My Sweet Canadian Girl Ch. 16

The rest of the day after Marcel's visit we spent alone with our baby girl Lindsey. Aside for a few routine checks by staff members on both mother and child we had the room to ourselves. We took turns holding our newest bundle of joy and I even convinced Cassie to rest when Lindsey fell asleep. I sat in the chair right next to her with Lindsey in my arms, my heart full of love for both of them. As much as I was looking forward to taking Lindsey home tomorrow and introducing her to her older brothers, I cherished the quiet hours with her before we rejoined the bustling chaos of our home life.

Violet stopped by the hospital the following morning to examine Lindsey and Cassie. Both were perfectly healthy and we were given clearance to take our baby girl home. When we arrived the boys were downstairs with their grandparents. I brought them to the main floor where they got to meet Lindsey for the first time. Cameron was too young to understand fully but he was clearly interested in who this new member of the family was. Jack and Nathan were super excited to meet her, their initial apprehension over having a baby sister long forgotten.

When February arrived I had purchased a heart shaped charm with Lindsey's name on it and a small purple amethyst birthstone to mark the month she'd be born in. Instead of taking my customary trip to buy it in the days after her birth, I presented the highly anticipated gift to Cassie that afternoon. My sweet Canadian girl appreciated every gift she received from me but the charms commemorating the births of our children were the ones she cherished the most. The older boys learned to spell their own names and those of their younger siblings in part from mommy's bracelet where they looked the little engraved hearts.

I used my full month of paternity leave to help care for Lindsey and our three boys. Cassie's parents spent another week with us and shortly after they left my parents arrived from California to meet Lindsey and visit their grandsons. Their stay with us ended far too soon as always and it was Cassie and I with four small children to care for. While I knew there was nothing Cassie enjoyed more than raising our children, I also knew that it was difficult task for two of us working together. In order to help her through those hectic times I booked some vacation days here or there and her mother came to visit other days to fill in the gaps. I know Cassie could have managed it all on her own but she appreciated having her mother or myself at home to help.

That summer we took our annual trip to California and spent a week visiting with family and friends there. The Dodgers game was fun of course, especially for Jack and Nathan who would sit to watch games at home with me from time to time, but it was no longer the highlight of the trip. It was far more important to introduce the newest member of the family to as many of our California loved ones as possible. The Dodgers game had been a way to hold our family together after my parents separated but it was no longer necessary for that original purpose.

We spent most of the time with my parents and my sister Susan's family. Her daughters Rebecca and Jasmine were two little sweethearts that took a keen interest in their baby cousin. They also had fun playing with our boys while Cassie and I caught up with Susan, Brian, and my folks. We also got to meet Tim and Lei's second child, a son that had been born in April. They named him Thomas Huan Garvin, once again choosing a Chinese middle name to honor his mother's heritage. He was such a cute little guy with spiky black hair and dark brown eyes. Laura was excited to show us her baby brother and equally interested in our own baby girl Lindsey but most of all she seemed happy to be able to spend the whole day playing with Nathan.

When the school year arrived, Nathan started kindergarten and Jack was on to the first grade. The feedback from teachers matched the boys personality. Jack was outgoing and quick to make friends but sometimes disruptive during lessons, though he would stop whenever his teacher ask him to settle down. Nathan's kindergarten teacher was the same woman that had taught Jack the year before. She praised Nathan for his school work and attentive behavior while she was teaching. The only concern with Nathan was his shyness during group activities where he was hesitant to contribute despite being one of the brightest students in the class. Cassie and I talked to him about it and considered getting counseling for him but it was a problem that solved itself in time. Once he got to know his classmates he slowly began to participate in class activities.

For Cassie's birthday that year I invited her immediate family to dinner at our house to celebrate with us. I bought a Halloween themed birthday cake for her and took care of most of cooking with help from Cassie's mom Kathleen. The beautiful smile on her face when all the kids at the party sang happy birthday for her made my heart race even before her eyes met mine. She enlisted the help of the children to open her gifts, while playfully scolding the adults for going though the trouble of buying her a gift, myself included. After dinner there was an animated Halloween movie for the kids to watch, a few treats, and loot bags for our nieces and nephew to take home.

