Thank you so much for the lovely reviews! Knowing you're enjoying the story means so much to me.
And a million thanks to my beta MelissaMargaret for making this pretty.
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or these characters.
Esme POV
"Is today the day?"
I studied my reflection in the bathroom mirror, turning to see every angle. Dr. Banner had been right. At seventeen weeks pregnant, there wouldn't be any more hiding. I seemed to have popped over night, leaving me with a well defined bump instead of the little hill only Carlisle and I saw every day.
"I think today has to be the day," I said, smiling at my happy husband through the mirror.
"After breakfast?"
"After breakfast," I confirmed with a nod. "Let's get them fed and happy first so maybe they won't be distracted."
"All right, sweetheart. You shower while I round them up, and we'll meet you downstairs." He kissed my cheek and my lips and rubbed my belly before rushing out of the room, still wearing his wide smile.
I giggled as he left. Carlisle was excited, but with good reason.
After everything we had been through in the past two weeks, we hadn't had a chance to tell the kids about the baby. We weren't intending to put it off for so long, but the timing never worked out. Now that I had a clearly visible baby bump, it was only a matter of time before they noticed and started asking question. They were observant little things, and I didn't doubt that they were already curious with all the changes taking place in our home.
So much had changed within the last week, all thanks to a virus. I never thought I would be thankful for catching a nasty bug from an airport, but I was. A few days of sickness were well worth it for what we had now.
Without a doubt, Carlisle now had his daddy's girl. A sick Rosalie had been a miserable Rosalie, but her daddy made it better. That was all it took for him to have all of her trust and love. During these past few days, she hadn't left his side for longer than a few minutes unless she was sleeping.
Carlisle worried that it would upset me, but I was far from upset. Seeing them together brought an immeasurable amount of joy to my heart because I knew how long it took to get to where they were now. I had witnessed every moment and reassured Carlisle through all of his worries and doubts. This was as much my victory as it was his. I knew Rosalie still loved me and would want our time together, but she had to make up for lost time with her daddy.
Breaking myself out of my thoughts, I quickly showered and dressed, thankful for the few short minutes of alone time. Having Carlisle at home for an extra week was wonderful. We were all fever and ache free by now with only a few sporadic coughs, so even though we didn't need him to take care of us, everyone loved having him at home. I had most of my energy back thanks to his help, but we weren't going to test how long it would last. This weekend would be a lazy one as we enjoyed some time together before schedules became hectic again.
First things first, we had news to share. We had no set plan for telling them, and we had no idea if they would be receptive to the news. Carlisle and I had our work cut out for us, but with our surrounding support, I knew everything would be okay in the end.
I headed downstairs, briefly looking in on Carlisle and the kids in the family room. They were snuggled in a pile on the couch watching TV, so I left them in peace before going to the kitchen.
I kept breakfast simple by making cinnamon toast and bacon. It was one of everyone's favorites, and I wasn't above buttering them up, so to speak.
After faces were wiped and the kitchen was clean, we led our satisfied children back to the family room. Carlisle and I took our spots first, sitting on the couch with some space between us for the kids to sit.
Rosalie climbed up into Carlisle's lap right away, but Emmett and Jasper wandered around for a while before we pulled them down to sit between us. I placed my arm around Jasper to hold him close, and he was content. Emmett, on the other hand, wasn't thrilled.
"But Daddy…I wanna watch teebee or build some blocks. Please? You can play too."
Carlisle chuckled, but didn't let Emmett stand. "We can do that in a minute, little man. Right now, Mommy and I have something very, very important to tell you guys."
This caught all three of their attentions, and the room became silent. Carlisle gave me a smile and nod of encouragement, so I took a deep breath to prepare myself.
"Well, guys," I began slowly, "Daddy and I need to tell you that I'm going to have a baby."
Three sets of eyes widened as they looked at me, and after a few seconds, their gazes moved down to my stomach.
I smiled and nodded. "That's right, guys. There's a baby in my belly right now."
"Mommy," Emmett said in a serious tone. He obviously wanted to say something he thought was very important.
"Yeah, monkey? What would you like to say?"
"Mommy, I goed to Nana's house and eated lots and lots of prezzles. And then she taked them away! And then she said I has a belly full of prezzles and I can't haves no more!"
Carlisle and I were both holding in laughter as he told his story with a completely straight face. It was a lovely story, but I wasn't sure how it was relevant to our discussion.
