Hope for All- chapter 56
Tony and Angela arrived home from their appointment and brought the babies inside to an anxiously awaiting Samantha and Jonathan. Since it was Friday, neither of the kids needed to do their homework and were both wanting to spend time with the babies.
"So did they do okay at their appointment?" asked Samantha as she held Anna.
"Yes they did! They are both gaining weight and growing big and strong! They won't have to go back for three weeks for their one month appointment" said Tony as he handed Matthew to Jonathan.
"That's great news!" said Jonathan.
"Angela, why don't you go rest for a bit and then I'll get a head start on dinner and dessert! I also realized our anniversary from when Samantha and I moved in here was this last Wednesday! So now I really need to make something special!" said Tony.
"Why don't we all go out for ice cream after dinner? We could go for a walk on the boardwalk and eat ice cream while hopefully these two sleep!" said Angela.
"Yeah that sounds like a great idea!" said Samantha as Jonathan was also in agreement.
"What about my cake?" asked Tony with a pout.
"You can still make it this weekend or next weekend! I figure while the weather is nice, we should take advantage of getting out as much as possible" said Angela.
"Oh alright… hey this will be the first time we all go out together! Hopefully Mona can join us!" said Tony.
"I think Grandma is on a date but she did mention being home for dinner" said Jonathan.
"Great! I'll start on dinner. Angela go upstairs and rest. If the two of you need anything, I'm right in the kitchen" said Tony as he headed into the kitchen and Angela headed upstairs.
"They actually trusted us with them by ourselves?" asked Jonathan.
"Of course they did! We are their big brother and sister! We can handle them! Besides, one day we will need to babysit and actually be alone with them" said Samantha.
"You'll be there right? I don't know how to take care of babies!" said Jonathan.
"Yes Jonathan we will both be there but it's still a while before that will happen! I don't think Dad or Angela will want to be away from them for a long longer than they have to be!" said Samantha. Just then, Matthew started to stir.
"Hey Matthew! It's okay!" said Jonathan as he rocked him in his arms. After a few moments, Matthew settled down and went back to sleep.
"See? You've got this Jonathan! When the time is right, you'll be great at babysitting!" she said, a rare moment of affection coming from Samantha.
"Thanks Sam…" he said. They spent the next hour holding the babies, switching back and forth. Angela was able to get some sleep before they needed to be fed again. Tony finished putting the final touches on dinner as Angela took the babies upstairs to be changed and fed. By the time the twins were fed and burped, dinner was ready. This time, Tony put on the baby carrier and held the twins throughout dinner.
"You're right Angela! This thing gets hot! Next time I think I'll take my shirt off first" said Tony.
"No complaints from me… dinner and a show!" laughed Mona.
"Mother!" shouted Angela.
"What? I'm just kidding… maybe…" said Mona as Tony just rolled his eyes. Both babies started to stir so Tony stood up and walked around the kitchen to try and settle them back down. Matthew settled back down but Anna started to scream.
"What's the matter Anna banana? You hot too? You need a change or are you… ouch!" shouted Tony.
"What's wrong?" asked Angela.
"She's definitely hungry! Oh my gosh she's tiny but she's strong! That hurt! Angela! How do you do it?" he said as took Anna out and handed her to a laughing Angela.
"Welcome to my world! Matthew has a stronger latch if you can imagine! Okay Anna are you still hungry or are you just fussy?" she asked as she tried to calm her down, to no avail.
"Alright let's go for a feeding…" said Angela as she took Anna into the living room.
"Poor Mom… she's not going to get to finish her dinners for a while!" said Jonathan.
"Not for the first couple of years…" said Mona.
"I wish we could tag team feedings to give her a break but that ain't happening! I will just reheat her dinner if it gets too cold" he said. After a few minutes, Matthew started to stir so Tony took him into Angela for a feeding. Tony was able to finish his dinner and clean up the kitchen. After the twins were fed, Tony and the kids helped burp and change them for their outing while Angela finished her dinner. They packed up the twins and all headed into the van as they headed to get ice cream.
"Alright everyone! Go put your orders in!" said Tony as he parked. Tony and Angela took the twins out and put them in the stroller as they joined them online. Tony ordered for Angela as she took the twins to a table away from the crowds. Soon, they were all sitting down enjoying their ice cream.
"I wonder what flavor ice cream the twins will like!" said Jonathan as he finished his ice cream cone.
"I have a feeling Anna will be like her Mommy and like butter brickle!" said Tony.
"I think Matthew will like chocolate!" said Jonathan.
