Running - Joshler ✓

Chapter 32

I gently rocked my baby back and forth as they slept.

Josh was off doing some work for a few minutes that were actually really important and he couldn't miss. He said it wouldn't take long though, as he won't be distracting himself with other work.

A knock sounded at my door, and I see my mom smiling with Arina on her hip.

"Hi, I'm just here to see you guys." She said happily.

I wave her in, careful not to disrupt my sleeping baby.

"Can we know the gender and name?" My mom sat down on one of the couches in the room.

I shake my head. "Not until Josh is in here."

Even the color of the swaddle didn't give away the gender. It was just a simple grey and white striped cloth.

She rolled her eyes. "You've been keeping it from everyone. Can we please know?"

I shake my head and grin.

"I promised Josh. Sorry." I look down at my baby again, and smile at the adorable face.

We got on to talking about random subjects while we waited. Like what the labor and delivery was like compared to Arina's, and how Arina has been anxiously waiting to see her new sibling.

"Hey, sorry, I'm back." Josh walked in the room with flowers and he set them down in a vase.

"Has you been eating? Has the baby been eating? How tired are you? Do you need a nap? I can take-"

"Josh." I interrupt him, amused about his constant stressing and worrying.

"We're fine. Although I would like a nap soon." I suggest.

"Alright, so now that Josh is here, the gender and name please?" My mom interferes.

I look at Josh. "Do you want to say the name or gender?"

He thinks for a moment. "Gender. You say the name."

I nod.

"Well, at 3:47 in the morning on April 9th, we had another little girl."

My mom squealed, and Arina cheered. "I have a sister!"

Arina cheered a little too loud though, because now the baby started to wake up, and I began rocking her again.

Once she was settled down, I let out a sigh of relief.

"We decided to name her Kaydence Kathleen. She can be called Kay for short, or whatever she wants in the future."

My mom awed. "She's absolutely perfect."

My smile grew bigger somehow. "She is."

Arina approached the bed and Josh picked her up and set her down next to me, careful of my sore body.

"Do you want to hold her?" I ask.

Arina couldn't tear her eyes off Kaydence as she nodded.

"Alright pumpkin, hold out both of your arms like this." Josh instructed, and I carefully let Arina hold Kaydence.

I had a very careful eye on Arina holding Kaydence for the next few minutes before she started to cry.

Josh picked up Kaydence from Arina and went to go change her diaper, most likely. She was fed not to long ago.

Arina cuddled into my arm, and I shifted so I could properly do the same.

"Arina, I hope you know that I love you and Kaydence just the same. She will need more attention for a while, but that doesn't mean you aren't as important." I seriously told my five year old.

She nodded. "Okay. When can I play with her?"

"Not for a while, she's still very new to the world and needs a lot of help. But you can help me and daddy if you want." I offer.

She excitedly nods, and Josh comes back.

"Can I hold her?" My mom asks. Josh nods and gives Kaydence to my mothers very comforting arms.

"Tyler, she looks so much like you." She says without taking her eyes off her new grandchild.

"Really? I think she looks like Josh?"

"Oh no, Arina took all of that. Kaydence looks a ton like you. She has your hair, eyes and nose. Definitely josh's lips though."

I don't argue with that, because my mom was one of the most observant people I have ever known.

———

Three days later, and we were already in a nice schedule with Kaydence.

I woke up in the middle of the night, and Josh wasn't in the bed.

I look around confused and decide to see if he was with Kaydence in her nursery.

You see, she loved the feeling of the rocking chair, and we don't have much space to put it in our personal room, where she's staying for a little longer, so we have to go into her room.

I peer inside the room and I see Josh fast asleep with Kaydence tucked snuggly in one arm, and a book he had open only by his thumb in his other hand.

I smile at the scene, but I want my husband back in bed with me.

I gently rest my hand on his shoulder and shake him, and he wakes up quickly.

"Hm? What?" He looks confused.

"You fell asleep reading a book to her. Let me take her and you go back to sleep in our room." I whisper.

Josh barely nods and I lift Kaydence from his arms. He stands up and quickly gives me a small peck on the lips.

He leaves the room and I look down to see Kaydence looking up at me.

She definitely has my brown eyes, and it's easy to tell.

I go in the rocking chair and slowly rock her back to sleep for a few minutes.

She was such a chill baby, honestly. All babies are different. Some are light sleepers or deep sleepers, criers or not really into that.

Obviously she still cried, just not as much as Arina did when she was little.

Reflecting back on those past memories, Arina was really hard to take care of alone.

I was so incredibly lucky to have Josh around now, to love and help me with both of our daughters.

I get up and walk back to our room once she's finally asleep, and I set her down in the bassinet by our bed.

I climb into bed and Josh instinctively embraces me.

I sigh.

Everything is good.

———

(Thank you all for sticking with me through this story I hope you enjoyed it!!)