Thrive

We’re home now and pretty much on our own, so it’s truly hitting us that we’re parents and in charge of raising and loving such a beautiful and adorable child that grew in my womb for close to nine months.

“Is she asleep?” I asked while I was in the kitchen.

We’ve been on our own now for three days. It was her bedtime and his turn to get her to sleep.

“Finally.” he sighed, wrapping his arms around my waist.

I buried my head into his chest as I was exhausted.

“Are you ready for bed?” I mumbled.

“Yeah.” he said into my hair.

“I’m just gonna finish these dishes...”

“Tomorrow. Let’s go.”

“They need to be washed.”

He didn’t take no for an answer as he picked me up like a caveman and we headed up the stairs. I collapsed onto the bed with having no desire to go brush my teeth or even get under the covers.

“You’re not gonna br-“

“Ugh.”

I decided to just get up and do it since he was apparently not too tired to do the same. Once I did, I actually crawled under the covers and onto my side.

“Hey.” he said joining me.

“Hey.” I said yawning.

I could see dark circles around his eyes. He pulled me close and kissed me and I kissed him back.

“I love you.” he said pressing his forehead against mine.

“I love you, too.”

I smiled and shut my eyes as he wrapped my arms around me. I moved myself, so I was curled up into him at least until I heard Scarlett; I need the comfort and security for as long and as much as I can. There obviously will be times when he’s not going to be here and I’m taking advantage of these type of things while I have the time. I ended up getting three times that night and didn’t feel like getting out of bed in the morning, but I couldn’t avoid that; my baby girl needs up and fed.

“Good morning, Scarlett.” Alex said from the nursery.

I walked in to see him picking her up out of her crib.

“Good morning.” I greeted my two favorite people.

“Morning.” he said with a smile.

“How’s the princess?”

I looked at the little girl who was trying to wake up.

“Good. How are you?”

“Tired, but okay. You?”

“The same.”

I nodded and rubbed my eyes.

“I can change her if you’d like.”

He was good about picking out outfits for her which made me happy.

“Sounds good. I’ll start breakfast.”

I went downstairs and pulled out the ingredients I needed to make pancakes, but just as I turned on the skillet, Alex came downstairs with Scarlett. I smiled and walked toward them.

“Hey sweetie. Don’t you look absolutely adorable, today?”

“Tell her that you’re always adorable.”

Quit being cute, Alex. I gave him a look.

“Want me to take over?”

“Please. Just let me get situated with her, so you can cook.”

He nodded and helped me out, so I could feed her.

“Thank you.” I said going in for a kiss.

“Don’t mention it.”

Within ten minutes, she was breastfed and burped; I then smelled the amazing aroma of sausage and chocolate pancakes.

“Breakfast smells delicious.”

He walked in with my food. I placed her in her swing, so I could eat. I sat on the floor as he set my plate on the coffee table in front of me. I dug in immediately because I couldn’t wait for him to sit down.

“How’s it?” he asked from beside me.

“Unhealthy.” I said with a smile.

He laughed.

“So good, then?"

“Yeah.”

He nodded and kissed the top of my head.

"Is there anything you want to do today?" he asked five minutes later.

I was done with my breakfast and taking our plates out to the kitchen.

"I don't know." I said shaking my head.

I was so fucking tired that I could hardly focus on anything other than Scarlett.

I began washing the dishes I so desperately wanted to take care of last night and placed them in the dishwasher. Five minutes later, I came back and rested my head on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" he asked, touching my hand.

What would indicate that I wasn't? I didn't answer him.

"Abby?"

"I'm just exhausted, Alex."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Let it go."

I had a feeling that he wasn't buying it, but I really didn't care. What else could it be? I mean, the man does know me better than anybody. It could possibly be something in the tone of my voice and I don't even know what it is.

"I love you." he said.

"I love you, too."

I entwined our fingers and smiled.

"I'm perfectly fine with staying home."

"Me too." I said, further snuggling into him.

I must’ve fallen asleep because I was awoken by the sound of Scarlett crying. I was still on the couch, but Alex was nowhere in sight. I yawned and got off the couch and saw her in her swing.

“Hi baby girl. What’s wrong?”

She continued to wail. First thing I checked was her diaper which, of course, was dirty.

“Looks like you need changed. Let’s go.”

I carefully picked her up as I saw Alex come from out of nowhere.

“Hey. You’re up.”

“Yeah. What time is it?”

“7:30.”

Almost time to feed her.