"When can they start having real food?" asked Samantha.
"If I remember correctly I think they start baby food around six months or so. Ice cream will be sometime after that…" said Angela.
"Oh I can't wait for them to starting eating food! Ice cream will be on the list for sure!" said Tony as he looked at the twins sleeping peacefully in the stroller.
"Well that's still a long way off!" laughed Angela as she finished her ice cream. Just then, Matthew started to cry.
"What's wrong Matthew? You can't be hungry. I wonder if you need to be… oh no!" said Angela as she moved the blanket back.
"What Angela?" asked Tony with a panicked voice.
"Well, looks like we have our first blowout! Oh Matthew it's everywhere! Of course our first time out!" she laughed.
"Oh no! Okay well we have extra diapers and clothes. Let's take him back to the van and get him changed. Is Anna a mess too?" asked Tony.
"No I think she's fine. Here Samantha take her" said Angela as she carefully picked up Anna and handed her along with a blanket to Samantha.
"Okay Matthew! It's time to get all cleaned up!" said Tony as they headed back to the van. They were able to make space in the backseat to change him.
"Oh my gosh it's all up his back! Buddy what happened? Is this normal to have this much poop out of someone so small?" asked Tony.
"Yes Tony it is! Jonathan used to have the worst blowouts… it would end up in his hair! He got a bath almost everyday just because he would be a mess!" she laughed as she started to get him changed. Matthew was screaming by now as Tony tried to comfort him.
"Okay little guy! You're almost done! Okay I'm gonna to try and clean out the stroller" said Tony as he grabbed some wipes.
"Oh Matthew… well I was hoping to wait a bit longer for your first bath but I don't think we have a choice anymore! As soon as we get home, it's bath time!" said Angela as she finished getting him changed and wrapped in a blanket.
"This stroller is gonna need the hose Angela!" said Tony.
"So does your son! I think it's time for their first bath when we get home!" laughed Angela.
"Alright! First bath time! I hope I have enough film left! Okay this stroller is done for now I'm afraid until I can clean it better" said Tony.
"That's okay. We can carry the babies and shorten our walk with them. I don't want them out too much longer anyway" said Angela as she wrapped Matthew closer to her body. They headed back to the family and could already hear Anna crying.
"I think she's gassy or maybe needs to be changed too. Either way she's your problem now…" said Mona as she handed Anna to Tony.
"Oh Anna banana what's wrong? You missed us for the whole ten minutes we were gone?" laughed Tony as he tried in vain to get her to settle down. Angela handed Matthew to Samantha as she took Anna from Tony. She checked her to see if she needed to be changed and was yet again met with a blowout.
"Not you too! Well so much for our walk! I think it's time to go home!" said Angela as she headed back to the car.
"At least we got our ice cream in!" laughed Tony. Angela tried to change her as quickly as possible before putting them back into their car seats.
"Well that was an eventful first outing! Next time maybe we can finish it!" laughed Angela. Tony drove them home. By the time they pulled into the driveway, both babies had been screaming the whole way home.
"Okay you two we are coming!" said Tony as he got out of the car. He was able to pick up Matthew while Angela grabbed Anna. Mona bolted out of the car and headed up to her apartment, making some excuse about a date. Even Samantha and Jonathan made a feeble attempt to help but headed off to their rooms once Angela said they didn't need to stay.
"Well the honeymoon is over! One week and they have all headed for the hills!" laughed Tony.
"Well fifteen minutes of screaming newborns in the confines of a car, nowhere to escape, would do it! They will be back once they are clean, fed and calm" said Angela.
"Alright you two! Bath time and then I need to clean that stroller!" said Tony as he filled the bathtubs and put them on the kitchen table.
"Alright here goes nothing! Jonathan hated the bath for the first two or three months! I hope these guys aren't the same way! How was Samantha?" asked Angela as she undressed Anna and put her in the tub. Tony undressed Matthew and placed him in as well.
"Honestly I'm not sure. By the time I was home for the off season, she was older and loved it. I really don't know if she liked it or not as an infant" he said sadly.
"I'm sorry to bring that up Tony. Well it looks like they like it so far don't you sweethearts!" gushed Angela.
"So far so good! Okay let me get my camera!" said Tony as he turned around and picked up his camera, taking almost a whole roll of film.
"Just how many baby albums are these kids going to need with all the photos you've taken just in a week?" laughed Angela.
"Eh oh, oh eh! I'll get binders if I have to! These kids are going to be well photographed! Alright Matthew you're nice and clean! Time to get dressed and ready for your last feeding! Angela where are their pajamas?" asked Tony as he looked all around.
