(Char's POV)
"How many more photos are you planning to take of the twins asleep in the exact same position?" I laugh watching Mia stand over the twins in the cribs taking a million pictures on her phone. "Shush they won't be this little forever," she whispers taking another photo. "No but they will be this little in the next five seconds Mia," I say. "No but just look at them," she awes. "They're so tiny and sleepy and cute." "I know," I smile getting up and hugging her from the side next to the cribs. "I love them so much." Fraya finally wakes from her sleep and immediately cries, setting off her sister next to her.
I turn the main light on and scoop her out of the crib while Mia takes Cece. Their little scrunch as they're lifted out the crib never fails to make me smile. "Shhh shhh," I whisper softly bouncing her in my arms to settle her down. Her tiny hand grabs onto my shirt as I hold her. "It's alright little one," Mia whispers settling Cece. "It's alright. Are you hungry? Mummy get your bottle?" She finds her bottle and feeds it to her slowly. I can't help but smile as I watch her, it makes me so happy seeing how adorable she is with the babies. Fraya starts fussing for her bottle so I quickly grab hers and feed her too. "Did you have a nice sleep my darling," I whisper.
We both giggle as Cece burps loudly over Mia's shoulder. "Pardon you," Mia laughs bringing her back to her chest. "She takes after you Amelia," I tease. She just shakes her head and tuts jokingly. "Sweetheart are you crying again?" She asks noticing me wiping a tear from my eye. "Maybe," I sniff sitting down on the edge of the bed with Fraya. "I just love how soft you are with the girls I think they're changing you already." "I think so too," she says sitting beside me before laying a quick kiss on my cheek. "They're just so precious thank you for carrying them." I smile wrap one arm around her as I see her start to well up herself.
"I love you my little panda," she says as Cece starts babbling again. "Yes I do, I love you." She tickles her gently, laying soft kisses on her nose and cheeks making her smile a little. "Are you smiling at me panda? Are you my cutie little panda?" I just sit back and admire her fussing over Cece, resting Fraya gently onto my lap and softly kissing her little cheeks. It takes her a solid few minutes for her to finally notice me smiling and laughing at her. "Fraya has your mummy gone crazy?" I laugh. "Has she? I think so too." "Charlotte Victoria Roberts I hope you're not dissing me right now," she teases. I shake my head before swiftly nodding it.
I sneakily get out my phone and record Mia making a fuss of Cece, cooing and kissing her while she tickles her gently. My cover is eventually blown when I can no longer contain my laughter. "And I'm the one who takes too many photos am I?" She teases clocking the camera. "Ok but she actually moved more than two inches during that video," I laugh. "And how are you my little pumpkin?" Mia says reaching her arm over to my lap to coddle Fraya. "Pumpkin?" I smile. "Panda? Are those your nicknames for them?" "I think so," she nods thoughtfully. "I think they suit them very much."
"No no baby," she says as Cece tries to reach for her phone. "I'm not raising an iPad kid no phones for now ok?" "You do make me laugh Mia," I smile feeling myself start to cry again. These post-pregnancy hormones are driving me insane. "Come here you," she says wrapping her arm around me and pulling me into her so she can kiss the edge of my ear. "I love you so much." "I love you too," I whisper in her ear. "Oh and we eating mummy's fingers now Fray fray?" I say feeling Fraya grab my fingers and pull them into her mouth.
"Shall we try and get back to sleep then girlies?" I yawn, looking over at the clock to see it was four in the morning. "Is it sleepy time?" "I think it is," Mia yawns carrying Cece back into her crib next to our bed. I carry Fraya back into hers, giving her a quick, gently kiss on her forehead before settling her back down. "Night night Cece," I whisper coming over to Cece's crib and giving her a quick kiss goodnight. "Night night Fraya," Mia whispers giving her a goodnight kiss too. "Hopefully they'll sleep a few hours," she whispers turning the light back off and getting back into bed.
I join her in bed, cuddling up next to her as she plants soft kisses on the top of my head and my forehead. "Night sweetheart I'm so proud of you," she whispers. "I'm proud of you too," I mumble with a small yawn. "Baby," Mia whispers. "Can you stay awake for a few more minutes, I want to give you something." "Mmm," I smile sleepily. "What is it?" She gets up quickly, tip-toeing to not wake the twins up, and gets the box of letters she gave me on our honeymoon out of a draw and brings it to the bed. "Read this one," she says taking out a shiny black envelope with a gold ribbon on the front. I unravel the letter and start reading it.
"To my sweetheart Charlotte,
I thought I covered all bases with these letters originally but I felt that I needed to add one more and it's this. My darling I cannot express how proud I am of you right now. You have bought our two amazing daughters into this world, you carried them for nine months, coping with every sleepless night, pain and morning sickness spell that was thrown your way. You are without a doubt the strongest person I know Charlotte Roberts. Cece and Fraya are the most perfect gifts that I could ever have received and that was down to you. I am so incredibly proud of you every single day and I am in awe at how you are raising these tiny humans already.
The last thing I want to say is thank you. Thank you for trusting me to be a mother. Thank you for taking my hand and letting me come on this journey with you. Thank you for allowing me to experience to joy, laughter and tears which come with motherhood. I know without a doubt when these girls grow up they will be incredibly grateful to have you as their mother, and rightly so because they truly are the luckiest little girls in the world. Love to to the moon and to Saturn,
Your Amelia xx."
I can't even bring myself to speak. All I can do is well up in tears and pull her into a tight hug and hold her with everything I have. I hide my grin in her shoulder as I feel to her breath down my neck, listening to the sound of the girls sleeping peacefully next to us. "Thank you Mia that was perfect," I sniff which quickly turns into a long yawn. "Alright sweetheart let's try and get you some sleep before the girls wake up again," she says putting the box away as my head still leans onto her. "Goodnight," I whisper as she puts the pillows down and lies herself down. I lie myself next to her, letting her wrap her arms around me and gently kiss me all over my head. "Goodnight sweetheart," she whispers in my ear as I close my eyes. "Sweetest dreams. Goodnight little ones."
