Part 11

"Nik, come on let me help you" John said grabbing my hand

"I think you've done enough". I said through gritted teeth.

"I know that just the contraction talking so i'm going to ignore that last comment." John said.

"Oh baby, i'm sorry." I started to cry

"I know honey,i know..step up." John said helping me get into the jeep.

As soon as i sat back down in the jeep, i immediately passed out.

"OH MY GOD! NIKKI!". I faintly heard John yell,"NIKKI, BABY COME SWEETHEART."

Then next thing i remember is waking up, lying on a hospital gurney strapped to a fetal monitor and John holding my hand, and he was crying.

"John." I whispered,"John"

"Nikki, your awake!" John jumped up from the chair and kissed me on the lips.

"The baby? is she all right?" I said noticing i was still pregnant

"She's all right, the doctor's came in and examined you while you were still out cold, they said if you didn't wake up soon, they would have to go in and get the baby." John said climbing onto the bed with me

"Oh my god, why did i pass out?". I said

"I don't know, the doctor's seems to think you were contracting so fast, your body couldn't handle the pain and you just passed out." John said holding my hand.

"What if i hurt the baby?"." I said starting to cry.

"There is no way you could hurt Olivia, Maggie or Bailey.It's not your fault, plain and simple. Moving on,  Can you believe we're about to have a third baby?" John said

"I know, it's incredible..". I said laughing

"Can you  believe that in less than three years, we managed to get married, have three kids, start a business, run a magazine and move to a great neighborhood." John pointed.out

"I know, i'm amazed everyday." I said putting my head on his shoulder

Just then the Nurse came in.

"Hello Mrs.Distefino, you gave us quite a scare, now i have some questions for you that your husband wasn't able to answer for us.". The Nurse whipped out a clipboard.

"What was your original due date?" The Nurse asked

"September 30th." I said

"Interesting,why weren't  you induced two weeks after your due date?" The Nurse asked.

"The Doctor felt that the baby would come on her own time." I was curious as to where she was going with this.

"Oh Ok." The nurse wrote down my answer then she snapped the clipboard shut,"Well Mrs.Destifino, we need to get you into the delivery room now."

"But my contractions have stopped, is there something wrong with my baby? ." I said  confused

"Your contractions have stopped because of the medication we've given you and if we don't get that baby out now, there's a chance when you finally do deliver, you'll both bleed out" The nurse left the room

"Oh John" I burst into tears,"I can't lose this baby"

"I know honey i know" John said

"Madame, please hop onto this gurney" An orderly said wheeling the hospital into my room.

"Ok" I said shakily getting off the bed i was lying on and climbed onto the other one.

"John?" I said looking up

"Right here" John leaned over and kissed my head,"I'm right here i'm not going anywhere"

"Ok" I said wiping my eyes.,"What are you thinking about right now?"

"I'm thinking, when you get out of here, we're going to take all the kids camping up in the Nevada desert." John said as we went through double doors.

"Really?" I said

"Yup" John said gripping my hand.

"Hello Nicole". Doctor West said

"Hello" I said

"Are we ready to have this baby" The doctor asked sitting down

"Oh yeah" I said biting my lip.

"Ok, i need you to give me a good push" The doctor said

"Ok " I leaned forward and pushed as hard as i could

"Good Nikki Good" The doctor," Ok  again..Nikki..Nikki?"

He wasn't getting a response from me because after that first push, i leaned back against the bed and passed out.  

I woke up about an hour later, incredibly sore more so than usual.

"Oh god" I looked around then looked down,"Oh my god!"

Where was my baby?!

"Hi Mama" John said holding something small covered in a blanket

"What happened?" I asked as he sat down on the bed next to me

"You passed out and they had to do a crash C-section, Missy here didn't want to come out willingly but she eventually came around." John said

I took a good look at our youngest daughter, she had dark black hair, a chubby nose and the chubbiest cheeks ever.

"Hello Olivia, we've been waiting for you" I said holding our daughter for the first time.

"I think out of all the kids, she's going to be the most difficult." John said playing with her little hand

"I think so too, she's so serious" I couldn't stop staring at her, her little face wasn't bright pink like Bailey and Maggie, she was olived skinned, very tanned

"She's so dark, are you sure she's mine?"John asked

"John!" I couldn't believe him

"I'm kidding" John laughed

"Well she's either yours or the guy who runs the Deli on 10 street" I said

"Funny..Hi Sweetie" John said watching Olivia yawn and flicker her eyes

Olivia Rose Destifino was born on October 31st,  at 11:58pm weighing 8lbs, 12oz and was 21 inches long

We spent the rest of night, just watching our daughter sleep,try to find her thumb and occasionally open her eyes to reveal a deep shade of brown. I also noticed that on her right hand just below her fingers, was a little brown dot which looked like the one i have on my foot.

