"Baby shopping," Allison squealed, picking up Teddy and Theresa, "we just need Annie."
"Ellie, Meg and Cat are meeting us there," Teddy added.
"Everyone," Theresa gulped.
"Of course," Allison said, "we're happy for you guys and the twins. We've never had twins."
"I need to stick to the list," Theresa said.
"We'll help edit," Allison laughed, "between Ellie and I with 6 month olds."
"She's okay," Teddy checked.
"Doing better," Allison assured, "postpartum hit her really hard. I'm glad she had Cat day to day and that Annie and auntie Meg stepped in."
"Her and Cat co-parent well," Teddy laughed.
"Ben loves Cat," Allison agreed, "I went over there a couple weeks ago and Cat had him in the wrap and he was asleep."
"Wraps are magic," Teddy agreed, "you've used them for all three."
"I guess Leo and I each need one," Theresa asked.
"I'd have two each," Allison suggested, "spit up, diaper blow outs, drool."
"It's a lot of stuff," Theresa said.
"Wraps are small," Allison replied, "I can fit all 5 that I have in a back pack. I'll still use them for a couple more months but you're welcome to them."
"Maybe," Theresa agreed, this was a lot just going with Teddy and Allison but hearing Annie, Ellie, Cat and Megan were going she was getting nervous. As much as they were now her family or wanted to be the family she grew up with, her own family had been much more subdued.
"You okay," Allison asked.
"It's a lot," Theresa admitted.
"It's just because we love you and are excited," Teddy assured, "you call the shots today."
"I have my list," Theresa said, "but I'm only 26 weeks. It's just past viability. I don't want to do everything until at least 32 weeks. I want to make sure the babies are healthy."
"I can't believe you two didn't find out," Allison said.
"Did you for all three," Theresa asked.
"Ev was a surprise," Allison replied, "then we knew with the littles. Annie found out with all four."
"I knew Ev was a girl and had to hide it for months," Teddy laughed, "so did Annie."
"That's how you had all the little dresses and pink newborn outfits when Ev came home," Allison said, "I thought you sent Annie or Dad."
"Nope they were under my bed," Teddy smiled, "I have boy and girl things for these two as well."
"Is there something you'd rather do," Allison asked, "we don't have to baby shop. We could get pedicures or lunch."
"Maybe a bit of shopping and pedicures," Theresa said, "a foot massage would feel good."
"You're supposed to make Leo do that," Allison said.
"We're on opposite schedules," Theresa groaned.
"Owen and I have done that with Trauma call," Teddy said, "one stretch the kids were 7 and 8 and we had three months of opposite schedules. It sucks, and it's worse when your pregnant."
"I'm used to sleeping alone," Theresa said, "but it feels different."
"Babies," Teddy replied.
"How did you tell him," Allison asked.
"I showed him the test," Theresa said, "hiding behind the medical tent. How did you tell Asher?"
"Ev I called him and was so scared my mom sat with me," Allison said, "then Andy and Carly I just blurted it out when we were alone. It's never been a big deal. Mom how did you tell dad?"
"We went for a walk on the beach by the cottage and I told him," Teddy said, "I was scared. Annie knew before your dad."
"Annie knew first," Allison gasped.
"She did," Teddy laughed, "she offered me wine and I turned it down and then rambelled something about her and Josh and her being cautious because he was her best friend first and I Blurted it out to her."
"Nee knew about Everly before even I did," Allison said, "I suspected but she did the blood work and told me."
"Can you two keep the others calm," Theresa asked, "Annie is a bit much. I know she means well but she's been too supportive and protective at work."
"Annie can be hard that way," Allison agreed, "she was more like an aunt then a sister growing up and she's very protective of Leo and I and our families. It took Ash a long time to learn how to take her. Annie does listen and if you tell her once it's too much your what your boundaries are she respects that and sticks right to it."
"Really," Theresa asked.
"Annie has her own complex history," Teddy replied, "we all do. So does Josh. But one thing those two really learned from that is how much being heard matters and that boundaries are huge. There was a time you couldn't just hug Annie with out asking her first."
"You don't really," Theresa observed, "and she always asks. Do you know why?"
"I do," Teddy replied.
"I think I know most of it," Allison replied.
"What can you tell me about Chris," Theresa said, "and Dan."
"Dan and his wife Leslie adopted Annie at birth," Teddy replied, "Chris is their son. Annie and Chris started saying half siblings when she changed her name in medical school and that's a story that Annie has to tell you. I don't know if Leo knows it."
"He doesn't," Allison said, "she told me she hadn't told him when she told me the story. "
"Dan," Theresa asked.
"Annie and Chris are close to," Teddy replied, "he's about 20 years older than me. He's in his 90s. He's in long term care. Mentally very very sharp but physically declining quickly. Owen and I go visit him once a week, he still beats us at any game we play, knows every current event."
"I went with Leo once," Theresa said, "he said he was working on something in the facility's shop with one of their rec assistants and that Annie, Chris and their kids were helping when they could get there."
"Dan designs and builds each of us a rocking chair for our first baby," Allison replied, "he made mine when Ev was born."
"The old fashioned wooden one in your living room," Theresa asked.
"Yes," Allison smiled, "he made, mine, Annie's, Ellies with some help and Jenna's."
"I thought that was an heirloom," Theresa said.
"Annie has three scattered through her house," Teddy said, "the one Dan made for her when she was pregnant with Ellie is in their living room. She has her grandmere's Dan's moms that her papa built in their bedroom, then she has Leslie's in their office."
