Just to let you know ... two chapters and a looonnng epilogue (possibly two parts) to go ...
Ana's POV
I can't believe that Teddy and Rachel are with us for almost three weeks now. They are simply adorable and I have already perfected the art of breast-feeding twins at the same time, though we have to top them up with formula as they started to lose weight and were fussy all the time, even though I had them latched on all the time. That had me a little upset as I didn't want them to start formula for at least the first three months, but Grace assured me that especially with twins it is not uncommon that they need a little bit of formula, too. The positive side effect is that this way Christian can feed them, too.
Christian, my darling husband. These days I sometimes don't know if I want to strangle him or kiss him. He adores our twins and I love how hands on he is as a father. When I have to get up at night to feed them he gets up with me and stays up until they are asleep again, he can change a diaper quicker than I can and every evening he gives Rachel a bath, while I give Teddy a bath. What really annoys me is how worried Christian is all the time. Three days ago I could barely stop him from taking Rachel to the hospital, because she did not poop at the same time as Teddy did.
Since I feed them at the same time they usual have bowel movement at the same time, but that day only Teddy had and Rachel not. I wasn't that worried, because she was otherwise as normal as every other day. Christian on the other hand was worried sick and called Grace who assured him that there was nothing to worry as long as she was otherwise fit. That didn't stop him to worry and he started to worry that she was constipated or even had a bowel occlusion and needed surgery. At this point I was sure he would give himself a stroke or heart attack if he wouldn't calm down a little. Thank God, Rachel took pity on him and announced her bowel movement with a huge rumbling from her little bottom. And there were a lot more times where he completely freaked out over nothing, but I guess I'm just a little more relaxed than he is.
Though, to be honest, I'm a little afraid how things will go when Christian goes back to work in two weeks. Even with him being worried about everything he is an enormous help and once he is back at work, I'll have to do it all on my own or ask Maria to help me. And of course, he will be exhausted at work since our little sweethearts wake us up at least 3 to 4 times at night. I want them to sleep in the nursery once Christian returns to work, so I can get up and feed them, while he sleeps, but somehow I doubt that he will like that idea. He even goes so far as to sit next to them and watch them nap most of them time, just to make sure he is right there if they wake up, while I use the time they are napping to take a shower, make lists of things I need Maria to buy for us when she goes to the store, chat online with other twin moms, which is really helpful, make sure that Patrick doesn't feel like we don't have any time for him or nap myself so I am fit when ever Rachel and Teddy are up.
Today, Christian has a meeting with some guys from overseas which he couldn't reschedule, so I am alone with the twins for a couple of hours, but Grace is coming over to have lunch with me. I loved my mother in law right from the start, but since Teddy and Rachel are born we have become even closer. She gave me so many good tips and she doesn't even get mad when Christian calls her in the middle of the night, which would have driven me insane by now, because he calls her to ask the craziest things in the middle of night and she is always ready to answer his questions without telling him to call him back in the morning. Carrick on the other hand threatened to get a new number and not tell Christian about it, just so he doesn't wake up in the middle of the night because the phone rings.
Just as I think this my phone rings with an incoming text message. I look at it and can't help but chuckle.
*Hey baby, how are Rachel and Teddy doing? Don't forget they are due for their next feed in 20 minutes. I love you. C.*
Honestly? How am I supposed to forget to feed my babies, first they would announce that they are hungry quite loudly and second my boobs would start to leak. I text back.
*Our little angels are doing great. And I won't forget to feed them, don't worry. Oh, and did you know that your picture is number one in the image search for 'anxious father' on Google ;-) I love you, too. A.*
His reply follows almost immediately. *Careful, Mrs. Grey. Naughty girls who mock their husbands need a good spanking ;-)*
Oh no, he did not just text me that! *Do not tease me, because I want you to spank me, then fuck me hard and after that I want you to make love to all night long. But since I can't have that for another three weeks: DO NOT TEASE ME!*
I don't know why, but I thought after giving birth I wouldn't even think about sex, but I was dead wrong. I am so horny I could jump Christian at any given chance. I have no idea how I am going to fight the urge for another three weeks and I am actually thinking about asking Dr. Fisher if I really have to wait six weeks.