On Halloween night Jack and Nathan dressed up as their favorite superheros Spider-man and Batman to go trick-or-treating. Cameron wanted to be a superhero to match his brothers and we dressed him up as Superman. Cassie was Supergirl to follow the theme in a modest long sleeve blue top that bore the iconic red S, a red cape, red skirt, and high red boots. She took our boys out for an hour or two while I handed out candy and watched Lindsey who wasn't quite old enough for trick-or-treating yet. She still got to wear costumes though. Lindsey was in the koala costume that every one of children had worn for their first Halloween.

The months between Halloween and Christmas, Jack and Nathan taught their younger brother all about Santa. Cameron couldn't stop asking about him and was completely obsessed with his pending arrival. You could ask him almost anything about Santa and he knew the answer. What does Santa say? Ho, ho, ho. What does he like to eat? Milk and cookies. How does he get in the house? Down the chimney he'd say with a swoosh of his hand. Where does he leave presents? Under the tree. And? In your stocking. We got him his own Santa decorations for his room and a Christmas movie that he wanted to watch over and over. If we ran into any older man with a beard Cameron would always ask us if he was Santa.

When the big day arrived he joined his older brothers in going wild on Christmas morning. Their shouts of excitement over the new toys from Santa made Cassie and I smile. Jack and Nathan could recognize everyone's names on the gifts and made sure that each gift made it to the right person. They even managed a few spare moments to help baby Lindsey open her gifts before playing with their own toys. It was everything I imagined Christmas morning would be and more when this life with my sweet Canadian girl was still just a dream.

Time with our four young children passed so quickly that it seemed like moments later we were celebrating Cameron's second birthday with Lindsey's first one just around the corner. For Cameron's birthday we had an ice cream cake to the delight the birthday boy, his brothers, and cousins. Lindsey was nearly a year old so Cassie said it was okay for her to have a little taste too. Little more than month after Christmas many of Cameron's treasured gifts from Santa were forgotten in favor of his brand new birthday toys. Cassie and I loved planning a special day for our children on their birthdays and already looking forward to Lindsey's as soon as Cameron's special day was over.

"How's our birthday girl?" I asked finding Cassie already up and bottle feeding Lindsey in the nursery on the morning of her first birthday.

"She's excited. Aren't you my love?" Cassie said smiling down at our daughter. "She told me what she wants for her birthday," my wife added.

"Did she now?" I asked wondering what else Cassie thought we should get her.

"Yes, read her shirt," Cassie said.

"Okay let me see," I said. Lindsey's little shirt said 'All I want for my birthday is a baby sister.' I knew instantly it meant that Cassie wanted to have another baby. "Only a sister will do?" I asked.

"Well," she said holding Lindsey up so I could see the back that said 'Or baby brother.'

"I think we can give her what she wants then," I said laughing. "But her other gifts will have to do for now."

"One more is all I want," Cassie said.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"I think so," Cassie said with a serious expression. "There aren't enough seats in the minivan for any more."

"I'd like to have one more too," I said smiling at her. "A baby sister or brother for Lindsey and the boys."

"I love you," she said softly.

"I love you too," I said with a soft kiss for Cassie and another for baby Lindsey.

Soon after Lindsey's first birthday Cassie was back to working full time hours as a nurse. With two boys in school and two younger children needing care during the day, Cassie's mom continued to help us with the kids. While I'm sure Kathleen would have happily looked after our kids everyday if we asked her, we worked out a schedule that included a few days a week at the daycare near the hospital where Cassie worked that came highly recommended. Cameron was sweet and outgoing with the other children at the daycare, quick to make friends with all the other regulars. Lindsey didn't like being away from her mommy, daddy, or grandma at first but once she made some little friends of her own she liked going to daycare too. It was amazing how quickly she adjusted and soon she was more likely to cry when we picked her up than when she was dropped off in the morning.

