My Sweet Canadian Girl Ch. 16

"Mommy! Daddy! Wake up," Jack shouted from the foot of our bed.

"What is it my love?" Cassie asked.

"Santa was here," Nathan said full to the brim with excitement.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes we're sure," Nathan said.

''He ate the cookies and left presents under the tree," Jack said.

"You didn't open them did you?" Cassie asked.

"No we have to wait for you," Jack said.

"Okay come with me and I'll make you breakfast while mommy gets Cameron up. Then we'll all open our gifts together," I said.

Now that Cassie and I were awake, the older boys had just enough patience for me to make them breakfast. I cut up some strawberries and poured a small glass of milk for each of them too. Then I made pancakes for the whole family. One medium sized pancake with a pat of butter and maple syrup was more than enough for the boys but I made a few extra for Cassie and myself. While Cassie was finishing hers, I took the boys to the bathroom to make sure the sticky syrup was washed off their hands and face before it was time to open gifts.

Even with us trying to hold back there was still a mountain of gifts awaiting our boys under the tree. We let Jack and Nathan open their gifts first smiling at their excited reactions and knowing there was another special surprise we were saving until last. Once their own gifts were opened we enlisted their help in opening Cameron's gifts for him. Our older boys took turns showing Cameron the new toys Santa had brought for him. Cassie and I opened our gifts last while the boys were busy testing their new toys. They knew that we never got toys for Christmas so they had no interest in helping to open ours. Then it was time for their last surprise gift.

"There's one more gift for you from mommy and daddy," Cassie said.

"Where is it?" Jack asked peering under the tree.

"It's out in the garage," I said. "I'll be right back with it."

"Just set it down there," Cassie said when she saw me looking for a clear path to the tree.

"Wait Jack let Nathan help too," I said when he was too eager.

"You get that side Nathan," Jack said.

"Okay," he said. Cassie and I watched them peel the wrapping paper off to reveal the plain brown box underneath.

"Look inside," I encouraged them.

"Wow look," Jack said pulling out a hockey helmet.

"There's one for you too Nathan," Cassie said watching him peer over the edge and take his out.

"Can I put it on?" Nathan asked.

"You can try it on to make sure it fits before you go skating," I said.

"Skating?" Jack said.

"We got you skates too," I said pulling them out from the bottom of the box. There were already skate guards in place to keep them from cutting themselves.

The boys were super excited with their surprise gifts from mommy and daddy. Unfortunately Cassie was too pregnant to take them skating and I needed to learn myself. It wasn't until a week later that their grandfather took them for their first time on the ice with Cassie and I watched from the stands of the the small arena near our home. They fell often but with plenty of padding they were in no danger of being hurt. Marcel was patient with them and helped them back on their feet no matter how many times they fell. The only thing they didn't like was that the family skating ended after an hour to make way for a youth hockey game.

We bought hot cocoa for the boys and stayed to watch the game for a while. They were both obviously enthralled with seeing kids a few years older than them play organized hockey. Cassie made eye contact with me, asking even before they could, and I nodded which made her smile. On the way home we promised the boys they could go skating every weekend as long as ice time was available and next year we'd let them start playing minor hockey. They were so excited and couldn't wait to show grandma, who had stayed home to babysit Cameron, the video we made of their first time on the ice.

By the second week I had bought my own pair of skates and joined the boys on the ice to learn from Marcel's lessons too. I fell as often as they did and though Marcel was patient with me too, he couldn't resist tossing a few playful barbs my way. They boys loved having me on the ice with them which made the bruises from falling all over the ice well worth it. Hot cocoa after skating became a tradition with the boys, as it had with Cassie and I when we first met.

I took Jack and Nathan with me in late January for them to pick out a gift for Cameron's first birthday on the 28th. As always their eyes lit up when they saw shelves filled with toys but I only had to remind them a few times that we were there for Cameron's gift. Eventually they focused on finding the perfect present for their brother. Jack found a Fisher Price farm set that he wanted to get for Cameron. Nathan would usually agree with Jack but was becoming more independent and wanted to get his baby brother a stuffed elephant toy instead. Rather than forcing them to decide, I told the boys they were both great gifts and that we could get both of them. I wouldn't let them get toys of their own but I we did stop to get a tub of ice cream on the way home for an after dinner treat.

