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Classes & Hormones

Alexx Woods smiled as Ryan talked to her about enjoying the previous night's class. Even if Emily thought everything else was stupid Alexx believed the expectant mother would enjoy getting to be so close to Ryan and the massage part.

"That's great, baby," she said. "How do you think Emily did?"

Ryan smiled. "She said she knew this one wouldn't be so bad 'cause it was the 'suck in' class."

"Well, she's right there, really," Alexx acknowledged. "And you can tell her even though I'm a doctor, when I was in her position, I despised practicing everything from the classes, too."

"Really?" Ryan asked. "I can't see what's so bad about it."

Alexx scoffed at her surrogate son. "That's because one, you like to be so prepared. Two, change positions, honey, and you'd feel different."

Clothes shopping for Bella was in full-swing now. Ryan's mother-in-law was itching to buy the frilly pink variety but Emily was having none of it. Ryan thought Vanessa was brave to challenge Emily at the this point in her pregnancy when her mood swings were more frequent and a comfortable sleeping position was for the most part, elusive. Once or twice he had been with his wife and mother-in-law when Vanessa picked out what Emily referred to as "Toddlers and Tiaras" outfits for their baby. He might not have been a baby fashion expert, Ryan had to admit the outfits too fancy for tiny babies; they might be good for a realistic-looking life-size doll; they didn't puke and use diapers. Most people thought photos of baby girls in frilly clothes on the wall were cute. Emily thought you could get "little girl cute" for pictures without going all "baby beauty pageant."

Vanessa had forgotten about how strong hormones could be in pregnancy. After a short span of time she realized why she, notRyan were getting her daughter's wrath at moments, it for two reasons. Ryan was doing anything to keep Emily happy and comfortable for the moment and most importantly he wasn't already making plans to make Bella a "personal dress-up doll" the way she half-consciously doing. Emily's mother realized her daughter would have no problem either returning an item to the store or donating it to goodwill if she didn't want her child to wear it, regardless if her mother bought it. The clothing issue pushed Emily's buttons and that didn't help her general hormones.

Now that they were together again the two didn't talk about when they were apart. If they couldn't change it, why focus on it? Only occasionally, during particular moments did they mention they "missed this" for the eleven years of separation.

"I missed this," Ryan said, her wife's head resting on his lap one evening watching The Glades.

Emily had remembered one advantage to having her mom closer; her cooking. She had sent over Emily's favorite pork chops and mashed potatoes for dinner.

"What? My mom's pork chops?" Emily teased. She knew what he really meant.

Them being to lay together, doing nothing at the end of the day.

Ryan just chuckled, continuing to run his fingers through her hair. "No," he said.

Emily wouldn't say it aloud but she was enjoying one aspect of the prenatal classes, being so close to Ryan. They had had their second class the night before and the introduction to the "funny breathing"exercises had started. Emily's nightmare. But it her surprise, Emily wasn't the only mom-to-be embarrassed at the thought of doing these in the room full of people. And the instructor didn't scold them for that feeling. She told the couples just to focus on themselves and pretend like it was just them in the room.

It worked, some.

She felt much more comfortable doing them at home but she was still uncomfortable. Ryan continuously assured her that they were in this together and he was there with her through it all. Both at the classes and at home she could feel and hear him breathing with her. It was a very reassuring feeling. It was hard to believe that Emily's due date just less than ten weeks away. The baby shower that Emily wasn't supposed to know about, planned by Alexx and Vanessa and taking place at Alexx's because it was bigger, was two weeks away. Emily had overheard her husband briefly talking to Alexx about it on the phone to arrange the best date and to get Vanessa's cellphone number. One hadn't to know Emily that well to know she had near super-sonic hearing. Ryan had thought she were still sleep; she had dosed off briefly in their room while reading.

She wasn't going to spoil the women's happiness; she would act surprised at the time. Everyone was coming to the shower, even guys. No silly games, just food, friends and gifts for Bella.

"And then she yelled at me and cried, telling me it's my fault she can't have sushi," Eric told Ryan.

Ryan laughed. Eric's pregnant fiancee's mood swings were starting early.

"Well, it took two of ya and I doubt she'll blame herself," he replied.

"You can't tell me you don't get something similar," Eric huffed.

"Sure I do," Ryan shrugged. "The back of my skull is just immune to being hit by now."

The one thing Emily loved that she couldn't have now was pepsi max. The drink was loaded with caffeine and her doctor warned not to drink it while pregnant. This had a tendency to make Emily grumpy.

Her husband was used to this by now.

"My ex-wife used to throw the nearest thing in her reach at me," Frank said. "And usually aimed it at my head."

"That's what happened!"Eric said.