An hour later I am in the livingroom with Rachel in her bouncer seat and Teddy in his stroller. We figured out pretty quickly that Teddy loves his stroller and is always happy if we put him in it, while Rachel is the most content in her bouncer seat. Even though they are twins you can already tell that they are very different personality wise. Teddy is very impatient, if he wants something he wants it immediately and screams the place down. Rachel is more laid back and very easy to distract, she cries one second and then sees or hears something and gets so distracted and curious that she forgets all about her crying.
But most of the time they are both two happy and content babies. I am very thankful for that. I have had nightmare visions of Christian and I being completely stressed out after only a few weeks with two babies who are constantly crying, because one of the twins sets the other off every time I have one calmed down. So, I am very happy that this didn't happen. Yes, having newborn twins is exhausting, but I'm convinced that my babies are not only the cutest babies ever, but also very well-behaved and relaxed.
"Mrs. Grey, Dr. Trevelyan-Grey is here" Wellens announces and in comes Grace who ignores me completely and goes straight to the bouncer seat and stroller to look at Teddy and Rachel.
"Oh, look at them Ana, they are so precious and adorable." she gushes and sits down with me as they are both napping and she can't take them out of the bouncer seat or stroller.
"I know, right. Christian already has already taken so many pictures and videos of them, I think we soon need a laptop solely to load them all up."
"They will love to see all those memories when they are older. I wish I had pictures of Christian as a baby... well now I know how he must have looked like, Teddy is so much like him." she says with a big smile.
"Yes, he is. The girls will go crazy over him when he gets older. And Rachel, oh my, Christian will go insane once the boys start to notice her" I giggle.
"Oh well, he will have to live with it, but tell me, how are you?"
"I'm fine. I started to work out a little in our gym yesterday, I can't wait to fit into my clothes again. Otherwise, I'm always a little tired, but I am slowly getting used to the lack of sleep. I just wish Christian would relax a little more, I really thought he would give himself a heart attack over poop-gate three days ago and last night we locked horns." I tell her.
"Why?"
"Teddy and Rachel sleep in their bassinet on my side of the bed, but yesterday Christian decided that it wasn't safe to have them sleep in one bassinet, so he got the other one in our bedroom and had Teddy sleep next to his side of the bed. After five minutes they both started to cry even though they had clean diapers, were fed and burped. So, I told him they are crying because they are not used to sleep separately and he wouldn't listen to me, telling me that they would suffocate each other sleeping next to each other. I told him that that's crazy, after all they were together in my belly for 9 months. He told me that wouldn't count and it went from there until I had enough, so I got up took Teddy and put him back in the bassinet on my side of the bed with Rachel and of course the crying stopped. He ended up pouting and I just turned around to get some sleep before their next feed. Grace, I love your son with all my heart, but he is so anxious it's driving me insane." I say and Grace chuckles.
"It will get better Ana, you know Christian, he likes to be in control of everything and now with these two little darlings he learns that he can't control everything. Did you talk to him before he left this morning?"
"Yes, we have this rule not to leave the house being mad at each other, you know us we are both stubborn, so waiting to resolve things only gives up time to think about more reasons why the other one was wrong. So, we sat down this morning and talked about it. I told him to join this new daddy forum I've found on the site where I am chatting with other twin moms and he wants to look into it. It's actually really helpful and of course since I can log in with a nickname no one knows its me and can leak what ever I say there to the media."
"I saw the paparazzi out there, is it as bad as it seems. I mean after the incident in the hospital?" Grace asks and I shudder thinking back to the day after Teddy and Rachel were born.