A few days later, at Cameron's birthday party we made sure that he played with both gifts from his brothers. Then it was time to rearrange in preparation for Lindsey's impending arrival. We bought a second crib and transformed the last upstairs bedroom into a second nursery. Cassie took the boys to a get together at Marc and Julie's for all the Dumont and Kellogg cousins while Jay helped me get the room painted. I had expected Cassie's to choose pink but she fell in love with a soft yellow color when we went paint shopping. In the days between the room painting and the birth of our daughter I helped Cassie decorate the room to her standards. When we were done it looked like a warm and inviting place for our baby girl to spend her first years of life.

"Rick," Cassie whispered shaking my shoulder in the middle of the night. "Rick wake up," she said a little louder.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Lindsey is coming now," Cassie said which made me bolt wide awake.

"Are you okay?" I asked laying my hand gently on her tummy.

"I'm fine," she assured me.

"I'll run downstairs to let your parents know and I'll be right back," I said quickly getting dressed. "Sorry to wake you but the baby is coming," I said when Cassie's mom open the door in her pajamas and a robe.

"Don't be silly that why we're here," she said smiling at me. "You go take care of her and we'll look after the boys."

"Thanks," I said hurrying back upstairs. "Are you ready sweetie?" I asked.

"I am," she said letting me take the overnight bag she had prepared and guide her down the stairs. Unsurprisingly her mother was already waiting for us near the front entrance. "You can take the baby monitor and go back to bed mom."

"I'm far too excited to sleep now," she said offering Cassie a brief hug. "I love you sweetheart."

"I love you too mom," Cassie said.

"I'll come see her when she's here," Kathleen promised.

"Thanks again for everything," I said accepting my own hug from Cassie's mom.

"We're happy to look after the boys whenever you need us," Kathleen said.

"Bye for now mom," Cassie said with one last smile.

"All set sweetie?" I asked once we were in our car.

"Almost," she said leaving me confused for a moment until she leaned over to kiss me. "Now I'm ready," she said.

It was February 9th and our daughter was almost here. Cassie and I took our car to the hospital, leaving the van in case her parents needed to take the boys somewhere. I felt urgency but no fear. Knowing my wife was about to give birth would never become routine but the experiences with three previous children helped me remain calm. Cassie yawned in the passenger seat as I drove and giggled when I asked if she was bored. In the late night hours the streets were all but deserted allowing us reach the hospital in record time.

I stopped at the entrance and helped Cassie inside to the admissions desk before hurrying back outside to park the car. By the time I returned she was already in the familiar setting of a delivery room. Usually we played games or talked to pass the time but Cassie was sleepy despite the contractions. I watched over her and let her rest for what was to come. With the previous pregnancies I would have been panicked when the doctor on night duty told us there was no need to contact Dr. Sun yet after examining Cassie. I was still hesitant but relaxed when she said they would contact Violet if anything abnormal occurred. Otherwise they would contact her first thing in the morning.

Throughout the night Cassie would wake up with each contraction if she was asleep and I made note of the time. When she couldn't sleep I talked to her about mundane things meant to bore her back to sleep. The staff checked in with us and were satisfied based on my timings that there was no need to contact Violet yet each time. By morning, Cassie was wide awake and getting ever closer to giving birth. She urged me to take a nap but I remained firm that I'd sleep when Lindsey was resting in the delivery room crib.

Violet arrived shortly after nine and reviewed the report left by the overnight doctor before conducting her own examination of Cassie. She assured us that the attending physician had done an excellent job caring for Cassie and our soon to be born child. Now that Violet was here I felt comfortable stepping away for a few moments to visit the washroom and get a coffee to keep myself awake. On my way back to the room I ran into Marcel who couldn't miss out on his tradition of bring food to his daughter and I in the the hospital.

"Oh hello Rick," he said surprised to see me.

"Just a quick visit to the washroom and to get a coffee," I said. "Violet is with her."

"I brought you food," he said lifting the bag.

"I figured you would, or maybe Marc or Jay in your place," I said.

