Nick felt the bed shift as Isabel got up and went into the other room. He could tell she was still in pain because of the way her footsteps were so slow. "You want me to go?," He asked groggily.
"No, I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure Nick."
"Ok."
He saw the door open and then close behind her and he tried to go back to sleep but he was already awake. He rolled over and looked at the clock, 2 a.m. He sighed and closed his eyes once more before her voice called him from the doorway, "Nick?"
"Yea?"
"Can you help me?"
He got up and shuffled over towards her, "Of course I can..you should of just told me in the first place."
She smiled wryly before yawning, "You were sleeping."
"I can't believe you're still in pain."
"I can..it hurts."
They got closer to the room where their baby was and Nick opened the door before helping her into the rocking chair. He picked up the small bundle, who was crying his little heart out, and handed him to Isabel. "He's so perfect."
"I know, I wonder why though, he DOES have you as a father.."
"Hey!"
Isabel laughed, "I was joking..he's absolutely adorable.."
"It's his second night home.."
"Mmm hmmm.."
"Don't fall asleep like that."
She smiled up at him, "I won't."
"I'm gonna go grab some other clothes..be right back."
"Ok.," She replied softly.
Nick walked back into their bedroom and threw on a t-shirt and found some pajama pants to throw on over his boxers. He glanced out the window at the darkened front yeard and thought about how dramatically his life had changed in nine short months.
The night Isabel had told him they were having a baby, he had sprung from the bed and jumped around happily. Isabel had just laughed at him, but that's what he loved doing, making her laugh.
Three months later, Isabel was beginning to show and NIck was getting ready to head out on a Asian tour again. He did the tour, but made it a shorter one so he was only gone for two months.
When he got back, Isabel was DEFINITELY showing, but she looked so cute and so beautiful he just fell more in love with her. He met her in the airport and she immediately took his hand and put it on her tummy; he felt their baby move for the first time. After that, Nick became obsessed with Isabel's stomach.
Isabel had gotten a tad cranky and would cry over just about anything. One time, she cried because there was a bird outside the window and she said it looked so pitiful that it made her sad. Nick had started to laugh and she retaliated by punching him in the shoulder. Nick smiled at that memory, it HAD hurt like hell!
They found out what the baby was going to be when she was seven months pregnant. A boy. From then on, Nick went baby crazy. He wa more into buying the baby things than Isabel was. They bought clothes and toys and everything imaginable.
Nick then began to remember the night she went into labor. He had just gotten home from the studio and was out on the back deck when she came out.
"Ummm...Nicky?"
"Yeah?," He replied not looking up from playing with the two dogs.
"I think we need to go to the hospital. Now."
"Why would we need to do that?"
Isabel sighed, "Maybe because my water just broke and I called the doctor and she said to come in NOW you dumbass."
Nick spun around, "You mean....?"
"Yes."
"It's time?"
Isabel glared at him and gripped the door as a contraction tore through her, "YES!"
"Oh umm..okay...what do we do??"
"Come here.."
He walked over to her and she took his hand, squeezing it as hard as she could as the contraction passed. "OW! ISABEL!"
"Sorry...go upstairs and get the bag out of the baby's room."
"Ok.."
"Then, we go get into your car and you drive to the hospital. Then, I have the baby, you call everyone you need to. Whatever."
Nick ran up the stairs and stopped suddenly, "Should you..be standing?"
"Just go."
"Ok..," He said and continued running up the stairs.
He found the bag and grabbed it and went back down the stairs. Isabel was standing by the garage door, holding his keys and his cell phone. "These may come in handy."
Three hours later, Isabel was in a room, hooked up to monitors and praying that soon she would have an epiderayl (I know I spelled it wrong but it's something like that). She had ahold of Nick's hand as another contraction began, and this one was a strong one. "Ow..Ow..Ow...Ow...OW! OW! Honey? Can you please let go of my hand?!," Nick asked between gritted teeth.
"I feel pain, therefore YOU feel pain too. You got me like this Nickolas!," She growled.
His eyes widened, it had been FOREVER since she had used his full name. "Sorry honey..."