It was the morning after our twins were born and Christian was outside the hospital giving a short statement to the media. Wellens and Taylor were outside my room and I was nursing Teddy and Rachel when a nurse came in to take them to see the pediatrician. I didn't want to let them go there alone, so I told the nurse I would come with them and she got really nervous, which in turn made me nervous and I called for Taylor to come in and check her hospital I.D. again. The next second the woman tried to run and Wellens caught her. It turned out that she was photographer from a local newspaper who stole the ID of the attending nurse and tried to take Teddy and Rachel for a couple of pictures. It wasn't the securities fault that they let her in, as she really looked very much like the real nurse, but I was so freaked out and upset that I insisted on going home with the babies, which we did just two hours later.
"Yes, the media is still trying to get the first pictures of them. At first Christian and I were strictly against it, but People Magazine has offered us over a million dollar for some pictures and we are considering it to shut the media attention down and we would donate the money to charity. Something that benefits young families and children in need."
"I think that is a good idea, at least this way you can also help other children and the media circus outside your front gate would finally ease up. And the ... umm... other attention?" Grace asks and I sigh. Ever since the babies are born some sluts ... and I hate to refer to women like that, but those nasty women truly are sluts ... have started to send letters and videotapes offering Christian their 'services' while I can't take care of his needs. Christian tried to keep it from me, but I got suspicion when we received tons of letters every day. So, I demanded to know what is going on and Christian showed me some of the mail we got. Honestly, what is wrong with those women to think that they could send my husband letters like that. At least he is as disgusted as I am by those offerings.
"Yes, those letters are still coming, though Christian and I chose to ignore them. I never thought women could be that classless, well, I guess I was wrong about that. Oh my gosh, I have to tell you, Christian freaked out yesterday, FHM contacted the PR team of Grey House asking if I would consider to do a bikini or lingerie pictorial showing my after baby body." I giggle and Grace's mouth pops open.
"My goodness, Christian would probably lose his mind if you would do that."
"Yes, I think so, too. But to be honest, I wouldn't do that even if I wasn't Christian's wife. I mean I like those pictures, they are mostly very tasteful, but I wouldn't like the attention that comes with it and of course, I am far away from having an after baby body I could show off."
"Ana, if I didn't know you, I couldn't even tell that you just had a baby. You are as petite as you were before." Grace says and I have to fight the urge to roll my eyes or snort. The only reason it doesn't show is because I am in a turquoise maxi dress which is loose fitted and a white cardigan, so my pouch is covered, but it is still there and I don't even like Christian to see it, though he says that I look amazing. Well, he is my husband so he has to say that ...
"Well, this dress is hiding everything, but I guess for 3 weeks post partum I am doing fine."
"You sure do, oh have you talk to Kate lately, she told me you are not taking her calls."
I sigh. "No, I am not, she is driving me insane. She just can't decide if she wants to have a natural delivery or c-section and she calls me all the time to ask me the weirdest questions. I had enough three days ago when she called me and asked me if she could stop by to see my ... umm... lady parts." I say and Grace who was taking a sip of her tea spits it back into the cup in the most unladylike way.
"Why on earth would she want to see your vagina, Ana?" she asks wide-eyed.
"Kate is afraid it looks different after pushing a baby out, and she started to sulk when I told her no, I mean she is my best friend and I love her dearly, but that is where I draw the line. And it wouldn't help her anyway as she hasn't seen it before." I say and both Grace and I have to laugh.
"Oh my, Kate is really a piece of work, though Mia isn't much better, poor Luke told us he will probably name the baby without her consent while Mia sleeping after the delivery. Now she wants to name the poor boy Jupiter Star."
"Well, I usually like unique names, but she is a little over the top. If she wants Jupiter as a name why not make it the middle name and give him a more common first name. She can still call him Jupiter, but if he doesn't like it he has a more common name to use."