"You're about to have a girl of your own," he said.

"I am," I said smiling. I couldn't wait to hold her.

"Keep her safe but don't be like me," he said.

"All your granddaughters love playing with you. Lindsey will too," I said.

"That's the easy part. I meant don't be a grumpy asshole when she starts dating," he said sharing a laugh with me.

"The baby won't be here for a while yet. Come in and talk to Cassie for a bit. She'd love to see you," I said. "Look who I found sweetie."

"Hi dad. I thought I heard you laughing in the hallway," she said.

"We were talking about raising daughters," Marcel said. "Not that he needs advice from me but I showed him what not to do when she's older."

"He won't," Cassie said smiling at me. "But I'll straighten him out if I need to," she added making her father laugh again. He stayed for about twenty minutes telling us stories of what it was like looking after Cassie when she was a baby. I thought it was impossible to be more eager for Lindsey to arrive but he proved me wrong.

Roughly an hour after Marcel left, Violet was with us to stay. As always I was left in absolute awe of my wife as her labor intensified. There was nothing easy about it but it felt faster than the birth of any of our boys, though it might have been my familiarity with the process that made it seem that way. I held Cassie's hand offering as much comfort as I could to her and letting her squeeze as hard as she wanted during her pushes. She looked at me between pushes following my lead through the breathing exercises we both knew well.

With a final big push, Cassie brought our daughter into the world. I held my breath until I heard the first cries of life from Lindsey. She was born with the same thin brown hair as her brothers instead of blonde hair like her mother. For a split second I thought maybe Violet was wrong and we had another boy but she was quickly confirmed to be a girl. Cassie got to hold her the moment I cut the umbilical cord, smiling at the newest addition to our family with tears streaming down her cheeks. Those moments after the birth of our child where I got to watch Cassie meet them face to face was a high that never grew old.

"I love you so much sweetie," I said leaning across to hug Cassie while the nurses cleaned and weighed our daughter.

"I love you too," she said. "I can't believe she's finally here."

"Neither can I," I said. "Hold still," I said patting her sweaty face dry with a towel. "Do want a drink?"

"Yes some water please," she said.

"Here," I said holding a cup of ice water and helping her sit up.

"Thank you," she said gulping it down. She looked completely exhausted but I knew she'd be wide awake the moment Lindsey was back in her arms. For now she lay back down and held my hand smiling up at me. "Oh here she comes," she said when a nurse approached with our newborn. "Hello again my love," Cassie cooed at our daughter. "I bet you're hungry but too excited to nurse just yet."

"Hello sweetheart," I said laying a gentle hand on her.

"That's your daddy Lindsey," Cassie smiled. Our daughter opened her eyes for a moment and I felt my heart race.

"She has blue eyes like you," I said.

"Most Caucasian babies are born with blue or gray eyes but they often get darker as they age," she said.

"Really? But what about the boys?" I asked.

"Most but not all. The brown hair and brown eye genes of you family are strong," she said.

"Sorry," I said with a smirk.

"I didn't say it was a bad thing. Our boys have warm brown eyes just like their dad," she said. "And Lindsey will have your thick brown hair if she's lucky."

"She's even luckier to have her mom's beautiful eyes," I said. I was confident that her eyes wouldn't change, other than looking even more like Cassie's. To me it was an immediate sign that, brown hair aside, she would favor her mother's features.

Cassie held our baby girl for a while before undoing her hospital gown to let Lindsey nurse. There was no more beautiful sight in the world than watching Cassie bond with our newborn in the moments after birth. No matter how eager I was to hold Lindsey for the first time, I was happy to wait for Cassie's permission knowing it would never take long. Cassie talked to our newborn in a soft soothing voice meant to comfort her through those first fearful hours outside the womb. Lindsey seemed to instinctively know that there was no safer place than in her mother's arms.

"Do you see who that is?" Cassie said angling Lindsey toward me when her feeding was done for now. "That's your daddy and he loves you just as much as I do."

"Hi Lindsey," I said waving at her.

"It's his turn to hold you now. Don't be scared he'll never let you fall," Cassie said carefully letting me take our baby girl into my arms.