Soon, the doctor that would give her the epiderayl came in and did that and soon, Isabel was in no pain whatsoever. "Nick..I'm sorry...it just hurt."
"It's okay, I know..I won't hold it against you."
She smiled, "Good."
Soon after that, the doctor came in and Isabel and Nick had their first child.
Tyler Braden Carter, born August 15. Weighing in at 6 lbs., 4 oz.
He walked back into the baby's room to see Isabel putting Tyler back into his crib, sound asleep. Nick smiled and kissed her neck gently, "He asleep?"
"Mmm hmmm.."
"You sound tired."
She yawned, for effect, and smiled, "I am."
Nick grinned, "Let's go back to bed baby."
"Sounds good to me."
A couple days later, Kevin, Kristen, and Matthew were all over for dinner. Matthew went upstairs with Isabel to check on Tyler, and was asking about a billion and one questions about the new baby. "So..how old is he?"
Isabel picked up Tyler and set him on the changing table, "He's a little over a week old."
"He's little!"
"Yep, he sure is. But soon he'll be about your size."
"When?"
"In a couple years or so."
"Can I show him how to play video games?"
"Sure you can..does your daddy let you play video games?"
Matthew nodded, "Yep! We played Final Fantasy, that Nick got us."
"Wow..that's cool."
"Can I teach the baby how to play basketball and ride a bike and play football?"
Isabel smiled, "Yeah, you can. But I think we're gonna have to wait awhile before all that..ok?"
"Okay..."
"Do you want to hold him?"
"Can I?"
She nodded and picked up Tyler, "Sure, go sit in the rocking chair for me."
Matthew scampered to the chair and crawled into it. Isabel instructed him how to hold his arms, before setting Tyler gently into his arms. Matthew grinned up at her, "Wooow..this is SO cool!"
Isabel laughed and knelt down, "Now, rock back and forth gently. He goes to sleep that way."
"He sure sleeps alot."
"Yeah, he has too."
"Plus, it's the only thing he can do!"
"Right now, it is."
"He's my..cousin, right?"
"Yep."
"Cool.."
"Alyssa is your cousin too."
"Yeah..I knew that."
"Oh yeah, you're just so smart Matty."
Matthew smiled, "That's what mommy says!"
"He's beautiful Isabel," Kristen said looking down into the crib.
"He is, huh?"
"Of course, ALL babies are."
"Thats true."
"So do you feel like your life has changed completely?"
Isabel nodded before yawning, "Oh yeah..I think I've gotten five hours of sleep all together all week."
"It's like that..forever."
"I figured as much."
"Hey Kris, you ready to go?," Kevin asked from the doorway.
Kristen nodded, "Yeah.it's gettin' late..where's Matt?"
"Downstairs with Nick."
"Ohh okay, Isabel, this was so much fun. You'll have to come over one day..okay?"
"Definitely.."
Kevin hugged Isabel as they got downstairs. "See ya later Isabel."
"Alright Kev."
"Have fun."
"You know I will!"
He laughed, "See ya later."
Nick and Isabel laid in their bed, waiting for when Tyler would wake up. He almost woke up the same time every night now. Nick sighed and rolled over to see Isabel, "You awake?"
"Yep."
He smiled, "We really should be asleep."
She laughed and looked over at him, "I know!"
He kissed her gently, "You think he's awake yet?"
"Nahh..he'll cry when he's awake."
"I can't believe we have a baby..you and ME..have a baby."
Isabel smiled, "You still can't believe it?"
"No..I mean, I'm a father of someone.."
"And I'm a mother of someone."
"And you're a wonderful mother."
"Yea right, I have no clue what I'm doing."
"Like I do!"
She smiled, "I sent Ann some pictures the other day..I don't know whether she got them yet or not."
"She should come down or something.."
"I think Kev was wanting to go up there soon to do some producing and I told him I'd go with him, but I think we'll have to wait till Tyler gets a little bit older."
"Maybe after I go back on tour..that way you won't be home alone or anything.."
She nodded, "Yeah.."
"What about my mom and dad?"
"We'll have to take a trip out to LA.."
He nodded, "Definitely."
They both looked towards the door as a cry came from the other room. "Here we go again..," Nick said smiling.
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