Love Lasts Forever

another tiny human?!

The sun spills into our little house, brightening the chaos. I can hear the pitter-patter of little feet in the living room, and I'm only half-dressed, still in my pajamas with a old t-shirt that i stole from Charlie. I glance down the hallway to see Demi, our spirited two-year-old, attempting to wrangle her twin siblings, Taylor and Nico, who are both one and currently exploring what it means to literally get into everything.

"Demi, can you help your brother with that toy?" I call out, scrambling to put on the other side of my shirt.

"Okay, Mommy!" she chirps, her head bobbing as she tries to juggle two toys at once.

After a few moments of watching her, I feel the familiar wave of nausea wash over me, the kind that makes me feel like I'm being pulled under by a tide. I decide I can't ignore this feeling any longer; I need to know what's going on.

"Hey, kids, stay right there!" I shout, racing to the bathroom.

Once inside, I manage to lock the door, taking a deep breath. My hands are trembling as I unfold the pregnancy test and follow the instructions, all the while my brain spins with possibilities. What if I'm imagining things? I'll just blame this nausea on lack of sleep and the tornado of toddlers I'm always wrangling. But I can't shake the hope that blooms in my chest.

A minute feels like an eternity. I stare at the test, and my breath catches. The two pink lines stare back at me, bold and undeniable. I'm pregnant.

"Oh my God," I whisper, a smile breaking across my face.

Suddenly, all the chaos outside feels like a distant memory. I don't want to lose this moment; I need to share it with Charlie.

I fling the door open, nearly tripping over Demi, who's still focused on her toys. "Can you help me watch the twins?" I ask breathlessly.

"About what?" I can see her perplexed little brow furrow, but I dart down the hallway towards the living room.

"Charlie!" I yell, my heart racing. "Charlie, you need to come here right now!"

He peeks around the corner, his wild curls bouncing. "What's going on? Did one of them eat play-dough again?"

"No, but you're gonna want to sit down for this," I say, practically bouncing on my toes.

Charlie's eyes widen as he walks over, a hint of worry creeping in. "Are you okay?"

I can barely contain my excitement. "I am more than okay, I just took a test..."

"A test?" he echoes, confusion mingling with curiosity.

"Yeah. A pregnancy test, and—" I hold it out to him; to be honest, I can barely focus on the details.

He takes it and squints at it before recognition dawns on his face. "Wait. We're...?"

I nod vigorously, my heart racing. "We're having another baby, Charlie!"

"No way! For real?" His smile spreads so wide, it threatens to break his face. "No way!"

"Yes way!" I fling my arms around him, and we share a quick but fierce hug.

"Are you serious?" he laughs, almost incredulously. "This is amazing! I can't believe it! We're going to be outnumbered!"

"Right?" I laugh back, giddy with joy. "Three kids under three! What were we thinking?!"

Charlie pulls back and looks at me, his eyes shining. "I mean, we just got so good at this parenting thing," he teases, ruffling my hair.

"Clearly, we are geniuses," I reply, beaming.

Demi suddenly pipes up, sensing her parents' excitement. "What's happening? Are we going to get cake?"

"Not quite, kiddo," Charlie responds, still holding me close. "We're going to have another baby!"

"Baby!" she squeals, clapping her hands. "Can I hold it?"

"I know you'll want to help," I tell her, "but you have to promise to be gentle."

As we stand there, tangled in this whirlwind of an announcement, the twins pop out of the toy basket, giggling at their big sister's animated expression.

"Taylor, Nico, guess what? You're going to be big siblings!"

Nico and Taylor just stare at me, each trying to figure out what 'siblings' means in their own tiny worlds.

Demi hops up on her tiptoes. "Baby brother or sister? I want a sister!"

"Let's just say we'd be happy with either," Charlie replies, looking at me again, his expression filled with warmth and a dash of mischief.

"Yeah, if it's anything like you, we'll all be alright," I tease back.

As we gather the kids close, I feel this overwhelming sense of happiness. It's messy and chaotic, but in the end, isn't that what makes us a family? And now it'll be even bigger. I squeeze Charlie's hand, feeling grateful and joyful for this beautiful surprise.