"Let's hope she is going to come to her senses, I might be old-fashioned, but I believe a name for a child has to be sophisticated and needs to be something the child won't get bullied about growing up. Imagine Mia names her son Jupiter, can you imagine how the poor darling will get bullied in school."
"Actually, I don't think that will be a big problem, most kids will think it's a cool name." I try to calm her and Teddy picks this moment to wake up.
Before I can even get up Grace is on her feet and picks Teddy up. "Oh, look at him Ana, he is simply adorable. Do you hear me Teddy Grey, your Grammy adores you." she gushes and kisses his little face.
"I think he needs a new diaper, Ana. Can I change him?"
"Sure, just put him on the blanket over there and the diaperbag is next to the piano." I tell her and she walks over to the blanket.
I have started to put diapers and blankets in every room in the house I am staying at with Teddy and Rachel. This house is just too big. Call me lazy, but it gets exhausting to carry them both through the house and upstairs to change a wet diaper only to make the same way again 15 minutes later when the other needs a clean diaper. If I have learned anything as a new mom, it is to think practical. I was sometimes really unorganized and now I have my day perfectly scheduled or else I wouldn't get half of the things done I want to do.
Right now, it's all about my little angels, though the one thing I do everyday is to force myself to dress nicely. Honestly, sometimes it is very tempting to just walk around in pj's all day, but then I remind myself that I am not only a mom to two adorable babies, but also a wife to a gorgeous husband who always looks like he just jumped of a fashion magazine and I want him to like what he sees when he looks at me too. So, every morning once I managed to take a shower I pick some nice clothes and style my hair a little to look nice.
I look at Rachel in her bouncer seat and she is fussing a little and softly cueing, so I pick her up and she starts to smack her lips letting me know that she is hungry. So, grab the nursing pillow and a minute later she is drinking. Christian thinks I should only breast feed in the nursery or our bedroom, because he doesn't want the security seeing me nursing, but I couldn't care less. This is my home, so I can nurse my babies where ever I want. I wouldn't nurse them in a public place, not that I would feel embarrassed if someone saw me, but I don't need pictures of me nursing all over the tabloids.
"Do you want to nurse him too Ana?" Grace asks and I nod and let Teddy latch on too.
"Good thing you don't have triplets" Grace grins.
"Oh my god, no way, if I end up with multiples in my next pregnancy too, I hope it won't be more than two. If I had more babies at once I want an extra pair of arms and boobs too." I chuckle and Grace laughs.
"But you want more kids?"
"Of course, though I have to say if you had asked me four or five weeks ago, my answer would have been no. But actually, they were about a day old when I thought that I would love them to have siblings close in age. Christian wants more kids, too. We decided to talk about having another baby once they turned 1. I would love to have all my kids close in age. It was great growing up with Jenny, we were so close in age we were best friends, I would love for my kids to have that, too. And I know from Patrick that he often wishes he had a brother or sister his age, so they could do all the things he likes together. To him I am more his mom than his sister, and with Jenny it's almost the same. We both took care of him the best we could."
"And you did a very good job, your brother is a lovely boy. I ... I don't want to upset, but has your mother called you since Teddy and Rachel were born?"
"No, I ... I had enough with her and asked Christian to tell her to leave us alone, I was pregnant back then and she was stressing me out. He called her and though he hasn't told me I am sure he offered her money to leave us alone and she took it. With that I'm done with her. I just don't want to surround myself with negative things or negative energy and my mother as harsh as this may sound, but she is nothing but the woman who gave birth to me anymore. Before Rachel and Teddy were born I thought maybe she will come around eventually, but now that I am a mom I know she is just a lousy mother and I don't need that. I would kill myself before I would ever hurt my babies as she has hurt my siblings and I. She is not even worth wasting my time by talking about her."
Grace give me a warm smile. "You are right, and if she can't see how wonderful her children are, then she does not deserve your time. And I hope that you know if you need me, I will always be there for you. I like to think that with my children finding their partners in life I also got three more children in Kate, Luke and you."
