You're Not Alone

72: Utter Exhaustion

a month later
AMELIAS POV
"Good morning beautiful," Owen said as he kissed my cheek and then my lips. I opened my eyes and smiled.
"Good morning," I smiled and kissed him. I snuggled into him and he wrapped his arms around me.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you too," I said.
"And how is our little one doing?" Owen asked as he looked at my stomach. I giggled and smiled.
"Making me feel a little sick," I chuckled.
"Oh no really?" Owen frowned. I started morning sickness a week or two ago, it hasn't been every morning, but I felt so nauseous right now.
"What time do you go in?" I asked Owen.
"11," he said.
"Lucky, I have to stupid night shift," I said.
"7?" Owen said.
"Yeah," I said. I looked at the clock and it was close to 10.
"Wonder if the girls are up," I said.
"Maybe," Owen said. I got up and looked in the mirror. I was almost 11 weeks, and I was showing more. Not a lot, but starting to show through my shirts. I hated the weight gain part of pregnancy. I looked in the mirror again and Owen came up behind me.
"I know what you're doing," he said, "you're beautiful with your little baby bum."
"Shut up," I chuckled.
"I'm serious," Owen said and wrapped his arms around me. One of his hands landed on my stomach.
"You're too nice to me," I chuckled.
"I love you," he said and kissed my cheek, "you're so pretty."
"Stop it," I said as I get myself blush.
"It's the truth," he said. I smiled and kissed him again.
"I'm gonna go shower, wanna join?" He asked, at the same time Ellie's baby monitor went off and I heard her crying.
"I'll meet you in a few," I chuckled.
"Alright," he said. I walked down the hallway and picked up Ellie out of her crib.
"Good morning," I said, "you had a long sleep didn't you."
"Sweep," Ellie giggled, "Me sweep."
"You did sleep," I said.
"Me walkie," Ellie said.
"Okay," I said. She's been walking a lot now, and mostly running into things so Owen and I really have to watch her. She ran out into the hallway and to Kamryn's door. She was too short to reach the doorknob so she hit the door with her hands. I chuckled and picked her up. Kamryn opened the door and smiled.
"Hi Ellie, Hi Mama," she said.
"Hi!" Ellie giggled.
"Good morning," I said.
"Good morning," she said, "where's daddy?"
"He's showering before work," I said. Ellie started crying which meant that she was hungry. I walked downstairs and Kamryn followed me downstairs. I put Ellie in her high chair and got some baby food out. Kamryn made a bowl of cereal and sat at the counter.
"What are we doing today mama?" Kamryn asked.
"Well daddy has work this morning, so maybe the three of us can go to the park or something, and then I have work tonight," I said.
"Can Zola come to the park with us too?" Kamryn asked.
"If Auntie Mer says yes then sure," I said. I looked over at Ellie and she looked like she was done with her food. I cleaned up her highchair and she reached her arms out to me.
"Mama," she said.
"Hi baby," I smiled. I held her close to me, and then I heard it. The sound of spit up.
"Oh no," Kamryn said. I looked down and sure enough Ellie threw up on me. I wiped her mouth with a baby wipe and put her back in her highchair.
"Can you just watch her while Mama goes and changes?" I said.
"Isn't she just going to sit there?" Kamryn said.
"Yes, she is," I chuckled.
"Okay," Kamryn said.
"Thank you," I said.
OWENS POV
The shower door opened and Amelia looked mad.
"Hey," I said. She sighed and grabbed the shampoo bottle.
"Did she throw up on you? You smell like baby barf," I said. She looked up at me and nodded.
"Bingo," she said.
"I'm sorry," I said.
"It's fine," she said. She reached behind me to grab soap and I grabbed her waist. She looked up at me and I kissed her softly.
"Mm," she smiled.
"Mhm," I smiled and kissed her more. I washed my hair as she did the same.
"So what are you three up to today?" I asked.
"Might go to the park today," Amelia said, "I might go pick up Zola too to come with us."
"Sounds like a fun day," I said.
"Yeah," Amelia said, "should be."
"Yeah," I said.
"Do you have a lot of surgeries today?" Amelia asked.
"4," I said, "I should be home by dinner."
"Sounds good," she said and kissed me, "I just have two tonight so I should be home around midnight if nothing goes wrong."
"Long day," I said.
"Tell me about it," she said. I turned the water off and we both got out of the shower. We both got dressed and I threw Amelia's barfed on clothes into the wash for her. We walked downstairs and Kamryn was talking to Ellie in the kitchen.
"Good morning," I smiled.
"Good morning daddy," she smiled and hugged me.
"Daddy!" Ellie giggled.
"Good morning," I smiled as I picked her up.
AMELIAS POV
I was currently at the park with Kamryn, Zola, and Ellie. Kamryn and Zola were on the monkey bars and I was pushing Ellie on the swing.
"Mama?" Ellie said.