"Hi Livvy". John said playing with her hands.

Olivia responsed by crying a little.

"It's ok  Livia, it's just Daddy being silly" I said

Olivia just kept crying.

"Maybe she's hungry" John said

"I don't think so, i think she's just trying out her voice." I said

"If you say so."  John making faces at the baby.

We had decided that when Olivia Rose came home, we wouldn't have the big party that we usually have because we figured it would be easier to get Maggie and Bailey to get used to Olivia Rose without everyone around us oohing and ahhing. I also didn't want Maggie and Bailey coming to the hospital to vist us because hospitals are scary and Maggie and Bailey wouldn't sit still long enough to see they're new baby sister.

Because of my emergency C-section and the fact Olivia was nearly a month overdue, we couldn't come home for two whole weeks, so John had to call our Moms to come get Bailey and Maggie and arrange for Newman to covers his shifts at the Shop.

We took our youngest daughter home on a late Wednesday afternoon.

"Hello little Girl" John said picking up Olivia from the bassinett

"Say Hi Daddy" I said packing up our gear.

"Should you be lifting all that  heavy stuff?" John asked sitting down in the rocking chair beside the bed

"No but once we're out of here, i'm going to take the Munchkin and you can take all our stuff." I said folding my pajamas

"Your not a munchkin, are you Olivia? no your Daddy's little Fussbucket." John said

"John!" I stopped folding for a second

"What?, Maggie is my little Princess, Bailey is my Bailey-boy and now Olivia is my little Fussbucket." John explained.

"I think I can live with that" I said resuming my folding

"Are we ready to go home?" John asked getting up from the chair

"Yes, i think so." I said looking around making sure we didn't forget anything

"Are you nervous?" John asked opening the door

"Uh huh" I said taking a deep breath

"Relax it's going to be fine" John said closing the door behind us.

"I know but aren't you nervous?" I asked sitting down on a couch outside of the nurses station

"Nah, after the the third kid, you lose all nervousness" John said filling out forms

"Oh" I nodded adjusting the blanket on Olivia's head.

"Are you ready for your first jeep ride. Olivia?" John asked opening the hospital door.

"You brought the Jeep?" I asked

"Yeah, why?" John asked opening the Jeep door

" a Jeep isn't exactly kid-friendly" I said sighing

"well, you're car is in the shop". John said helping us into the jeep

"Wait, why is my car in the shop?" I stopping buckling Olivia Rose in her car seat

"Well,i went to put gas in it, noticed the radio was a little staticy and well i fiddled with it and somehow ripped out of out the dashboard." John said starting up the car

"Oh John." I said checking on Olivia, who'd fallen asleep

"Well I'm sorry but Veira said it would be fixed by Monday." John said pulling into our street,"there's one other thing"

"You blew up the house?" I said checking on the baby, who was still asleep

"Haha,no but after i called and told them about Livvy,they told me they were going to call up everyone so that when we brought her home.." John didn't finish his sentence  since i already knew what he was going to say

"John!" I whined."I've still got my stitches, i can't be playing hostess."

"I know, but it's just for a few hours, besides don't you want to show off Olivia?." John said  stopping the car in front of our house.

"Yeah, i guess" I said stepping out of the jeep

"Come on Livvy," John said taking her carrier from the backseat

"Hold on" I said stopping to pick her up,"ready"

"Ok" John pushed open the door

immediately, everyone crowded around us.

"whoa, everyone will get to see her, just give me some space". i said immediately feeling overwhelmed

they backed  off and i was able to sit down on the couch.

"Where's Maggie and Bailey?". I asked   

"Right here". Vinnie said, holding Maggie in his left arms and Bailey upside with his right

"Hi Guys" I said as Vinnie put them down

"Mama" Maggie said trying to climb in my lap

"Mamama". Bailey clapped his hands and wrapped himself around John's leg

"Mags, Bailey-boy, this is you're new baby sister Olivia, can you say Olivia?" John asked

"Livia" Maggie said clearly

"Lala". Bailey said laughing

"No honey, not Lala, Olivia". My mother corrected him

"Give it up Ma, he's only one". I said kissing Bailey on his head

"Ok guys, let's eat, because Daddy's starving." John announced scooping up Bailey,"You want anything Baby?".

"Me or her?". I asked rocking a little bit

"well since she doesn't have any teeth, i was talking to you". John said kissing me on the head

"Haha, smartass..can you bring me a plate,with a little of everything?" I said playing with little Olivia's hand

"Sure thing..Mama". John said

                                        SIX WEEKS LATER

Before Olivia was born, John and i had talked about what we would do when i had to go back to work, i had a magazine to run and as Senior Editor, i needed to be there plus we needed the money, especially with three kids still in diapers.