"But Mommy, why did you eats a baby?"
My mouth fell open as Carlisle finally failed to hold in his laughter. Emmett thought I ate a baby?
I shook my head quickly. "Wait a sec, Em. I didn't eat a baby."
"But you said a baby was in your belly," he argued. "Like the prezzles in my belly."
I looked across the couch, and Rosalie was nodding in agreement. "You sayed that, Mommy," she said.
Beside me, Jasper was also nodding.
Our children had already learned how to team up with each other. It was just as cute as it was intimidating. I could only imagine what it would be like when they were teenagers.
"Okay, guys, I didn't eat a baby," I stressed. "The baby is growing in my belly."
"But howed it get there?" Emmett asked.
Now I was nervous. I hadn't planned on talking to a four year old about the birds and the bees. I looked over at Carlisle, and he simply shrugged, letting me know that I was on my own.
"Well...Mommy and Daddy love each other, and we love you guys so much, so we decided to grow another baby for all of us to love together. And now you get a little brother or sister to play with."
My explanation was totally pulled out of thin air, and I waited anxiously to see if it was good enough. Knowing Emmett, he wouldn't stop until he had all the answers he wanted.
"So you didn't eat it?"
I shook my head again, and Carlisle finally spoke up. "No, buddy. Mommy did not eat the baby. The baby is completely safe and happy."
Emmett nodded, but his questions weren't over. "So when's it gonna come outta there?"
They were too young to have any real concept of time, but I answered honestly anyway. "In June, so that's five months. Do you remember the months of the year from the song Nana taught you?"
Right away, I realized my question had been a mistake. Emmett, along with Rosalie and Jasper, burst into song. They happened to know the months of the year song very well, but they didn't stop until it was over.
"That's great, guys," Carlisle praised. "But let's start over so we can see how long it will be before the baby comes. This month is January, so we'll sing from January to June, okay?"
They nodded and began the song again, and this time, we stopped them as soon as they got to June.
"That's a loooong time," Emmett said solemnly. "We hafta wait that long?"
"It will go by really fast," Carlisle assured him. "And then you'll be able to hold your new brother or sister."
Jasper patted my leg, and I looked down at him. "Mommy, baby make a owwie?"
My tender son completely melted my heart. "No, sweet boy," I said, kissing the top of his head. "The baby in my belly doesn't hurt me at all, but soon you'll be able to feel the baby kick your hand when you do this." I moved his hand to rest of the bump and pressed down, letting him feel how hard it was.
Emmett and Rosalie then wanted to feel my belly, so I let them all take a turn and move their hands around the bump. Seeing their smiles made me feel so much better. There would be plenty of time in the coming months for other reactions, but their initial interest was very encouraging.
After a few minutes, Emmett seemed to have exhausted his questions and went off to play, and Jasper happily followed him. I knew they would probably have question later, and we would try our best to answer them all.
Only Rosalie remained in front of me with her hand on my belly. She watched her hand carefully but then looked up at me with eyebrows furrowed.
"What's the matter, sweet girl?" I asked as I brushed her messy curls from her face.
Instead of answering, she lifted her arms, and I pulled her into my lap. I hated to think that in a few months she wouldn't fit like this, but for now, I could hold her as I tried to soothe her worry.
"Is something wrong, baby?" I asked again.
She shook her head as she buried it against my chest, but I didn't believe her. Something was wrong, but maybe she just didn't know what. We knew from experience that emotions weren't clear in two-year-olds. In fact, I almost expected a breakdown from Jasper before this pregnancy was over. He was the most sensitive, and there was no way to guess when it would happen. Rosalie was usually good at expressing her emotions, though, which made this situation different.
"Everything's okay, Rosalie. I love you so much, and Daddy loves you so much. And you love us so much too.
"And now we're going to have a baby," I continued. "And Daddy and I will love the baby, and you'll love the baby, but nothing will change how much we love you."
"That's right, Rosalie," Carlisle said as he scooted closer and reached over to rub her back. "Nothing can change how much we love you. And soon we'll have a baby living at our house to hug and kiss like Sarah Beth. Doesn't that sound like fun?"
She nodded again and lifted her head. "I hold the baby?" she whispered, glancing from me to Carlisle.
"Absolutely, sweetheart. You can hold the baby as much as you want. And your little brother or sister will love you. You'll be an awesome big sister."
