Welcoming our Twins

1

Aiden

The final month of the pregnancy is… Trying. It doesn’t help that it’s cold or that we have a lot of holidays and celebrations to take care of.

Last week was Clay’s birthday, which we celebrated here. It was fun, but I’ve become so big that moving around has gotten harder and getting dressed in the morning is a real chore now.

I wish this was over, I wish I wasn’t pregnant anymore, though, at the same time, I don’t want our boys to be born. I don’t want them out here in the dangers of the real world…

And thus, the constant stressing of a pregnant Omega.

I lean back on the couch, a notebook next to me, as I’m writing down all the things that we’ll have to take care of for the Christmas celebrations.

I’ve never been the one to host a Christmas party before, I either celebrated it at my parents’ place or I wouldn’t celebrate it at all. But this year, both because we have the bigger house and because dragging me all over the place in the state I’m in now isn’t really doing any of us any good, we’re having the celebrations here.

Luckily, we were able to get all the family, both mine and Clay’s, on the same night, so at least we don’t have to celebrate it twice. Though… Maybe not with family, but I think Sterling may have plans for the day after Christmas, but, as usual, he’s not telling me.

“Aiden?” Wes comes over, looking at me with worry in his eyes.

“Yeah?” I sit up a little more. “What’s wrong?”

“Are you going to be okay?” He keeps eyeing me. He’s been doing that a lot, everyone has. They’re all worried that I’m going to burst in the middle of the living room or something. I know I’m big, I know that me being pregnant with twins makes my tummy looks enormous.

“I’m fine. They’re not due until after Seb’s birthday, which isn’t until two weeks from now anyway. We’ve got Christmas and then New Year’s to look forward to first.” I pull a face.

“That’s what I meant. Are you okay doing all that on your own?” He comes closer, pulling a chair near. “You know I’d love to help you out. You know that it doesn’t matter what the task is. If you need help, ask me.”

“I know…” I show him the paper, the empty paper. “It would be useful, and a nice gesture, if I had anything to ask your help with.” Another ‘fun’ side effect of being pregnant…

My brain is one big mush and filled with nothing but fluffy clouds. The reason that me setting up these Christmas shopping and task lists is taking so long is because I’m only working with under half of my brain, the rest is being annoyingly quiet, fluffy, but quiet.

Wes smiles softly, taking the notebook and putting it aside. “Then, let’s not focus on this. Let’s focus on all the other things that are going through your mind.”

“Clouds?” I raise an eyebrow at him.

He grins now. “Anything else?”

“Diapers.” I shrug. “Do you normally buy those early or do you wait until the baby is here before you buy them? I know it’s different when you already have diapers, when you have kids so closely together, but a nine-month-old, or a one-year-old and a newborn are kinda different in size.”

“You buy them up front. But I’m not letting you out of the house right now.” He gives me a look that tells me that he’s serious about enforcing what he’s saying. “So, next on your list of worries?”

“Are the beds going to be okay?” We’ve got two little beds for them right now, and also an extra set of bassinets for our bedroom.

We did invest in new bassinets since Seb has been fine sleeping on his own since we moved out of Wilder’s apartment, but Mia usually still sleeps in Wes’ room. The bassinets are really sweet, white with some light grey elements, and I like them a lot, but it also sometimes still makes me worry that they won’t be enough.

“You’ve got two beds for their own room, two bassinets for your room, and we’ve got a second playpen here that we don’t use much now Mia’s grown a little and Evan barely uses the other one. Ehhh… Yeah, more bassinets would be a possibility, but I don’t think we need them.”

Wes reaches out, taking my hand. “We’ll be fine, really. I’m more worried about you walking all those stairs than I am about the twins and options for them to sleep in.”

I groan. “Yeah. Stairs… Going to be fun.”

“Well.” Wes grins as he stands up. “Maybe we’re better off investing in getting you some comfortable pillows and blankets to sleep in the living room, instead of worrying about where the little ones will sleep.”

He walks around, picking Mia up, who has resorted to gnawing on a plastic toy and takes her to the kitchen to give her a teething ring to bite on.

Then he comes back over, sitting down and bouncing Mia on his lap a little. “And, of course, the question of where Clay will sleep if you’re not up there with him.” He smiles.

“He’s been talking about getting one of those foldout couches in the living room. Not just for me, but also so that we can have guests over.” I try to stretch my legs a little, moving to keep the blood flowing.

“That would be a good plan, yes.” Wes nods. “We could see if that would work, especially with the two flights of stairs going up to your room. You’re not going to want to nap there, or potentially sleep there, some days.”

“Yeah.” It’s annoying enough right now.

Getting myself up all those stairs is not something I really enjoy doing at the moment.

I can imagine it would be worse after the twins are born…

***

Wes said that he wouldn’t allow me to go out in the current weather. Which is understandable.

It’s been snowing lately, and the streets are slippery and cold. So instead of going places, I’ve resorted to getting things delivered to the house instead. For example, I got two baby boxes from a company and even a box specifically designed for twins from a different place.

I’m not sure what exactly is the difference between them, but I like getting something interesting and I’m curious about what they’d put in them.

