angela turned back around to face the babies.

"It's their first birthday and you want to have a tea party!" Jane started through gritted teeth, her left foot stomping on the ground as she spoke; a habit Harper was fast picking up from her mother. The first time was when Maura was trying to give her a bath. Harper was holding onto the edge of the bath for support and the second Maura uttered the word bath, their daughters foot stomped down hard on the tiled floor.

"Why is that so terrible?" Maura asked in confusion, trying not to roll her eyes as she made her way into the kitchen, switching off the espresso machine that was humming quietly on the bench before she grabbed two bottles out of the refrigerator.

"They are babies, not old people!" Jane snapped, following Maura a step behind as she walked over to where Angela sat awkwardly. Maura handed her the two bottles she held in her hands, nodding down toward the babies who were at opposite ends of the living room.

"Do you mind?" Maura asked Angela politely as her mother in law took them off her, nodding slowly as she scooped Noah up off the floor. They didn't need anyone helping them feed from bottles anymore, but Maura didn't have the heart to tell Angela to just give them their bottles and let them crawl around. No one could say when there would be more babies in the family, so they let her have her bonding time with them whenever she wanted it.

The second Harper noticed her grandmother holding the bottles; she was crawling over to her faster than Maura had ever seen her move.

"Come here." Maura snapped, grabbing Jane's arm lightly and tugging her back toward the kitchen so they would be out of hearing range. Maura and Jane knew the babies couldn't really understand what they were saying, but the harsh voices and angry tones were something any baby could pick up on.

"Do you know how boring a tea party would be?" Jane whined, her head lolling back as she bordered on a hissy fit. Jane let out a groan at the mere thought of sandwiches and pretty clothes for their babies birthday.

"Well what would you suggest Detective Smartypants?" Maura asked, her voice thick with annoyance as Jane began getting on her last nerve. Jane fought off the smile that wanted to play on her lips at her wife's cheeky nickname, but she was too annoyed to give in.

"They deserve a jumping castle and to get dirty and a petting zoo and-"

"You want to bring farm animals into our house?! No no no, you want to bring farm animals near them?!" Maura exclaimed, her eyes wide, nodding toward the babies as she scrunched up her nose; the mere thought of dirty animals anywhere near her babies making her want to scream.

"Maura they're baby cows and ducks; not diseased monkeys." Jane responded, her eyebrows raised as she tried to understand Maura's strong disagreement with her suggestion. There hadn't been much Jane and Maura disagreed on when it came to parenting, but it was apparent it wasn't going to be easy deciding how to spend the twins first birthday.

"Mommy's you may want to look at your daughter…." Angela's voice came suddenly from the living room, both Jane and Maura turning to look in her direction, as she sat on the eagerly on the edge of the sofa. Harper was standing alone in front of her, her eyes completely focused on Bass, who was across from her.

"Oh my god." Jane whispered, all of us seeming to hold our breath in anticipation before Harper took her first steps. She wobbled over to where Bass sat and dropped down onto her bottom the second she was by his side, leaning down and pressing her cheek against his shell softly.

"Did she just…" Maura started, swallowing the lump in her throat as she realised for the first time just how fast their babies were growing up.

"Our baby girl isn't a baby anymore." Jane said, her eyes focused on Harper, who continued smothering Bass with gentle kisses and cuddles.

"I am so proud of you!" Maura exclaimed suddenly, making everyone in the room jump as she playfully ran to where Harper sat. Maura lifted her up into her arms, bending at her waist as she covered their daughter in loving kisses.

"Your turn next little man." Jane told Noah who looked up at her with a sweet smile as she spoke. "But take your time." She added, suddenly realising how much more stressful things were about to get around the house.

"Okay. You win." Maura said suddenly as she placed Harper back down next to Bass, who in the past few months, had become her best friend, though how much of a choice Bass had in the matter was another subject altogether.

"Win?" Jane asked with a wide, innocent smile on her face.

"We'll get a jumping castle and a petting zoo, and they can get as dirty as they please." Maura resigned, an affectionate smile on her face as she watched Jane let out a quiet squeal of excitement.

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Did you guys like reading it in this POV more than in Maura's? I just thought I would try something new. Lots of love! x