Her expression turned thoughtful as she processed Carlisle's assurances. I had no doubt she would be the best big sister, and she would probably embrace this baby more than the boys would. She loved to nurture already, and as long as we could get passed any jealousy or feelings of abandonment, everything would be fine.
After a few minutes, she nodded and smiled before crawling over to sit with Carlisle. Her worry had been soothed for the time being, and she was happy again.
Over the next few days, we quickly learned how the following months would go. The initial reaction and questions about the baby news weren't the end to the discussion. Not even close. Carlisle and I fielded several questions a day.
When would the baby be here exactly?
Where would the baby sleep?
Could the baby eat cookies?
Would the baby wear hair bows?
Was it a boy baby or a girl baby?
Why couldn't they see the baby through my skin?
Did the baby like cars or baby dolls?
Question after question, we answered to the best of our abilities. Some of them were good questions that led to important discussions between Carlisle and me. We needed to pick out which room would belong to this baby, and I needed to work out a design idea. Eventually, we had shopping to do as well. But before that, we needed to decide if we were going to find out the sex of the baby.
My first instinct was to say yes. I had found out with Emmett, and Maggie and I were able to plan, and buy some clothes and other things in advance. Knowing my baby was a boy had somehow made him seem more real. He had a name months before he was born, and I talked to him every day. But was that necessary now? This baby was already so real to me and so real to Carlisle. Our only prayer was that he or she would be healthy. The specifics didn't matter.
Carlisle and I talked for several nights about it, and eventually decided we didn't want to know. We would wait and be surprised and happy with whichever God gave us. The things like designing a room could be done without the usual pink or blue, and everything could be neutral to start off.
We were then able to tie-in two of the kids' questions. We bought them a special calendar and circled the due date for them to be able to count down. Included with the due date were two stickers of a little boy face and a little girl face. We hoped it would make understanding a bit easier, but there really wasn't much we could do for three toddlers.
Every other question either fell into place with that information or we just had to make up answers. We really weren't sure what the baby's favorite kind of cookie would be, but Emmett seemed satisfied knowing he could help the baby decide when the time came. Jasper was happy to know that the baby would eventually play with him, and Rosalie was overjoyed that she wouldn't have to share her hair bows.
In just a week, the kids went from not knowing about the baby to wanting to know everything. We avoided any meltdowns by addressing all negative thoughts as quickly as possible, and overall, the dominant feeling in our house was excitement. Everyone wanted the baby to come out soon, even going as far as to beg.
My belly became a big focus, with the kids loving to talk to the baby as much as Carlisle did. The four of them possibly talked to the baby more than I did. Every time they pressed their faces to my abdomen, tears filled my eyes. Hearing their sweet little words of acceptance meant everything to me.
Emmett even gave the baby a nickname. Apparently in his eyes, I looked like I had swallowed a pumpkin, and that became the baby's name. Baby Cullen was a mouthful, but Pumpkin worked just fine.
We could hardly wait for my next appointment with Dr. Banner, but before that, we had another important appointment. We hadn't seen Siobhan since before Christmas. She and Liam had taken time off for the holidays, and we had been busy too. None of us had expected so much to happen during our little break, so I was excited to see her reaction.
After bundling up the kids, we drove to our Friday morning appointment. I made sure their clothes were warm and dry to prevent flu symptoms from returning. Carlisle explained that cold temperatures weren't responsible for contracting viruses and bacteria, but I wasn't taken any chances. Our family was finally feeling better, and I wanted it to stay that way.
When we walked into the office, the receptionist stopped what she was doing to watch us. I looked over at Carlisle, but he simply shrugged off her weird reaction.
We sat down on one of the couches to wait, and Emmett and Jasper fought over who was going to sit in my lap. I sat one boy on each leg, ending the argument. They were still getting used to me not being able to carry two of them at once, but nothing was stopping me from holding them at the same time; at least not yet.
As we waited, Rosalie dozed against Carlisle's shoulder, not wanting to be awake yet. It was an early appointment, but we wanted to have the rest of the day free to spend together before Carlisle had to be on-call for the rest of the night. His schedule had been hectic since he had returned to work, but we were dealing with it as best as we could.
Five minutes later, I finally realized what had caused the receptionist's initial reaction and the looks she was now giving us every few seconds.
Rosalie was in Carlisle's arms.
