Tackling a New Chapter

James vs Appointments

Shortly after the positive pregnancy tests, more symptoms started to arise. Olivia experienced strong cravings for certain foods and a revulsion towards others. Nausea and sensitivity to food made it difficult for her to keep meals down, so she had to carefully choose what foods she could tolerate.

Spencer's nights were restless as his wife constantly got up to relieve her bladder. Pregnancy was already proving to be a significant life-changing experience for them, and though it came with some stress, they cherished every moment of it.

"Sorry," Olivia whispered an apology, tucking herself back into the warmth of the covers. "My bladder is not letting me have any peace."

"It's okay," Spencer reassured her, his protective instincts kicking in. He made it his mission to ensure Olivia's wellbeing, making sure she was getting the proper nutrition and not stressing too much. With his camp schedule, he wasn't able to keep a watchful eye on her like he wanted.

Olivia was a woman who never seemed to slow down. Even with her TV series nearing completion of post-production, she remained driven and focused on keeping her father's legacy alive.

"You feeling alright," he questioned, letting her curl into his side.

Olivia voiced her concern that Spencer wasn't getting enough rest, "Why don't I sleep in the spare bedroom until training camp is over?" she offered, disregarding Spencer's head shaking in disagreement. "I know I keep waking you up with my constant trips to the bathroom at night."

"Baby, do you really think I'm going to make you sleep in another bedroom. You're pregnant, not a criminal," he explained jokingly, earning a chuckle from his wife. "Before we know it, all this will go by so fast and we'll be holding a baby in our arms. I don't want to miss any of this."

And he wasn't being deceitful. He overheard the other fathers on the team discussing their experiences with fatherhood. Many of them regretful about missing important events, or even worse, not being present for the birth of their children. Spencer understood that there were aspects of this that were beyond his control and there could be moments that he would miss due to his occupation. This didn't stop him from trying to absorb every nuance of his wife's pregnancy, even the not-so-sweet ones that Olivia experienced.

"I think it would be okay if you missed a few of my bathroom trips," Olivia replied, her fingers gently caressing the muscles of Spencer's chest. She could feel him fighting against his exhaustion from the day and knew he needed rest just like she did. "I appreciate you wanting to record every single moment but you need to take care of yourself too. Baby and I are doing fine and you can't bring another Super Bowl MVP home to us if you don't make the most out of camp." The young mother moved her husband's hand to her stomach. "We're more than fine," she repeated confidently. Like they had done for the past few nights, Spencer rubbed her belly until they both drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Their plan was to surprise their families when they came to New York for Spencer's first preseason game. In the meantime, they were eagerly awaiting Olivia's first prenatal appointment.

Olivia fidgeted anxiously, her legs bouncing. She was used to routine doctor appointments and rarely felt nervous about them. But today was different. Today, she was going in for a confirmation of what two at-home pregnancy tests had already revealed. Spencer reached over and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as they sat in the doctor's office, waiting impatiently. They both appreciated the moment of quiet before the soft knock on the door announced the arrival of the doctor.

Her hazel eyes softened when she saw the nervous couple huddled in the corner of her office. "Good morning," she greeted them warmly. "I'm Dr. Candace Adebayo. It's great to have you here today. So, you think you're expecting?"