Loving Myself

Epilouge

Three years later - "Carter William, come here you little rascal!" I hear my handsome husband say from upstairs in the hallway before loud giggles can be heard.

Sighing I stand off the couch to lock my braces in place before grabbing my crutches to head upstairs where he's supposed to be placing all five of our children down for a nap. Yes, I said five (5) children; we have three boys and two girls. The oldest are the almost three year old twin boys, Carter William and Carson James; Carson has spina bifida like me and the same form, Meningeal, and Carter does not. Carson uses both a wheelchair and braces and crutches like me. Then there is two year old twins girls, Jaenell Marie and Jaylynn Izabell. Last but not least there is ten month old baby boy, Weston Kyle. All of our five babies have curly brown hair with either hazel or blue eyes.

Noelle was our surrogate for all of our babies when Archer and I had expressed an interest in having children, she offered to carry them for us and we happily excepted. Noelle is currently eight months pregnant, one final time for us and she's pregnant with another set of twins, a boy and girl. Archer and I've decided on Asher Michael and Ahola Nicole.

Making my way upstairs I see Archer trying to wrangle our three old son into his pullup for bedtime. Giggling from the doorway, I enter the twin boys' bedroom, settling myself onto the floor behind Carter, who I gently pick up and turn him so his chest is on mine.

"Carter you need to let daddy put your big boy pull-up on so you can sleep like Carson," I tell him quietly and calmly.

Carter giggles at me as he buries his face into my neck, wrapping his arms around my neck and legs around my waist. "Love papa," he giggles into my neck.

"Love you, too, baby boy, let's get you ready for bed, yeah?" I say back to him placing him on his feet. Making a grabby hand at my hubby for the pull-up that he hands me, I help Carter into it and then his pajamas. Archer smiles gratefully down at me as he picks our son up and places him on his bed before pulling the covers over him.

"Night bug," Archer says gently kissing our son's forehead. Climbing off the floor I bend to do the same with him before gently kissing Carson, who's already asleep.

Walking out into the hallway Archer closes the door partway before he gently takes my hand in his and scooping me into his arms bridal style into our bedroom where he gently places me on our bed.

Placing my braces on the floor leaning against the wall beside my bed before taking off my braces; as Archer changes into his pajamas which is clean boxers and pajama pants. I love it when he sleeps without a shirt on. Once my braces are off and placed next to my crutches, I stand gently to change into my pajama bottoms and tank top.

Archer lays down on his back under the covers that he holds for me to crawl in next to him before I settle my head on his chest, an arm over his stomach and a leg twined with his as he gently rubs his hand up and down my arm.

"I'm sorry you had to come up and help put him to bed tonight since he originally wanted just me to do so," Archer says quietly.

Snuggling deeper into his hold, I squeeze his middle gently as I answer, "Don't worry about it my love," I whisper. As we talk quietly to each other, Archer brings his other hand to my head to gently massage it causing me to fall deeply asleep.

Two weeks later we're at the hospital after Archer is out of work to visit my sister who had our last two children twenty minutes ago. He was trying to come home sooner but he had run into heavy traffic. Entering Noelle's hospital room as I carry Carson on my lap in my wheelchair as Archer pushes Carter, Jaylynn and Jaenell and Weston in the six child stroller. Thankfully all of the children that are in the stroller are sleeping as Carson sleeps on my shoulder.