By now, it was normal for us. Rosalie sat with Carlisle, played with Carlisle, slept on Carlisle. Whenever he was home, she was with him. Her relationship with me hadn't changed either. In the morning and afternoon, she wanted her mommy. In the evening and at night, she wanted her daddy. The balance came naturally without us having to work at it at all. And to Carlisle's great joy, she gravitated to him in times like these when she could have either one of us.
I was happy Rosalie wanted to be with her daddy, and I loved having the chance to hold my boys at the same time. My lap was used to always being occupied by Rosalie, but now I could spend time with Emmett and Jasper without having to worry about her. Holding them a little tighter, I kissed each of their heads and relaxed as we continued waiting.
Our short wait ended moments later when Siobhan's door opened, and she stepped out into the small hallway.
"Good morning, guys. You can come on back now…Whoa." She stopped walking toward us as her jaw dropped.
"Good morning," I responded with a smile, ignoring her obvious shock. "It seems like we haven't seen you in forever."
Carlisle stood with Rosalie and helped the boys down from my lap before taking my hand.
"Practice," he explained with a wink, and I giggled as I took his hand and let him help me up. I didn't need assistance yet, but one day soon, I would.
Siobhan gasped again when I turned to grab my purse. Already, this pregnancy couldn't be hidden, not that my fitted sweater could actually hide anything. I giggled to myself and took the boys' hands before the five of us headed into Siobhan's office.
We sat in our usual seats on the couch, but Emmett ran off to play with the toys as soon as we gave him permission. Jasper wanted to follow him, but not before placing a kiss to my stomach. Once he gave his love to Pumpkin, he joined his brother.
I looked over at Carlisle, giving him a watery smile. I wasn't sure how I would not become a sobbing mess by June. Every day one of the kids did something new and lovely toward me or the baby, completely overwhelming me with happiness.
Carlisle smiled in return and placed his arm around my shoulders to pull me close to him. "I love you," he whispered, kissing my cheek.
I hummed contentedly and settled into his side as Siobhan still tried to gather her wits.
"I'm sorry for the shock," she said as she took her usual seat in front of us. "You've completely caught me off guard this morning, and that is not an easy thing to do." We chuckled with her, lightening the mood. She shook her head quickly and smiled. "And now I don't even know where to start."
"We do have a lot to talk about, so feel free to start wherever," I suggested, and Carlisle nodded in agreement.
"All right," she began hesitantly, "this may be presumptuous, but I believe congratulations are in order?"
"They are," I said softly, rubbing my belly in slow circles. "We found out two days before Christmas."
Her eyes widened. "Two days before Christmas? I'm not an expert on pregnancy, but your cute little bump there is a bit larger than it should be, isn't it?"
"It would be if we had conceived in November or December," I said with a chuckle before explaining the whole story.
Siobhan listened carefully, keeping her face in the same supportive expression she always used in her office. I wasn't sure how she did it, especially with how surprising this particular tale was. As Carlisle and I recounted everything, even I was still a bit surprised. This was such an unexpected blessing.
When we finished, Siobhan took a moment to let everything sink in and then smiled widely once more.
"So you've been pregnant since September and had no idea? That is just incredible. Congratulations again! I know how much you've wanted this."
"Thank you. We are so very thankful for this little miracle. We're thankful for all the amazing changes in our home lately."
"Yes, we are," Carlisle said, kissing me again before kissing Rosalie's head.
"And that brings us to this," Siobhan said, gesturing toward Carlisle and Rosalie as her smile grew. "May I ask when this happened? I had no idea I would miss so much in just a month."
Carlisle chuckled. "Well, we had no idea so much would happen in a month. This happened about a week ago, but you missed quite a bit before that."
"Another story?" she asked. "I'm all ears."
Carlisle took the lead with this story, and I stayed quite as I listened to everything from his perspective starting with the Christmas hug. I had encouraged Rosalie, but I never expected it would play out as it did. I expected a short hug, not lasting longer than one or two seconds. But when she held onto him and placed her head on his shoulder, I knew it was more – so much more.
The airport was another surprise. Rosalie had been comfortable with Carmen from the beginning of their relationship, but when she chose her daddy over her nana, I knew this end result was close. Throughout the whole trip to Alaska, I watched the two of them and saw their interactions. Rosalie just needed one last push, and that came from the flu. When Carlisle helped her feel better, she was sold. And now I had the opportunity to watch them together every day. It was just as beautiful as I had anticipated.
