“Which one?” I ask, laughing. “Amelia is living up to the terrible twos. I think she’s aiming to be the best one at that. This morning, she threw a tantrum when I told her that she was only allowed to have three crayons to color with instead of ten. She informed me very clearly that I was not the boss of all the crayons and that she would be telling Daddy on me.” I shake my head. Amelia was a surprise, to say the least. With everything that happened with Olivia, I forgot to take my pills a couple of days, and four weeks later, I was told that I was with child. To say I was scared was the understatement of the year. I didn’t even want to get up for fear that I would lose it.

I stayed in bed for the first three months, and I refused to even move until Jacob called in my mother and Cristine who sat with me and cried on my bed when I told them my fear. Slowly, I got up a little bit more every single day. Every single day, I would feel kicks, and I would pray that she would come, and at thirty-nine weeks and after fifteen hours of labor, she came screaming out into the world. And I mean, screaming. She was fit to be tied, and that should have been my first clue that she would be a handful. Holding her in my arms for the first time, I sobbed for what seemed like forever. With Jacob by my side and Amelia in my arms, I literally thought my heart would explode with happiness.

Amelia was everyone’s pride and joy. And I mean, everyone. I don’t think she was ever not in someone’s arms. Plus, Ethan doted on her like she was glass, making sure everyone who was holding her took care of her. Hold her neck, she doesn’t like to be lying down too much, she likes to look around. He was the best big brother there was.

“Well, when Amelia wakes up, why don’t you call your mother and have her come get her? Give you a break,” he suggests, and I smile.

“That sounds like a great idea,” I say, and he gets in the car and pulls out of the driveway at the same time as Jacob pulls in. He waves at them and comes to a stop, getting out of his truck and coming to me. My heart still skips a beat when I see him. My stomach still gets little flutters when he smiles at me. “Hey there. You’re back early.”

“I got done earlier than I thought.” He walks up the steps and kisses my belly, whispering to him. “Hello,” he says when he takes the second step, and I kiss him. “How are my beautiful girls today?”