"Creating heirlooms," Theresa smiled, "but why me?"
"Your family," Allison smiled, "it makes Dan happy."
"Why did he ask what my favourite wood is," Theresa asked.
"He builds it out of your favourite wood," Teddy explained, "Annie and Allie have Cherry, Jenna's is oak, Ellie has Walnut. What did you pick?"
"I don't have a favourite but Leo likes Beech," Theresa said.
"He'll likely do that," Allison said.
"Is everyone always so obsessive about babies," Theresa asked.
"Yes," Teddy replied, "but if you want us to back off we will. And we won't be hurt. It's your pregnancy and your children."
"My family was very low key," Theresa said, "we didn't celebrate anything. And it's hard because I keep thinking about Aliyana and feeling guilty."
"That's hard to come to terms with," Teddy soothed, "I really struggled with it when I was pregnant with Allison and postpartum with her. It was the first time it really hit me, everything I had missed with Annie. You love them so much and you know you did the very best thing you could have done for them at that time. You did what you believed was best for Aliyana and you did it because you love her so deeply you made the choice that was hardest for you. To carry her, to give birth to love her from the moment you knew, every kick, twist and contraction, you carried her and loved her. Then you ripped your heart out giving her to her parents. But you never stopped loving her, you have never stopped wanting the best for her and her to be happy. There are days where it still hurts and probably always will. But don't let that steal your joy for these two. It's okay to be torn and feel bad about what you missed and still love these babies. It's hard and you will question every decision you make but you do what you can with the information you have and love your kids. You love them and celebrate them. And it makes you cherish all of the special moments so much more and hold your baby so much closer knowing how special all of those little moments are. You're updated on the big things but you realise how much you love the little moments, baby asleep on your chest, contact naps, reading stories, giggles when they see you come into a room, how they light up and look around when they hear your voice. It won't take away how special these two are, if anything it made me appreciate Allie and Leo more."
"How did Annie take it," Theresa said.
"Annie and I were very close," Teddy replied, "she was an intern when Allie was born and there were adjustments on all sides. I called her a brat one day about it. And I panicked the day Allison was born. They wanted to take her out of my room to do her new born checks and I lost it. Thankfully Owen and Arizona Robbins knew enough of my story to adapt and do the checks in my room. I was scared that if they took her I would never get Allison back."
"That sounds like what I'm feeling," Theresa admitted rubbing her bump.
"Tell Leo," Allison said, "and mom guilt is a thing. I deal with it every day over the hours I work, the difference in what the younger two have and can do and what Ev had at the same age. But also how Ev has such a close relationship with my parents because we lived with them until she was 8 and Andy and Carly haven't had that day to day time to build that bond. I had way more one on one time with Ev because my schedule was different. We considered adoption. Annie and Josh were prepared to adopt her. But mom told me a lot of her story and I couldn't do it, neither could Asher. It's been hard and there were a lot of years we barely survived but we made it and our kids are happy and healthy."
"Has Asher's family been supportive," Theresa asked.
"Hell no," Allison shouted, "his dad wanted us to get married at 17 and then when we refused ghosted us for months. They came around for a bit when Ev was first diagnosed but his sister Renee is in jail for child abuse and assulting me then his dad got caught cheating had a whole second family including kids and a dog and is now being investigated for fraud."
"Wow," Theresa said, "but his mom? Does he have other siblings?"
"His mom is okay," Allison said, "we keep her at a distance and he has 8 siblings, we're close to some but not all, we pick and choose and there's two half siblings we haven't met and don't want to."
They pulled into the parking lot and got out of the car.
"Where's Ben," Theresa asked Ellie.
"My dad," Ellie replied, "they need guy time apparently. Grandma texted out the plan. I can only stay for shopping and lunch before Ben will need me back."
"When do you start your new residency," Theresa asked.
"Next week," Ellie smiled, "in our children's building working between the clinic and inpatient to be a general paediatrician. I really want family practice and to be in the outpatient clinic working with complex kiddos and rare diseases. I want to be the paediatrician diagnosing then coordinating care. I love the rare finds and the hard to spot ones, the puzzle of figuring it all out."
"Are you excited," Teddy asked.
"I am," Ellie beamed, "it feels right grandma. I know it's not surgery."
"It never had to be," Teddy assured, "just be happy. You'll still make a huge difference for your patients and this way you get to just be yourself."
"I already have case studies to read," Ellie smiled, "they're exciting and a patient I have to be ready for on Tuesday that has a lot going on. I'm missing an echo in their file and and EKG I want both of those and a tilt table test."
"Thoughts," Theresa asked.
"I need neurology possibly neurosurgery," Ellie said, "I want the echo to decide if its just a cardiologist or if I need my mom's team. I'm thinking possibly POTS but the kid is 14 and the hormone levels are odd. But there's no known medications."
"Enjoy your puzzle," Teddy laughed.
"Should we get baby things," Annie asked, "Meg and Cat are already browsing. Cat has strong opinions."
"She does about Ben's things," Ellie laughed, "she will only use one type of burp cloth."
"Let's go before Cat does it for me," Theresa said leading the way into the store, "but we're sticking to my list. No deviating."
"Even as gifts," Annie asked.
"Let's look but save ideas for the shower," Theresa said.
"I can do that," Annie agreed, she already had a plan for the baby shower, but would add on a couple little things she saw Theresa liked and didn't buy on their trip.