Settling

I'm not sure if babies Bella's age can be nervous about their new surroundings but anyeway...

Bella wasn't sure what to think about the new house. It was much bigger and had stairs and there was carpet along with the hardwood floors. Sure, it was fun to explore, but it wasn't as easy to keep track of mommy and daddy with these new rooms. The familiarity of the exact same bedroom, right down to the wall stickers seemed to sooth her through. Mommy and daddy even had the walls painted the exact same color, days before they moved in.

"Daddy and mommy will be right there," Ryan said to his daughter, pointing to the doorway right across the hall as he carried her to bed. "Bella's room is right there. See? It's just like the one in our old house."

The couple knew it would be no time and Bella would used to the home. Thanks to friends and family members, the house was baby-proofed and the three were moved and settled in, in two days time.

"She calmed down fast," Emily said when Ryan came to their bedroom

"Daddy's got the touch," Ryan said, laying on the bed on his stomach.

This was Bella's first night in the new house, they weren't totally unpacked the previous night and the bedrooms wasn't set up. So she spent the past two days and one night at Vanessa and Harry's. Her parents slept on a mattress on the floor of what would be the master bedroom. Since the couple were dining on take-out Chinese over LED tea candles, on still-packed cardboard boxes, before watching a movie on the portable DVD player, Vanessa were hoping the two would "start going for number two" that night, despite the fact that Emily had told her numerous times that doing that was not going to happen till after Bella turned one. The couple was trying not take for granted that it would be so easy to conceive but they were both hoping that Emily would be pregnant again by the time Bella were eighteen months old.

"You're not sure this is your house yet, are you, baby girl?" Emily said to her daughter the next morning. The two were sitting on the joined foam play mats that covered most of the hardwood floor in the living room. It was Monday and Ryan had returned to work, having had the past three days off to move his family into their new home.

"Da?"

The night before both her parents noticed though even somewhat curious, Bella seemed nervous, not sure where she was, even though all the furniture was from their old home, all her toys were there and in view and the same play mats were on the living room floor. It helped much more than Emily and Ryan thought that the nursery in the new house was identical to the previous one. The baby girl slept peacefully because unlike the rest of the house, the room didn't feel new to her. She relaxed visibly and completely in her room, however, perhaps believing she were still "home."

"Dada will be home later."

A moment later Bella was immersed in her leapfrog activity table, "dancing" when any music came on, making her mom laugh.

Calleigh Delko came over to the house after lunch that day. She had spent the morning the spa, getting a massage, facial and pedicure, a gift from her in-laws who told her to take the day off. Now that Eric were back at work, she was looking after the twins on her own most of the time though Eric's parents still dropped by often. Eric had helped the couple move in but Calleigh hadn't seen the house yet. She commented it was beautiful and though Bella must be still be getting used to it, the family must be enjoying all the space.

"Do you like your new house?" Calleigh asked Bella as the little one walked over to her and handed her a wooden block.

"Ba!" She said.

Calleigh smiled at the baby.

"What have you got there?"

"How was the spa?" Emily asked Calleigh.

The blonde still looked tired but she looked quite relaxed.

"Great," Calleigh smiled. "Or at least I think so," she chuckled. "I fell asleep minutes into the massage. Even slept the pedicure.

"How is she doing?" Calleigh asked of Bella. "She gettin' used to it here?"

"She is. Havin' the nursery the same really helped. She knows her room is hers, even if she's not sure 'bout the rest of the house."

"Ryan said she slept well from the first night. That's awesome."

"I'll know she really used to it when she starts hidin' on us again."

Calleigh laughed.

"Yeah, Ryan told us 'bout that. He's looking forward to it. He misses that."

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