"Wow," Siobhan breathed, once again having to compose herself. "The Cullens don't do anything halfway, do you? The last time I saw you, Rosalie was barely comfortable sitting directly next to you, and now she's sleeping peacefully against your shoulder, Carlisle. Please forgive me for being speechless."
"If it makes you feel any better, you aren't the first person to react in this way," I offered.
We wound up going to eat with Charlotte and Peter for an early birthday meal for Carlisle. They wanted to treat us, and we had a lot to share with our best friends, so it was a good way to kill two birds with one stone. Even though they had seen them less than a week before, they were both awed by Rosalie's new attachment to Carlisle.
When we shared our baby news, I was afraid we would be kicked out of the Cheesecake Factory. Charlotte's happy scream startled all of the kids and other patrons, making Sarah cry and drawing the stares of everyone in the vicinity. Needless to say, Peter and Charlotte were overjoyed for us, even more so when we gave them their first picture of their new "niece" or "nephew."
"Actually, I'm just glad you aren't screaming," I amended, laughing at the memory.
"Has that been a popular reaction as well?" she asked, and I nodded.
"Oh, yes. Screaming, squealing, silence; we've really covered the entire spectrum of reactions."
"And don't forget nearly fainting," Carlisle reminded me.
"My sister," I explained to Siobhan. Chelsea's joy for us really had almost overwhelmed her, and Carlisle was afraid he would need to go to California to help Alec revive her. So much had happened in a short time, but apparently sharing it all via webcam wasn't the best idea.
Siobhan laughed. "I guess I am doing pretty well then. I promise not to pass out on you. But we do have a lot to talk about now, don't we? Let's get started before we run out of time."
We nodded, seeing that our hour session was already halfway over.
"Okay. My first question would have to be about the kids. I'm assuming you've told them about the baby. How are they taking it?"
"I think they're taking it really well," I answered, looking over at Carlisle for confirmation.
He nodded. "I agree. They've been asking questions every day. We've been answering them, and they're excited. We've assured them that we love them and that won't ever change, and the baby will love them, too. We weren't sure where we needed to go from there."
"Perfect," she said with a nod. "Always make sure they know that. They're young so they won't have a complete understanding of what will happen when the baby is born, but it's important to address concerns as they come up. Right now, there probably isn't much anxiety, but there are ways to prevent that from happening it at all. I would suggest getting them involved when you start preparing. Give them active roles. Let them talk to the baby—"
"Oh, they love doing that already," I interrupted. "All three of them talk to my belly every day. Emmett calls the baby 'Pumpkin' which is what we've sort of adopted for the baby's name."
"Excellent," she praised. "As you've seen, kids like to be involved. They might not fully understand, but you can make this as real as possible. Were there any questions that you needed to ask me about this?"
I looked at Carlisle and shook my head as he did the same.
"I don't think so," he said. "Knowing we're doing the right thing is enough and you'll be here to answer any questions that come up, right?"
"Of course!" she said happily. "I'm always here for any questions or concerns so you can call at any time or wait for your appointment. Now, before we talk to the kids, is there anything we need to address with Rosalie specifically? Any issues at all?"
I couldn't think of any. It had been a smooth transition, even if it hadn't been the most gradual one. It was right, though – of that I was sure.
"No issues," Carlisle said with a proud smile as he kissed Rosalie again. "It's just been natural. Completely natural. I had no idea it would be this easy."
Siobhan nodded. "That was our goal. You could have forced her months ago, and she probably would have been fine eventually, but you gave her space and went at her pace which gave you this result. From what you said, I don't think there will be any setbacks. And I hate to wake her, but I would love to see your interactions."
"It's okay," I said with a shrug. "Her energy level still isn't back to normal, but we'll all be napping later."
As Carlisle woke Rosalie, I rounded up the boys and brought them back over to the couch. This was their favorite part, so I knew they wouldn't want to miss it.
One by one, Siobhan spoke with the kids and gave them each a chance to talk about their week, or in this case, their month since our last appointment. The boys had varying stories of Christmas, and going to Alaska, and their time spent with their grandparents while they were sick. There was also talk about Pumpkin, and it was easy to see how happy they were. I hoped it wouldn't change.
When it was Rosalie's turn, she was fully awake and relaxing in Carlisle's arms. She mentioned some of the same things the boys did, but her main focus was being sick. She made sure to tell Siobhan how her daddy made her all better even though she had to get an owwie.