Today, I’m getting all three of the boxes in, and somehow, I’m really excited about it. I don’t know why exactly, but I’m just really looking forward to opening them.

Probably because I’ve been a little, lot, bored since I can’t go out myself.

When the bell rings, I open the door as quickly as I can. Which, to be honest isn’t very quick, and Evan is at the door faster than I am, but I make it anyway. The delivery guy takes one look at me and smiles.

“You want me to put them inside?” He holds up one of the boxes, two others at his feet.

“Yes, thank you.” I step aside, grabbing Evan by his arm to make sure he doesn’t get in the way or out into the hallway.

The delivery guy puts the boxes near the door, inside, then he looks at me again. “I hope you’re doing well. Could you sign for these?” He holds out one of those machine things and I quickly sign for the delivery.

“I’m good. Thanks.”

He steps out again, getting back to the elevator, and I close the door of the apartment. I get it. I’m not a big guy, and being pregnant with twins looks much more exaggerated on me than it would on someone with a broader build.

But that’s not me, so I look like a guy who’s swallowed not just a beach ball, but more like… I don’t know. Something bigger than that, just because the size balance is off.

Evan starts knocking on one of the boxes, his eyes shining as he looks up at me. “Open.”

“Yes, we’re going to open them, soon.” I first need to get something to drink, and then use the loo, since I have basically no bladder at all these days.

As I’m getting myself something to drink, Clay comes into the apartment, looking at the boxes by the door and then at me.

“Hi, my lovely.” He comes over, wrapping an arm around my back. “How are you today?”

“I’m doing good.” I nod. “Going to open the boxes soon. See what’s in them.”

“Fun.” He smiles, leaning in, and I give him a quick kiss. “I’m just back early because we’ve got another doctors’ appointment later today and I thought that I could do some work from home before that.”

“Good luck.” I grin, because it’s not been very quiet here lately.

Seb’s walking more, and starting to talk some too, Evan’s turning into a little chatterbox, and Mia is not feeling too happy with the teething and her frustration of seeing the others walk around and her not being able to do that just yet.

“I think it’ll be fine. It’s not like I’m not used to all the noise.” He gives me a kiss and then steps back putting his bag on the table.

I quickly make my way to the bathroom, relieving myself, again, then I look at the boxes by the door.

Let’s get started.

I grab the top box, which is easy enough as it’s the right height for me to pick up.

The box is light, not too heavy, and I can hear things move inside it. Then I walk over to the couch and put it on the couch, sitting down next to it. I look the box over, trying to find how to open it, only to realise I need scissors for that.

“Clay…” I look up at him.

“Yes?” He looks my way, smiling.

“Can you bring me scissors?”

“Sure.” He stands up, grabbing scissors from the drawer and then brings them over. He hands them to me and sits down in the chair nearby. “Okay, show me what’s in one of these.”

I slice open the tape and take the top off the box. Inside is not a lot of filling material, just enough to keep stuff from bouncing all over the place. I take the paper spilling out and reveal the real contents of the box.

The first thing that catches my eye is the pacifier, it’s very cute. It’s white but has small farm animals on it.

I take it out, handing it to Clay. “One of these.”

“Sweet.” He turns the packaging over, looking at it closely, then he puts it aside.

The next thing in the box is a book about babies with some chapters on sleeping, and eating, and also a section with questions in the back for easy reference. And it includes a list with time frames for doctors’ visits and things like that.

It may have been super useful in a time where everyone didn’t walk around with the internet in their pocket, but I still think it may come in handy, especially the lists, as these are easier to reference than having to search on your phone for them each time.

I stop moving for a moment, flinching. The boys are being rambunctious today. I feel so bruised lately, but I guess that’s expected when they’re already so close to being born, I guess that’s normal-ish when you’re eight months pregnant with twins. Even knowing that, it’s still not the best feeling.

I take some deep breaths, hoping that they’ll calm down again. “Boys, please. I know that I’m unpacking presents for you, but you need to stay in there a little longer. And preferably without breaking me from the inside out.” I’ve heard the stories of bruised ribs and stuff like that…

Not looking forward to having to deal with that on top of everything else.

Clay also reaches out, putting his hand on top of mine. “Come on, boys. Listen to your daddy, we promise you’ll get all the presents you’ll want after you’re born. Just wait it out a little longer.” He squeezes my hand a little.

“You’re not allowed to spoil them too much.” I pretend to glare his way.

“Hey, if it stops them from being difficult now…” He winks and I groan.

This is going to be a hard last couple of weeks, and I don’t think bribing unborn babies with presents is really the best way to make sure they stay in as long as possible.

After they’ve settled down, I unpack the box further. There are some tiny diapers in it, a cute white bodysuit, a set of coloured spoons and a bottle.

There are also some coupons for free things for both the baby but also for the parents in it. I guess, for something that’s meant to be a box with fun goodies for a newborn baby and the freshly sleepless parents, this is an interesting start.

Now, if only I’d survive the next couple of weeks with some of my humour intact, because I’m not feeling my best anymore, and I don’t always manage to keep my temper…