Lilli took a couple of breaths and slowly pushed down. Crying resounded through the room, our second baby was here.
"We have our girl." the doctor announced, "and we just made it. They will have the same birthday." I looked up at the clock and realized that it was now eleven forty-eight at night.
There was no holding back my tears this time as the doctor placed my daughter on Lilli’s stomach and wrapped her up in a cotton blanket. I laughed and cried at the same time, kissing Lilli on the side of her head.
Tears were now streaming down Lilli’s cheeks. I looked up and took in the room, noticing everyone with tears streaming down their face. Sarah and Viola were huddled together, smiling and crying. I had never felt so fulfilled in all of my life.
Once the doctor was finished, one nurse moved to clean Lilli while the other cleaned our daughter. The nurse brought her back to us and Lilli took her into her arms, cradling her.
"Can we have Walsh, too?" Lilli asked the nurse, who looked at her funny. "The other baby." Lilli fought laughing at her. The nurse smiled and left to get our son.
"Did you say Walsh?" Sarah asked curiously.
"Uh-huh." Lilli said, smiling at the little girl wrapped in pink, lying quietly in her lap. "You are quieter than your brother." Lilli cooed to her.
"So, you’re naming the baby after Aidan?" Sarah asked.
"Yes." Lilli said again, still focusing on the sleeping angel in front of her. "It’s a family name."
The nurse returned to the room, pushing the bassinet that held Aidan.
"There he is…" Lilli said with a smile and then turned to our little girl. "Did you miss your brother? You want to see him don’t you?" The nurse handed Walsh to Lilli. She laid the babies side by side on her lap, her smile never faltering. She looked beautiful.
"I’m going to go tell everyone." Viola said happily.
"Viola." Lilli called after her.
"Yes, dear?"
"Can you just have them all come back?" Lilli smiled as Viola nodded, even happier, and hurried to get everyone.
"Are you sure that you want everyone in here at once?" I asked her without taking my eyes from the babies. She scooted over a little and patted the bed. I sat next to her easily and wrapped my arm around her as we both lay there with our new additions.
"I say we get it over with in one shot. Like pulling of a Band-Aid." She laughed.
Everyone filed into the room. Everyone, Lilli smiled warmly and greeted them all.
"Everyone, meet Aidan Walsh Iverson IV and Olivia Arwen Iverson. Walsh and Livy, this is everyone." Lilli smiled wide and I smiled with her.
"Walsh and Livy?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. She nodded with a smirk.
"Arwen?" Phoebe asked as she moved to get a closer look. Celia was close on her heels, a large smile on her face.
Lilli nodded and held up Livy. "Olivia was Aidan’s grandmother’s name, the grandmother he knew. Arwen is his grandmother Isobel’s middle name." She shrugged. "I saw it in some of the things Aidan had gotten and fell in love with it."
I hadn’t even realized Isobel’s middle name. My eyes filled with more tears at her explanation.
"Thank you." I whispered to her. When she turned to me with a smile, I kissed her and cupped her cheek, "For everything." Then she kissed me.
"Okay, enough! Stop scarring my little cousins!" James walked over and picked up Walsh.
"I’ll save Livy!" Phoebe swooped in and picked her up.
Everyone passed the babies around and ‘oohed’ and ‘awed’ over them for about four hours before everyone started to leave.
Lilli lay on her right side, snuggled up to me, her head resting on my chest and her arm over my stomach. Both of my arms were wrapped around her tightly and there was no stopping the kissing I was compelled to shower on her.
Dixon was holding Livy and giving her a goofy smile.
"I think that a little girl would suit you, Dixon." He looked up at the sound of Lilli speaking to him.
He shrugged. "I guess." He turned to Celia. "What do you think, baby? Wanna make a little girl tonight?"
Celia leaned in seductively. "Sure." She purred out and Dixon’s eyes widened.
"Really?" He spit out anxiously.
"I’m joking." Celia shook her head. "I thought that you would be scared away from the idea if I agreed." Celia looked flabbergasted.
"Hell no!" Dixon earned a ‘shush’ from Phoebe. "I can just see it now, a little girl with your eyes and lips, my smile and curly brown hair." He shrugged and turned back Livy. I think that we all watched Celia fall even more in love with Dixon in that very moment.
"But, if you aren’t ready…" he handed Livy to Sarah, "I’m all about the practice makes perfect motto." He wiggled his eyebrows at her while swiveling his hips. Everyone burst into laughter and Celia hid her face.