"I thought you had them when you grabbed the stuff for the bath" she said as she took Anna out and wrapped her in a towel.
"I know I took them out! I grabbed them, put them on the changing table and… never took them with me!" he said as he shook his head.
"It's fine Tony! Let's just get them upstairs and dressed. I'll feed them in bed- it's easier anyway" she said as she headed through the swinging door and up the stairs. They were able to get the twins changed. Both babies started crying while they were being changed. Angela brought them into their bedroom and got herself situated on the bed as Tony helped her get settled. He headed back downstairs to clean the stroller off.
"So what did you two think of your first night out on the town? Well minus it being cut short due to the blowouts! At least we got in our ice cream!" laughed Angela. After about a half an hour, Tony came back up with two cups of tea.
"I locked up downstairs. Samantha and Jonathan were both watching some horror movie on television. You remember the first scary movie we all watched as a family?" snickered Tony.
"How could I forget? The first ever rendition of Bower/Micelli musical beds! No one ended up in the right bed!" laughed Angela.
"The look on your face when we woke up and realized we were in the same bed together! I'll never forget it!" said Tony.
"Shocked was an understatement! But honestly I think I was more shocked at how normal it felt waking up next to you…. like we had been doing it forever. Maybe it was just a premonition of what was to come…" she said.
"It could be! All I know is everything we did to get us to this place here, with both of these beautiful babies, Samantha and Jonathan both growing up, Mona… well raising Mona too! I wouldn't trade any of it!" he said as he leaned over and gave her a kiss.
"Same here… I wouldn't trade any of it, sleep deprivation and all!" she chuckled. Soon she finished feeding them and handed Matthew to Tony to burp, while she burped Anna. They cuddled with them in bed for a while as they turned on the television.
"Alright think it's time we all tried to get some sleep! Two in the morning comes quickly!" whispered Tony as he put a sleeping Matthew down. Angela put Anna down as well as got into bed as Tony curled into her side.
"I know it's way too early to be thinking about it… heck it's only been a week since they were born… but I can't wait until the doctor gives you the okay for, you know…" whispered Tony as he pulled himself closer to Angela.
"Easy there Casanova! Hopefully by then more of the baby weight will be gone and I'll feel attractive again to even think about sex…" she said.
"Angela! You looked beautiful before you got pregnant, while you were pregnant and now after giving birth. I know that's not going to change how you see yourself, but you could never be anything else that's perfect in my eyes. If you were cleared right now and we didn't risk being interrupted in about five minutes by one if not both of them, I'd be showing you just how sexy and attractive I think you are…" he said as he pressed himself up against her side, letting her know just how serious he was.
"Well then… I guess we just have to wait for the clearance then…" she said as she turned around and pulled him flush against her body, passionately kissing him, letting him know how much she still found him attractive even if she wasn't feeling it herself. Their make out session was interrupted a few minutes later by crying.
"Well that was fun while it lasted!" laughed Angela as she went to get up and try soothe a crying Anna.
"I feel like a babysitter will be needed the first night we have to ourselves Angela!" he chuckled as he stood up to help Angela. Matthew started crying a few moments later, causing them to both be picked up.
"I think you two just wanted to interrupt us because now you are both back asleep!" said Tony.
"I think so too! Just needed more cuddle time" she said as she brought Anna closer to her chest.
"Oh and I didn't have my nighttime talks with them! No wonder they were fussing! Okay you two! Your first outing with the family was a success! Well the first half at least! And you both got your first baths! Nice and clean! Now it's time to sleep you too! Everyone is going to be home this weekend so maybe Mommy and Daddy can get some more rest while you get spoiled by the family! Mrs. Rossini is going to stop by tomorrow with more food so hold onto your cheeks!" he said with a laugh.
"Okay let's try this again because I'm exhausted!" said Angela as she put down Anna in her bassinet before heading back into bed. Tony did the same with Matthew and headed into bed. No sooner did they both fall asleep, when they were awoken by the unmistakable sound of someone in the hallway bathroom getting sick.
"Oh no Tony! Please say that's not what I think it is!" said Angela as she checked on the sleeping babies.
"Stay here and I will see which one of them it is…" said Tony as he opened up the bedroom door. Samantha was standing outside the bathroom door.
"He was fine Dad and then half way through the movie he just bolted up here and started throwing up. What if he has the stomach flu and the babies get it?" asked Samantha with panic in her voice. All Tony could do was match her panicked look as he looked back at the bedroom door.