From the way she talked, it was impossible to tell that this was new, and that she hadn't always been a daddy's girl. Her love for him was as obvious as her love for hair bows. I saw it, Siobhan saw it, and based on his wide smile, even Carlisle saw and accepted it.
"Wow! You guys had so many fun things to tell me about," Siobhan said once they had all finished. "I'm very happy you wanted to share with me, so I think you need a reward. Do you know Susan at the desk outside this room? Well, I think she has some stickers for you!"
Emmett's attention was piqued as soon as a reward was mentioned. "Can we go, Mommy?" he asked with a smile, and I nodded.
"Of course you can. The three of you can go, and we'll be right here waiting for you."
Emmett and Jasper took Rosalie's hands and headed to get their reward. Seeing the boys look out for their sister was one of the sweetest pictures.
"They'll be fine with Susan because I don't have anyone else coming in for another hour. I have several things to address that would probably be best without the little ears around."
I shifted closer to Carlisle and grabbed his hand tightly, suddenly nervous about what we were about to here.
"It's nothing bad, I promise," she said with a soft smile. "In fact, I think it's rather good.
"From Liam and Shelley Cope, I've gathered some information about the trails for Royce King and Maria Garcia. I don't know all the specifics, but I do know that they were found guilty on all charges, including the murder, kidnapping, and assault charges. I also don't know their exact sentences other than they will both be in prison, Mr. King for life and Ms. Garcia for many years. You don't have to worry about them getting out any time soon. If you want the specifics, I'm sure Liam can tell you, but I thought this would be enough."
"It's perfect," Carlisle said with a sigh as he hugged me. "Thank God they won't be able to harm anyone else."
"So we're completely finished with them now?" I asked. I wanted to be sure there was no way those monsters could come after my babies again.
She nodded. "Completely finished. You will never have to hear their names again, and they don't even know your names. They probably don't know the kids' names either. Rosalie and Jasper are safe."
"Thank God," I sighed, relaxing again.
"And this leads into what else I needed to tell you. Shelley plans to visit you once things settled down a bit, but she wanted me to tell you that the date with the judge has been set for the adoption."
I immediately sat up and leaned forward. "When?"
"February 14th."
"Valentine's Day," I whispered to myself, feeling the tears fill my eyes. I sniffled and turned to look at Carlisle. "What a perfect day, huh?"
He brought his hands up to cup my face and nodded as he wiped the tears away with his thumbs. "So perfect, sweetheart."
"We all wanted to be sure it was on a special day like when Carlisle adopted Emmett, and that day seemed like a good option. One of us will get back to you about the time, and Mary Randall will be in contact as well."
I wasn't sure how the day could get any better, but Siobhan just had to prove me wrong.
"Oh, and one last thing. I think next month, we can start scheduling your appointments for every two weeks. It will be easier for you, and even though I love spending time with your lovely family, you're ready for the change. Rosalie is doing just wonderfully from what I can tell. Her attachment to you, Carlisle, seems very normal and healthy even though it was sudden, so I don't think you have anything to worry about. And the boys are doing great as well. You two have done such a fantastic job with all of them."
And just like that, I was crying again. In the back of my mind, there were always doubts about whether or not we were doing everything we could for Rosalie and Jasper to give them the best life possible, but in a matter of seconds, Siobhan nearly erased those doubts. Hearing from an outsider that we were succeeding was amazing.
"Thank you very much," Carlisle answered for both of us as I tried to control myself. "It means a lot to us to be able to be everything our kids need. We could use the encouragement sometimes."
"And that's what I'm here for," she replied. "You don't need my help to raise your children. You can do it on your own; I just occasionally steer you in the right direction. And with that, I think we're finished."
I looked at the clock on the wall and wasn't completely surprised that we had gone over our scheduled time. It was a usual occurrence for us, and one of the reasons why Siobhan didn't schedule someone directly after us.
After rounding up the kids and their new stickers, we said our goodbyes and headed home.
Our life was changing so quickly, but our visit with Siobhan left us feeling very hopeful that the changes would continue smoothly. Everyone in our house was happy and excited, and we would strive to stay that way.
With our confidence renewed, the rest of the month seemed to fly by.
Carlisle worked four days a week, and we spent the other three relaxing as a family.