"Yes sweetheart?" I said.
"Me try," she said and painted to Zola and Kamryn.
"Ellie you're too small for the monkey bars, you could get hurt," I said, Kamryn and Zola could barely keep themselves up for 3 bars, there was zero chance Ellie could even hold on to them.
"No!" She said and started crying.
"Ellie," I said, "look how much fun you were having on the swings."
"No swings," she complained. I picked her up and she started crying.
"Okay okay," I said and rubbed her back, "when you're older I promise you can go on the monkey bars." She continued to cry and I sighed.
"Ellie why don't we go down the slide? The red one, you love the red slide," I said.
"Monwy bars," she pouted.
"The monkey bars are for the big kids," I tried to explain, "Look at all the little kids on the swings and slides with their mommies."
"I want home!" She cried.
"Ellie," I begged, "come on."
"No," she said. I sighed and looked over at Kamryn and Zola who were having so much fun.
"Can you try the slide?" I asked, "can you try for mommy?" She didn't say anything so I didn't say that as a no. I walked over to the slide and sat her down on my lap and wrapped one arm around her. We went down and she didn't say anything. The silent treatment, something the Hunt girls are pretty good at.
"Ellie," I said as I put her back in her stroller, "you were having so much fun."
"No fun," she pouted. I eventually got too frustrated and gave up. She fell asleep in the stroller after crying again. I watched Kamryn and Zola run around the park for a while and then I dropped Zola off with Maggie back at home and took the three of us home, we'll actually the four of us. Our third little Hunt was making me more tired than usual, and much more frustrated. I got home and put Ellie in her play pen. She eventually retired the monkey bar fight thankfully.
"Mama is ellie sad?" Kamryn asked as I walked into the kitchen.
"She was just upset she couldn't use the monkey bars at the playground," I said.
"Oh," Kamryn frowned, "I could show her how."
"That's very sweet but she's super tiny and I don't want her getting hurt," I said.
"What about when she's older?" Kamryn said.
"When she's older you can definitely show her okay?" I smiled. She was the best big sister ever.
OWENS POV
I brought home pizza from Amelia's favorite place tonight. I feel really bad she was to work the night shift tonight because I'm sure she's already tired. I unlocked the front door and walked in and Kamryn was playing video games on her iPad in the living room.
"Hey munchkin," I smiled.
"Shh," she said, "mamas sleeping in the other room."
"Okay," I said and kissed her head, "how was the park?"
"It was good," she said.
"That's good," I smiled. I walked into the kitchen and put the pizza on the counter and saw Amelia passed out in one of the kitchen chairs. Her one hand was on her stomach and her other hand was holding Ellie's baby monitor. She looked exhausted. I walked upstairs to go check on Ellie. I opened her door and she was still asleep. I walked back downstairs and I heard Amelia and Kamryn in the kitchen. I stopped for a moment.
"Mama are you still going to work?" Kamryn asked.
"Yup," Amelia said, "I have to leave in about an hour."
"But you're tired," Kamryn said.
"I am," Amelia chuckled, "work never sleeps." I felt really bad, maybe I should take more time off of work. Everything's been crazy lately. I walked into the kitchen and I sat down next to her and she smiled.
"How was work?" Amelia asked as she kissed my cheek. We all started eating pizza.
"It was good," I said.
"That's good," Amelia said, "was the ER swamped?"
"Not this afternoon," I said. She nodded.
-
It was close to 1AM and Amelia texted me that she would be home soon. Ellie was wide awake. I'm pretty sure she missed Amelia. She wouldn't let me put her to bed and she just kept crying. I heard the front door open.
"Well Ellie it looks like mama's home," I said and picked her up.
"Mama?" She said sleepily.
"Yup," I said.
"Hey," Amelia sighed as she walked in the doorway.
"Mama!" Ellie giggled.
"Oh, hi baby girl," she smiled. Amelia came over and picked her up.
"What are you still doing awake?" Amelia chuckled.
"She wanted you to bring her to bed," I chuckled. Amelia walked down to the nursery and after a few minutes she came back.
"Come here," I said.
"I'm exhausted," she said and sat in between my legs.
"I know," I said, I put on of my hands on her stomach and she put her hand over mine.
"I'm going to take some time off of work," I said.
"What? Why? You love work," she said and looked at me.
"Not as much as I love you," I said, "I want to be home with the girls more, and give you a break, you really deserve it."
"Owen you don't have to do that, I'm fine," she said.
"I want to," I said, "I'm gonna tell Bailey I can only go in 4 times a week instead of almost 6 okay?"
"Okay," she smiled.
"I don't want you to be exhausted all the time, you're pregnant, you need to be well rested and happy," I said.
"I am happy though," she said.
"I know," I said, "but less stressed."
"Yeah," she said softly, "less stressed."
"Let's go to bed," I said.
"Mhm," she said as she curled up next to me. I wrapped my arms around her and we fell asleep together.