Between full time work and caring for our children Cassie and I didn't have time for much else but I wouldn't trade our hectic life together for anything. The weekends were what I looked forward to the most. We'd make a special breakfast for the kids and spend the whole day with them, usually with fun activities planned on at least one day if not both. There was nothing I'd rather do than enjoy every moment with Cassie and our children. On some evenings we'd invite dinner guests and spend a few hours with them after the kids were gone to bed. Once or twice a month we would hire a trusted babysitter to have a few hours to ourselves for a romantic dinner or to attend an event with friends.

We also began trying to have another baby right after Lindsey turned one. Several times a week we'd make love knowing the rest would take care of itself. There was no urgency or pressure, just a hope that the last baby we wanted would soon be on the way. In May, between Jack's birthday and mine, Cassie told me she was pregnant and we cried tears of joy knowing what lat ahead. We waited almost another month before telling the rest of the family shortly after our first appointment with Violet who confirmed Cassie's latest pregnancy. The baby was due in mid to late December based on Violet's initial assessment but it was too early to tell if baby number five was a boy or a girl. As always the only thing we were truly concerned with was that the baby was healthy and that Violet could confirm.

That year's trip to California was planned around Nathan's birthday, which we often did to allow our friends and family to celebrate with him. Soon he'd want to have a party at home to invite all his school friends but we could easily accommodate both. For that year at least he was perfectly happy to have his birthday party in LA with his grandma and grandpa Kellogg and everyone else he looked forward to seeing. That list include Susan's girls and of course Laura who he always liked spending time with. At the Dodger's game that year dad joked we'd soon take up a whole row with the ever growing number of grandchildren. The whole family knew Cassie was expecting again but it wasn't until late August that we would learn the sex of the baby.

"Everything looks perfectly normal," Violet said reviewing Cassie's blood work. "Now I'm guessing you'd like to know if you have a boy or a girl on the way."

"Yes we do," I said.

"We're so excited to find out," Cassie said.

"I figured as much but I've had couples that always wanted to know in the past suddenly change their minds so I always make sure first now," Violet explained. She performed the ultrasound on Cassie as we watched in hushed silence. Those first images our unborn child always took my breath away. "You're having another girl."

"A girl," Cassie said with a smile.

"A baby sister for Lindsey and the boys," I said.

"I need to see another patient but we'll meet again soon," Violet said.

"Thank you Violet," I said.

"Yes thank you Violet. Have a wonderful day," Cassie said. I helped her clear the gel off her stomach and took her hand when she'd straightened her clothes. "Can I see your list?" she asked when we made it to our car.

"Yes of course," I said swapping lists with her. I quickly glanced and saw that Deirdre was still at the very top of her list.

"Is this a joke?" she asked. My own list was the name Deirdre repeated ten times.

"No," I said. "I saw Deirdre was the top name on your list when we were deciding on Lindsey's name and it stuck with me. When it came time to make a new list of girl names it was the only one that sounded right to me."

"Is that true?" she asked peering into my eyes.

"I swear it is," I said truthfully.

"I've loved that name for as long as I can remember," she said with a smile. "I'm glad you like it too but we'll wait a while just in case you change your mind."

"Okay," I said though we both already knew her name would be Deirdre. "Any ideas for a middle name?" I asked.

"Promise you won't laugh at me?" she asked.

"I promise that I'll try not to laugh," I said with a warm smile.

"Well when we found out the baby would be born close to Christmas the name Noelle came to me as middle name for a girl," she said her cheeks flushing red as if she was embarrassed to share it with me. "Do you like it?" she asked while I was combining the whole name in my head. Deirdre Noelle Kellogg.

"I love it," I said.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yes really," I assured my wife.

"There's time to change our minds though," she said.

Over the next few weeks Cassie would ask me if I still liked the name we had talked about. Each day I liked it more until any other possible name for our daughter seemed wrong. We told our other children that mommy was having another baby girl but didn't share the name with them or anyone else yet. I think that Cassie might have been worried that someone we loved would laugh at Deirdre's middle name and ruin it for us. Jack seemed confused that the new baby sister on the way didn't have a name yet and Nathan thought we should call her Laura. There was no surprise where his idea that name came from. Cameron and Lindsey were too young to really understand but Cameron would point at Cassie's growing belly and say baby.