My energy gradually returned as I progressed further into the second trimester of pregnancy, and I felt good, or more than good. I actually felt better than I had since October before the hectic holiday season began.
Even though I felt much better, Carlisle insisted I rest as much as possible, at least until the end of the month. This included his birthday weekend, but he promised me that all he wanted was to stay home with us. I still felt guilty, though, and baked him a cake and cooked a nice meal. I promised myself that one year I would do something big for him like he always did for me, but it was easy to see how happy Carlisle was without all the fanfare. He had his three children in his arms and a fourth safely growing inside me. There was no way for either of us to be unhappy or disappointed.
After waiting all month, the day I had been waiting for finally arrived: my appointment with Dr. Banner.
"I had no idea four weeks would feel like such a lifetime," I lamented to Carlisle as we drove to the office.
He reached over, rubbing my belly with a smile. "Soon we'll be coming every other week and then every week. And then you'll wish we go back to this schedule instead of driving into the city so much. Right, Rosalie?"
I turned in my seat to look at Rosalie. She was nodding and giggling, so I crinkled my face in a sour expression which only made her giggle more.
"Is that how it's going to be, baby? Are you and Daddy teaming up on me now? I need Emmett and Jasper here to be on my side, and then you'll be outnumbered." I reached back, tickling her as Carlisle laughed at me.
We had just dropped off Emmett and Jasper with Maggie and Ben. For a while, we considered taking all three of them with us to the doctor so they could see the baby, but after thinking it through, it didn't seem like a good idea.
By now, all of our friends knew about the baby, and Maggie practically demanded the opportunity to watch the boys. Apparently Ben had some new legos and needed the boys' help to put them together. Carlisle and I didn't have any reservations about leaving the boys since they would have a better time there than at the doctor's office. This also gave us a chance to focus on Rosalie without interruptions.
"You know I'm right, sweetheart," Carlisle teased. "And besides, how can you argue with that pretty face back there?"
I smiled at Rosalie, which she returned as she held her baby doll tightly. "I don't think I can argue with my pretty girl. I guess you win."
Once we arrived at the doctor's office, Carlisle helped me out of the car before unbuckling Rosalie and lifting her into his arms. I started walking toward the door, but an arm around my waist stopped me. I giggled as he pulled me to his side.
"And I can't argue with my beautiful wife either," he breathed into my ear before kissing my neck. I sighed and turned to kiss his cheek and his lips, letting everything else melt away until his soft, rough voice brought me back. "You know, I think the parking lot makeout is one of my favorites."
My eyes popped open and I quickly scanned the area. When I didn't see anyone around, I turned back to Carlisle. "Don't you dare tell Carmen," I warned, trying to keep a straight face.
"Oh, believe me. I wouldn't dream of it. You might have to watch out for this one, though." He bounced Rosalie in his arms, making her giggle. "Miss Rosalie here was a witness."
"I think I trust her," I said with a wink. I placed one last kiss on Carlisle's cheek and one on Rosalie's before we walked inside the office.
Without the paperwork to fill out, I was called back quickly. All the usual things were checked before I was led to an exam room, but I didn't have to strip this time.
I wasn't nearly as nervous as I was during my last visit. Everything that had been checked looked good, and I knew I had been feeling better. I had also gained the normal amount of weight, and my belly was growing every day. These were all great signs.
A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door, and Dr. Banner entered with her usual smile.
"Good morning, Esme and Carlisle…oh, and you brought someone else to visit me!"
"This is Rosalie," Carlisle explained. She was sitting as close to him as possible but hadn't shown any signs of panic yet.
"It's very nice to meet you, Rosalie," Dr. Banner said. "And I see you have your baby with you. Are you a mommy just like your mommy?"
Rosalie looked down at her doll and nodded.
"That's great! Did you get to come today to see your baby brother or sister?"
Once again, Rosalie answered with a nod, but this time, she smiled as well. Dr. Banner's cheerful disposition was winning her over.
"I'll make sure you get to see the baby," she promised. "But right now, I need to ask Mommy some questions. How are you feeling, Mommy?"
We went through the usual set of questions, and I was happy to report once again that I hadn't had any nausea or other issues. Dr. Banner was pleased to see that I had recovered from the virus without lasting symptoms and that I was feeling a lot better.
When the questions were over, she examined my abdomen and noted that everything felt fine. It was still about a week early to use the measuring tape, but even so, I was measuring close to twenty centimeters which was right where it needed to be.