"Your mommy and I are so happy to meet you at last. We're going to love you and be here for you whenever you need us. There's nothing we wouldn't do for you," I said. A newborn couldn't understand but I meant every word. As with each of our boys, Lindsey had my undying love from the moment I laid eyes on her.

"I could watch you hold her all day," Cassie said drawing my eyes to her beautiful smile.

"You're my witness Lindsey, mommy said I could hold you for the rest of the day," I said making my wife giggle at my idle threat.

I held our daughter for around twenty minutes before handing her back to Cassie as carefully as she'd been passed to me. The feeling from watching Cassie cradle our newborn in her arms was almost as good as holding her myself. My latest smartphone had a camera nearly as good as our actual camera so I used it to snap a few photos of Cassie with Lindsey in her arms. I waited until she fell asleep a short time later to step outside and make two quick calls, one to Cassie's parents and second to mine. Both sets of grandparents were delighted to hear that the Lindsey arrived without any complications and was sleeping peacefully in her crib. I told them to check their email for pictures that I'd send shortly and to share the news and photos with the rest of the family.

"What did they say?" Cassie asked in a whisper when I returned.

"That they can't wait to see her of course," I said. "And to pass along their love to you."

"That's sweet," she smiled. "Come here now."

"Where?" I asked.

"On the bed," she said.

"No it's okay I'm fine in the chair," I said.

"You must be tired," she said and I yawned uncontrollably. "See."

"You need to rest more than me," I said.

"We can both rest while Lindsey sleeps now lie down next to me where you belong," she said patting the bed. The moment I was next to her on the bed she inched closer until she was practically on top of me. "I love you so much," she said laying her fingers laying over my lips so I knew to let her finish. "All night I was able to sleep between the contractions because I knew you were here to watch over me. I can't even remember how many times I dozed off and woke up again but every single time I did you were right there smiling at me. Close your eyes," she said shutting them gently with her fingers, "hold me, and sleep until Lindsey lets us know when it's time to wake up."

"I love you too," I said in a whisper as I drifted off with her kind words filling my mind.

Lindsey seemed to know we needed to rest because it was a few hours before her cries woke us. The sleep left me feeling recharged with the excitement of a newborn filling me with adrenaline still. I checked her diaper and changed her before bringing her to Cassie to see if she was ready to nurse again. With a little coaxing Cassie got Lindsey to latch on and stoked her soft brown hair with her most gentle touch. I remained a captive audience watching my wife and baby daughter continue to bond. Thoughts of the special relationship my sister Susan enjoyed with our mother and of course Cassie's closeness with her own mother filled my mind. I knew Cassie and Lindsey would share a similar close bond in the coming years.

I was already letting myself imagine my own future with Lindsey too. Make believe tea parties, hours of playing with dolls, or whatever she wanted me to do with her. I could envision her climbing all over the backyard play set, laughing and having fun while leaving my heart racing anxiously over fear of her falling. If she didn't love baseball, and more importantly the Dodgers, right away I'd invite her to watch a game with me from time to time and hope she'd take interest. She didn't need to care about the Dodgers at all to have my endless love though. I thought about her getting older and what she might be interested in doing with her life. Lindsey could do whatever she wanted and we'd support her every step of the way.

Cassie was content to spend the rest of the day and another night with our newborn child. Her mother stopped by briefly to meet her newest grandchild and deliver drawings Jack and Nathan made. Both boys had assumed baby Lindsey would have blonde hair like Cassie but they got her blue eyes just right. We smiled at the pictures from the boys and were happy to see that they had come around on the idea of having a baby sister. They had learned to have fun with Cameron and had begun to include him in the games they played. I was confident it would be no different with Lindsey once she was old enough to begin tagging along with them.

That afternoon Marcel arrived to meet Lindsey in person for the first time. He made both of us laugh when he asked if we were hungry. It was a sweet tradition that made him feel like he was helping, which he was, whenever Cassie was in hospital to deliver a child. I assured him we had plenty of food left which seemed to disappoint him but Cassie quickly added we could use some drinks. He promised to bring some for us as soon as he finished visiting his latest precious grandchild. Marcel chatted with us while barely taking his eyes off Lindsey who was safely nestled in his giant hands.