Jack and Nathan were back in school and showing clear differences in their habits. While both liked going to school with their friends, Jack would leave his homework until the last minute before bed whereas Nathan would sit at the table as soon as he got home to do his. As long as we remembered to ask Jack about his schoolwork he'd get it done. With Nathan it was never a concern and we hoped his enthusiasm to do his work well would stick with him. Jack was satisfied with good enough but Nathan wanted to get everything right.

It was around the start of the school year that I began to notice how Cameron was already acting as the glue that bound our children closely together. He associated with the older boys and always wanted to tag along with them but he was closer in age to Lindsey. It was Cameron who made sure that Lindsey got to join in with the older boys' games and activities. He also got the older boy involved with whatever interested Lindsey. They would play with her in the backyard sandbox and help put together the little play houses for her dolls no matter how many times she took them apart. If Nathan was the child that most took after me in demeanor, not just looks, Cameron reminded me the most of Cassie with his sweet behavior and his efforts to hold the whole group together.

Cassie enjoyed what had become a typical birthday celebration for her. It was a family get together with Halloween fun and games for all the kids. It might not have been the party every adult would want but for my sweet Canadian girl there was no other way she'd rather spend her day. As always her birthday led right into Halloween the following night. The kids dressed up as the ninja turtles that year and Cassie took all four of them with her. She wore a yellow jumpsuit and red wig for her costume as the turtles' human friend April.

Less than two months later, Deirdre was due to be born any day now. One week before Christmas I spent the evening putting our artificial tree together and making sure the lights were working. Being heavily pregnant, Cassie was happy to watch as I helped the kids hang their favorite ornaments one at a time. Cameron was the most excited to decorate the tree but waited his turn when it was time for me to lift them up one by one to reach the higher branches. Lindsey was too little to hang the ornaments without the risk of them immediately falling off but I let her hold them with me as we hung them wherever she wanted on the tree.

Once we ran out of tree decorations we put a Christmas movie on for the kids to watch. Jack and Nathan got distracted playing with some of their action figures and barely paid attention to the movie. Cameron and Lindsey sat on the couch between us with Cameron telling her all about Santa. With her bright blue eyes flicking between her brother and the TV, I found myself watching her learn the wonders of Christmas. Cassie had done Lindsey's brown hair in little pigtails that morning which only added to how cute she looked. At bedtime I read her a Christmas story until she fell asleep while Cassie was across the hall reading to Cameron in his room.

"Are you okay?" I asked Cassie as I came out of our bathroom after brushing my teeth. She was stood next to the bed with her hands on her tummy.

"I'm fine. Just thinking," she said.

"About what?" I queried.

"About the baby. Christmas is only a week away and she's not here yet," Cassie said.

"She'll come out when she's ready," I said.

"I know but I keep thinking what if she's born on Christmas day? No matter what we do her birthday will never be her special day," Cassie said.

"We can forge her birth certificate," I said making her smile and shake her head. "Could Violet induce labor?" I asked more seriously.

"Yes but it would be an unnecessary risk when there's no medical reason to do so," Cassie said.

"We'll just have to keep our fingers crossed then. Your grandparents will be here on Friday so that would be a good time for you to be born Deirdre," I said laying a hand on Cassie's belly. "But no matter what day you're ready I promise to make your birthday a special day for you every single year."

"Your daddy is right," Cassie said. "We can't wait for you to get here and whatever day that is will always be your special day in this house."

Cassie's parents arrived as planned on Friday afternoon. They were staying with us to care for our older children when we were at the hospital and would be spending Christmas with us too. For the kids, a week or more with their grandparents was like an early Christmas gift. It was much easier to convince Cassie to rest during the final days of her pregnancy with her parents staying with us. Her mother and I were among the few people in the world Cassie would allow to cook dinner for her in our home without feeling guilty about it. She was still worried about Christmas day though, when the plan for this year was for us to host her brothers and their families for dinner at our home. Kathleen, like myself, could practically read her daughter's mind and told her to worry about the baby that was almost here and we'd take care of everything else.