"Now for the fun part," she said as she pulled out the Doppler and squirted some gel on my belly. She moved the probe around until she found what she was looking for, and the rhythmic beat of Pumpkin's heart filled the room.
I turned my head and reached for Carlisle's hand. He held my hand in his and leaned over to kiss me. Hearing the baby's perfect little heartbeat would never cease being amazing.
Rosalie was also watching with rapt interest.
"Do you hear that, sweetheart?" Carlisle asked. "That's the baby's heartbeat. Do you remember Charlotte listening to your heartbeat and letting you hear it?"
She nodded, but kept her attention on my belly. "Mommy, owwie?" she whispered.
I shook my head quickly. "No, baby. This doesn't hurt at all. Not an owwie."
My assurance calmed her, but we were finished anyway. Dr. Banner removed the Doppler and handed me a tissue to wipe the gel off.
"Heart rate is still excellent," she said with a smile. "Everything is excellent as a matter of fact. And even though we had a scan last time, it's time for a routine check. You can probably find out the sex, if you would like."
"No," Carlisle and I answered at the same time, making her laugh.
"Okay, okay. No one will force you. But, I'm sure you'll need to potty soon, Mommy, so let's get head on over there."
She was right about that; my bladder was very fully, so I gratefully nodded. Carlisle took my hand, and we walked across the hall to the same room we had been in last time. Even the technician was the same.
"Hello again," she greeted us. "Are we taking another look at this pretty baby?"
"We are, and we have someone here who wants to see her little brother or sister."
"But they don't want to know," Dr. Banner clarified. "They want the surprise."
The girl giggled and nodded in understanding as she covered me with cold gel once more.
This sonogram was similar to the first. We were able to see arms, legs, and face, but this time, it was even clearer. In just four weeks, little Pumpkin had already grown so much. It was almost unbelievable.
"Baby!" Rosalie exclaimed suddenly as the screen paused on a view of the baby's profile. "Mommy, that baby in your belly! See Pumpkin, Daddy?"
"I do see, Pumpkin, sweetheart," Carlisle said as he kissed her head. "Do you see Pumpkin's little nose?"
She nodded and watched the rest of the scan with a large smile. I tried to blink back my tears, but it was a hopeless cause. Rosalie's happy reaction meant so much to me. Everything could change once the baby was actually born, but this early excitement was more than I would have imagined.
When the scan was over, we received more printed pictures of our little one, and I provided my urine sample before meeting with Dr. Banner in her office.
She really didn't have much to say other than give the blood test results from last time. Every level was normal, and today's scan had also been normal. So far, the baby looked nothing less than perfect, and the pregnancy was progressing exactly as it should.
The only thing missing was that I hadn't felt any movements yet, but Dr. Banner assured me that I would begin feeling it within the next week or two. Since she was right about me popping out, I didn't doubt her.
After saying our goodbyes, including a high-five from Rosalie, we made our next appointment and left to get some lunch.
Eating lunch with just the three of us was calm and pleasant, and a great way to end our morning. When we finished, we let Rosalie have some chocolate ice cream for behaving well at the doctor's office. Venturing into public was so much easier for her now, especially when she was with Carlisle. She high-fived someone she had only known for a few minutes. That alone spoke volumes about her recovery.
Already, I couldn't wait for my next doctor's appointment. We wouldn't get to see Pumpkin again for a while, but hearing the heart rate and Dr. Banner's positive reports was almost as amazing.
Also, knowing that Rosalie and Jasper would legally be ours by the time we returned to the doctor made it even better. We were going to have another exciting month.
A/N: Okay...prepare for a long-winded note.
First of all, Perfect Love has been nominated in several categories in the Hopeless Romantic Awards. Thank you very much to whoever nominated me. Your support is incredible! Voting is open until the end of the month, so check out the link on my profile to go vote or check out the other nominations. So many great stories have also been honored.
Second, I've been accepted into upper division nursing school. What this means is that I'm crazy busy right now, and my schedule will be even worse once school starts at the end of August. I'm hoping to continue updating every 10-14 days like I've been doing, but there's a possibility things will slow down a bit. Just be patient with me, and everything will be fine. =)
I think that's everything. Thanks again for reading, and reviewers will receive teasers! And if for some reason you don't receive your teaser, just send me a message to let me know. Sometimes I get distracted and miss things. ;)