"I can't speak for Luke and Kate, but to me you are like a mother Grace, and I am so happy that we get along so well. You were incredible those last three weeks and I can't thank you enough for everything you are doing for us."
"You don't have to, darling. You already gave me the greatest gift in those two precious babies."
An hour later Grace and I have just finished our lunch when Christian comes in carrying lots of gift bags and Taylor behind him as even more.
"More?" I ask and I am not sure if I should be happy or desperate. Since our babies were born we receive gifts for them on a daily basis and I have no idea where to put them anymore.
"Yes, everyone at GEH who saw me handed me a gift bag or box with things for Teddy and Rachel. Christ, I have no idea what to do with all this stuff." he says as he puts the bags down and walks over to us to greet first Grace, then me and then our twins.
"Well, I have an idea. Tomorrow we will look through everything and then donate most of it to charity. I mean, we have more than enough of everything for Teddy and Rachel, why just store those clothes and toys in the attic when there are so many young families who could use all those things. I will check which organisations we can contact and give them a call so they can either come here and pick everything up or one of our security guys can deliver it to their offices."
"Yes, I like the idea, we should definitely get this done tomorrow. We have enough stuff here for 30 babies by now and the first things that will be donated are those fucking baby bikinis." he says and both Grace and I remind him not to swear like that in front of the babies. But, he is right. A famous designer has send us a lot of baby outfits and I won't dress my children in any of them. Good grieve, there were bikinis for babies in there that looked like stripper attire and leather pants for Teddy with little spikes. No way I am going to dress my new-born like a rock star, if he wants to dress like that once he is grown up, well not much I can do about that, but until then I will make sure they are dressed age appropriate and not like some little fashion victims.
"Oh, but there is one thing I want to keep, Andrea bought it for us." he says and looks through the bags until he finds a box opens it and gets something out that looks like an overly long vibrator. What on earth?
"Umm, what is that, Christian?"
"It's called a Lolaloo. You can attach it to the stroller or bouncer seat and it rocks it, so you can rock Teddy or Rachel and have your hands free." he explains and actually that sounds good. Teddy sometimes wants to be rocked for at least an hour and if this works it would make that a lot easier.
"If that thing works remind me to write Andrea a thank you note."
Around 10 pm I have fed Teddy and Rachel and they are sleeping peacefully in their bassinet.
"Tired" Christian smirks when I yawn. "Exhausted, these days I am so exhausted I even dream about sleeping" I chuckle and he laughs.
"Well, than I am not going to keep you from sleeping, baby. Just one more thing." he says and gets the box with his special gift certificates from his nightstand. Oh god, I hope he does not want to cash in a blowjob right now, because if he does I think I am going to fall asleep with his dick in my mouth.
"It's not what you think, baby." he chuckles and hands me one of the gift certificates I have made for him. I look at it and it's one for a date night.
"I have already talked to your Dad and Maria. They are going to watch our little angels this Saturday. I have booked us a table at Canlis and after that I have a surprise for you. All you need to do is to pump your milk for two or three feeds."
"Okay, but do you think we can leave Teddy and Rachel for a couple of hours?"
"Baby, we need time as a couple, too and your Dad and Maria have raised seven kids between them, so I trust them to take good care of our babies, but if you feel uncomfortable we can wait."
"No, I want to spend some alone time with you. I guess from now on I will always worry about our little angels if we are not with them, but I will get used to it. So, I am looking forward to Saturday and the surprise you have for me." I lean over to kiss him and he pulls me closer so I can cuddle up against his chest.
"Sleep baby, I love you."
"And I love you..."
For those of you who haven't seen it, I have recently started a story called The Journal. It's a mystery with lots of lemons ... if you want to know if it is going to have a HEA either send me a pm or read the A/N for chapter 7 in this story... oh, and please leave a review :-)