A couple weeks later Owen helped Teddy into the house. It was a relief to be home. The time in the hospital had been unbearably long and stressful, being away from her kids and having her sister popping in while she was in Seattle. They had cleared the air somewhat but Teddy preferred to have Caterina on the other side of the country.
"Welcome home," Leo shouted.
"My babies," Teddy smiled. She made her way to the couch and both kids quickly curled up with their mom.
"We have a surprise for you two," Owen told the kids.
"Cookies," Allison asked, "princesses?"
"No," Teddy smiled pulling her daughter closer.
"Lego," Leo asked.
"No," Owen chuckled, he took the two shirts from beside the couch.
"No clothes," Allison pouted.
"It says big sister," Teddy smiled putting the shirt on over Allison's tank top, she hated tank tops on the little girl, she hardly wore them herself outside the gym, but Evelyn often put them on the young girl when it was warm. Teddy only wanted them worn for sports or dance at Allison's age.
"Leo can you try to read it," Owen asked.
"Big, b,b,b," Leo tried.
"Big brother," Owen read.
"Big s,s,s," Leo pointed to Allison.
"Big sister," Teddy read.
"Why," Leo asked.
"Mommy is going to have a new baby," Teddy explained, "theres a baby growing in my belly."
"Where," Allison asked.
"Right here," Teddy put her hand on her lower abdomen, "the baby will grow here for a few months and mommy's belly will get really big."
"We have to be gentle with mommy's tummy," Owen said.
"A baby like Jacob's mommy," Leo asked.
"Yes," Teddy replied.
Evelyn came down the stairs from where she had been tidying the kids rooms to give them space and saw the kid's shirts.
"Do you have something to tell me," Evelyn asked.
Teddy blushed, "I'm pregnant."
"How far along," Evelyn asked.
"10 almost 11 weeks," Owen replied.
"Baby," Evelyn asked.
"Is doing well," Teddy replied, "they did an ultrasound before we came home. I'm starting to show."
"Teddy," Evelyn asked.
Teddy unzipped her hoodie, "grandma?"
"Just a little," Evelyn smiled, "I found out so late with Allison that I didn't see."
"I started to show around 17-18 weeks," Teddy replied, "but my second, I'm older and have been on bed rest for three weeks."
"Does Megan know," Evelyn asked.
"Yes but we asked her to let us tell you," Owen replied.
"i 'm happy for you," Evelyn smiled, "three kids."
"What we both always wanted," Teddy answered.
"Are you feeling okay," Evelyn asked.
"Tired and happy to be home," Teddy replied, "home for a week or so then back just doing office work. I doubt I'll be in the OR until after baby arrives."
"You take it easy and listen to your baby sweetheart," Evelyn assured, "happy healthy mom and happy healthy baby."
"I'll be monitored every two weeks until 28 weeks then weekly," Teddy replied.
"Luckily we work in a hospital, " Owen smiled.
"Working," Evelyn asked.
"I have 2 more weeks of medical leave then I'll just do admin work for a while," Teddy replied, "slowly build up. I have a lot of policies to rewrite and protocols to revamp. Limiting myself to 9-5 or 8-4. I have strong leaders in all but peds and plastics but I have in term people who are adequate there."
"Megan said you offered he a job," Evelyn replied.
"I did," Teddy replied, "doing reconstructive work with trauma and plastics and the fire department is putting their mobile surgical unit back on the road as a shared initiative with us and I need to talk to her but I want Megan to run it as lead surgeon with Ben Warren as her right hand."
"Will Warren," Owen asked.
"Hes an attending for anaesthesia but never finished his surgical residency," Teddy replied, "plus he's the fire department person in there. Him and Megan will run it together, she know field surgery and being creative and he knows the bureaucracy. We'll rotate trauma residents and fellows through it as part of their training and I'm hoping the attendings will want to do one of their call shifts with it so we can fully staff it with a fellow or attending 24/7."
"Megan will be good in both roles," Owen agreed.
"I want her to mentor residents and interns," Teddy replied, "with Grey gone and Richard stepping down my general team is spread thin and I might get trauma to help there."
Leo interrupted, "how did the baby get in mommy's tummy?"
Evelyn laughed, "you two. Are up for this one."
"Theres a lot to explain," Teddy replied, "and we'll tell you more as you get older and understand more. You know that you and Allison have some different body parts. That doesn't chang when you grow up and it's not just the outside ones. Boys and girls have some different parts inside. Women or girls have a special oregon called a uterus that the baby grows in, and they have ovaries that have eggs. Men have testicals where special cells are made called sperm."
Owen jumped in, "when the egg from the mom and the sperm from the dad meet it makes a baby."
"How do they meet," Leo asked.
"That's something special between two grownups," Teddy replied, "we will explain more of that when you are older."
"Does it hurt," Leo asked.
"It's not always comfortable," Teddy replied, "but I'm okay Little Lion."
"How does the baby get out," Leo asked.
Teddy smiled at the inquisitive boy, "theres two options, one the mom pushes it out through a special opening only women and girls have or a doctor, another type of surgeon, makes a cut in the mom's belly and brings the baby out that way."
Evelyn not liking the line of conversation and how honest Teddy and Owen were being with 5 year old Leo decided to change the topic slightly, "Teddy do you know what you want to do?"
"I'm not sure," Teddy replied, "if my recovery goes well and my heart can handle it I'll do a natural birth but whatever is safest."
"When does the baby come," Leo asked.
"In a few months," Teddy replied, "around Halloween."
"Zombie baby number three," Owen teased.
"No I learned my lesson," Teddy smiled, "I'll buy this one a costume like we do with the other two."
"Did I grow in your tummy," Leo asked.
"No," Teddy replied, "remember daddy you are adopted. Part of being adopted means you didn't grow in my tummy. You grew in Britney's tummy. We saw her a few weeks ago and you will see her next week. Being adopted is very special because daddy and I are so lucky to have you as our little boy and call you ours. You grew in my heart which is just as important as growing in my tummy. All of you get to grow in my heart for ever and ever. A baby only grows in their moms tummy for a little while but they get to grow in their moms heart forever."
Owen hugged Leo, "we are so lucky to have you and your siblings. We love you."
"I love you papa," Leo said.
"So this baby," Evelyn asked.
"We want the baby," Teddy beamed, "we always said we wanted 2 or 3 kids. When we used to dream about it I didn't think they would be our kids, I wanted it but I didn't think it was possible. I had given up on being a mom then Allison happened and Leo now pumpkin."
"We want our family," Owen smiled, " later in life than I thought but it's the dream."
"I'm happy for you," Evelyn smiled, "and I'll be here to help how ever you need. I know you still need some time before your back in action Teddy."
"It'll take time but I'm here," Teddy replied, "and I can hold my kids so it's good."
"It is," Evelyn replied, "I'm glad you're home."
"Me two," Teddy replied.