“I’m gonna go change her. She has a dirty diaper.”

“Get some rest?”

“Yes. Felt great.”

“That’s a relief. I’ve never seen you so tired until Scarlett was born.”

I stood on my toes and kissed him.

“I’ll be back.”

While I was in her nursery changing her, I got a sudden pain in neck which nearly caused me to cry out, but I held it together.

“Is that better, sweetie?”

She just wriggled around.

“I’ll take that as a yes. Let’s go see Daddy. I’m sure he misses you.”

I walked down the stairs with that same pain in my neck. Alex was sitting on the couch, watching tv with his feet propped up on the coffee table.

“Hey.”

“Hey. How is she?”

“Good. She has a clean tushy. Me, on the other hand...”

He interrupted before I could finish my sentence and stood up from the couch and walked toward me.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m having some major neck pain.”

"I'd ask you to show me where, but you're holding our daughter."

"Yeah. We need to put her in her swing in order to do that."

Once I did, I sat down with Alex behind me.

"Where?"

I placed my hand at the spot and when he started rubbing it, I groaned.

"Crap. That hurts.”

“You know you can swear if you’d like.”

“I can’t swear in front of her.”

“Abby, she’s six days old. I’m sure she won’t pick up on it.”

I sighed.

“Well, in that case, it fucking hurts.”

“Now, doesn’t that roll off the tongue better?”

I laughed and I would’ve nodded, but that wasn’t an option.

“Yeah.”

After maybe five minutes, the pain eased up a bit.

“How’s your neck feel?” he asked.

“A little better. It’s gonna take a while to feel completely better though.”

“I hate that you’re gonna have to deal with this.”

“I’ll get through this. We both know I’ve been through worse.”

“Still sucks though, babe.” he said, wrapping his arms around me.

“It does.” I said touching his hands.

Around one-thirty, I heard my phone vibrate. I picked it up and smiled when I saw who it was: Miranda.

Are you up for talking? I know how crazy things are.

Absolutely.

Can I call you?

Yep.

My phone rang seconds later.

“Hey hun.” I answered.

“Hey girl. How are things?”

“Good, I guess. I woke up three times last night and my neck hurts.”

“Jeez. I know that neck pain. It really sucks.”

“Didn’t you say it lasted for only a day?”

“Yeah. Haven’t experienced it since.”

“What a relief. I had Alex try and massage my neck, but it didn’t make much of a difference.”

“Speaking of your hubby, how is he?”

“As tired as I am, but good. He loves being a dad. He’s even picked out outfits for her.”

“That is so adorable!”

“Tell me about it. It brings my heart so much joy and I don’t even wanna imagine how things are gonna be without him.”

My first challenge will start in a week when touring picks up again.

“It’ll be tough, but you’ll get through it. I know I did that first time without him.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Hey. I’ve got news to share with you. I would rather tell you in person, but this can’t wait.”

“What is it?”

I walked into the nursery and sat in the rocking chair.

“Jack proposed!”

“Oh my God! Congrats!” I squealed, jumping off the chair.

“Thank you.”

“When did he propose?”

“Last night. It was when he was about to change Luca's diaper before bed. I came in to see if he needed any help. He wanted me to get a fresh one and I saw the box it was in. I took it out of the drawer and opened it up, but there was nothing in it. I opened my mouth and just said the first letter of his name, when he turned to me and got on one knee with the ring in his hand and proposed.”

“That is so sweet and romantic.”

I walked out of the room with a smile on my face and headed downstairs where I found Alex making something to eat.

"Well, all four of us definitely need to hang out."

“Oh, absolutely. Saturday?”

“Saturday sounds good.”

He was looking at me inquisitively.

“I’ll work out the details with you later. Ok? I’m feeling the need for a nap.”

“Ok. Love ya hun. Bye.”

“Love ya. Bye.”

I hung up and put my phone in my pocket.

“What’s got you so happy?”

“Miranda had some amazing news to tell me.”

“And what’s that?”

I had a feeling he already knew even if Jack didn’t call and tell him.

“Jack proposed.”

“It’s about time. We’ve been back for two weeks.”

“He proposed in the middle of them changing Luca’s diaper.”

“Who knew he could be so romantic.”

I smiled.

"I know, right? And it was so cute!"

"So, you mentioned Saturday. What's going on then?"

“We’re gonna hangout with Miranda and Jack. You good with that?”

“Absolutely.”

I stood on my toes and kissed him.

“I can’t wait.”

“Me either.”

Notes