But the hardest part of going back to work, was leaving the baby at home with Annie, don't get me wrong  i love Annie, but this was my last baby.

Out of all the kids, Olivia was the easiest because that first night she slept for sixteen hours, and when she was awake, she smiled and giggled all the time , Bailey and Maggie instantly fell in love with her, we all did.

On my first day at work,  Maggie was going to be in Pr-Kindergarden which lasted all day, John was taking Bailey to the shop and Annie was staying home with Olivia .

The night before i went to work, i was running around doing errands, packing the diaper bag, writing out lists making lunch for Maggie for the next day .

"Nikki,your going to wear yourself out." John said grabbing me by the wrist as i ran past him to go get my laptop

"I'm fine". I said stopping short

"Come on, Nik,you've been running around since the doctor cleared you, you need to slow down." John said lifting up my face,"you know what we haven't done in awhile?"

"As i recall, that's how we got Olivia". I said laughing

"True.."John kissed me,"i love you so much"

"I love you too". I said kissing him back

"NO NO NO!". Bailey yelled

"Uh oh,time to be parents." John said breaking our kiss

We walked into Bailey's room, to find Maggie trying to pull him over the bars

"MAGGIE!" i yelled, startling her

She dropped Bailey, who landed face first into the mattress, he started to cry then Maggie started to cry and Of course, Olivia took that moment to scream and start to cry

"I somehow don't think you should have screamed."John said picking up Maggie while i picked up Bailey.

"I'm sorry,Baby but you know your not supposed to get Bailey out of his crib," I said kissing Maggie on her head.

I put Bailey back in his crib, turned on his little radio to his favorite cd, kids bop2 and ran to get the baby

"It's ok, it's ok Baby ". I said picking up the baby, kissing  her head and rocking her a little

"We need help."John said still hanging on to Maggie

"Well, what do you suggest? Annie's already taking Olivia during the day and Maggie's in preschool, don't forget, Bailey's going to the shop with you ." I said rubbing Olivia's head

"Maybe we should hire a nanny?" John said swinging Maggie around

"How? between car payments,diapers and payments on the shop, we can't afford hire anyone." I said putting Olivia, who'd fallen asleep back in her crib

"We need help, we've got three babies and two educated people who are struggling ,"John said putting Maggie on the floor and letting her play.

"I think we're doing fine." I insisted handing Maggie a block

"Come on, Nik, be realistic in the last month and half, we've gotten maybe four hours sleep a week total and we're constantly on edge." John said playing with the blocks

"What do you suggest? put them up for a adoption? eventually.they'll start sleeping through the night, i mean what you like them maybe sedated? " I said sitting in the rocking chair watch Maggie and John play

"I'm not saying that,. i'm just saying maybe we should just get away for a bit just to get some sleep and just be alone..". John said tickling Maggie

"That sounds great but i can't leave Olivia.". I said leaning back and watching my baby sleep

"She's not going anywhere,besides it'll be fun." John said chasing Maggie around the room

"If you think so, Ok i'll get Gina And Annie to take the kids." I said standing up and walking into the kitchen

I looked at the calendar to check a good date for us to leave when i noticed a red cicle around a date..i leaned closer and realized it was nearly two days before thanksgiving!

"Oh shit!" I said,"JOHN!"

"WHAT?" John called from The Baby's room

"Come here please" I said freaking out

"What's wrong?" John said coming into the kitchen

"I completely forgot thanksgiving is in Two days!" I said pacing

"Oh damn..it is, what are we going to do?" John asked opening the fridge

"I'll call Stace," I said reaching for the phone

"Why? she treated you horribly when you were a kid, why would you want to spend thanksgiving there?" John pointed out

"Well, as i recall your mother and father are headed to a remote island in Hawaii, and my parents are going to be at Stace's, it'll give them a chance to see the baby". I said dialing Stacey

"Hello?" Stace said picking up the phone on the first ring

"Hey cousin, how's it going?!" I said sitting on the counter

"Oh hey Nik, not much, just getting ready for thanksgiving" Stace replied

"Right, so are we having it at Auntie's or your house?". I said picking up one of Bailey's footballs

"Mine" She must have been chewing on something

"Ok we'll be up in the next day or so, we'll problably leave tonight because it'll take us ten hours just to get them ready?" I said as John started to  kiss me,"John stop!"

"What?" Stace said

"Nothing, um we'll see you tomorrow!" I said laughing and hung up the phone,"JOHN!"

"What? i can't help myself sometimes" He said kissing me even more