Generation 1 Chapter 8: Amani Vista

Married life was… fun. It technically wasn’t any different from when they two of us were just living together; the only change was that we now had an official title to our relationship. It was fun to wake up early and surprise Concord with a plate of pancakes, simply because I could. The feeling of knowing that this was the man I would spend the rest of my life with continued to warm my heart.
He was my forever.

Concord certainly stepped it up with his new husband role, insisting he fix anything that broke in the house. Why call a plumber when you have a more than willing husband?
Well, for one thing, they’ll get the job done right. The first time…

In the days following the wedding, we received quite a few generous wedding presents via mail. Some adorable picture frames, vases, outdoor accessories, Albany even gifted us a treadmill!
Wait… Is she trying to tell us something?

Just as I was about to get dressed for work one morning, a horrible wave of nausea passed over me. I sprinted to the bathroom, immediately propping my head over the toilet.
I felt awful after that episode, and Concord convinced me to take the day off. I reluctantly called in sick, and much to my dismay, Albany put up no protest whatsoever. 

I spent a majority of my day home writing thank you cards for all of our lovely wedding presents. Concord insisted I should lie down and get some rest, but we all knew that would never happen. I always have to be doing something productive.
Always.

Once I finished with those, I took to sculpting. It was great to resurface one of my hobbies; I’ve surprisingly really missed it. I’ve been so involved with Concord and my work lately that I’ve had absolutely no time to pursue some of my favorite pass times. 

As the weeks progressed and my nausea worsened, I finally agreed to visit a doctor. Much to my delight, I was pregnant!
Not only was I now responsible for myself, but I had to care of the little one inside of me, too!
When you put it into perspective like that, it makes you wonder if you’re doing everything in your power to keep the little one perfectly healthy…

Breaking the news to Concord was a piece of cake! At first, he was surprised, just like any other first time parent would be. Then the realization sunk in that he was going to be a father. He was beaming from ear to ear, promising himself he would be the best father ever.  

“Can I…?” he asked, motioning towards my stomach. I nodded eagerly in response. “Hi there little guy, I’m your daddy. I promise you, you’re going to have the best life your beautiful mother and I can give you.”
Something about what he said instantly knocked me back into reality. I was going to have to support this child… I was going to have to be a role model… I was going to have to be there for them one hundred percent of the time. Was I truly ready for this…?

During my pregnancy I spent a lot of time checking up on work and getting to know my coworkers better. The last thing I wanted was to be immensely far behind after I returned from maternity leave.  

Albany couldn’t have been more thrilled to know that her best friend was expecting. Practically every day after work she’d be on my doorstep begging to spend some quality time with her godchild.
Yeah, we’ve decided that she was going to be the godmother. I think she fits the role perfectly!
Anyways, she became nearly obsessed with my stomach, cooing words of encouragement and listening to every move and shift it made.  

Halfway through my pregnancy, I realized we needed to add a nursery onto the house. So I took advantage of Albany (hey, that’s what best friends do!) and insisted she help me decorate the room each day she visited. We settled on a green, considering we weren’t finding out the baby’s gender. The wallpaper we selected though did have flowers… I think both of us were silently praying for a little girl.
The addition actually wasn’t as stressful as I expected it to be, Albany made sure to keep it lively and entertaining. Countless times we ended up just fooling around rather than getting any work done…

What had started off as my little house was now adapt for three, and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. Despite the way my parents had treated me, I’ve managed to discover a path in life that’s treated me exceptionally well.

  Painting helped pass the long days of my pregnancy as well, enabling me to spend hours working on a portrait before I even thought about my swollen ankles or tight back. It was great to have something you could get so easily absorbed in.

Soon enough, though, contractions were paying me a visit. As the two of us were heading to sleep one night, they became increasingly painful and I couldn’t help but stand up and let out a scream.  

Concord was no help whatsoever during my labor pains. He stood there flipping out, dancing in circles, and just plain out forgetting he had a perfectly useful brain.
Men these days…

A few hours later I emerged from the hospital the proud mother of a baby girl, Bee. 

Things weren’t perfect, however. Doctors reported that my little angel has a slight learning disability that won’t take full control of her life, but is still severe enough that it’ll make an impact. Of course, Concord and I are responsible for assisting her where she sees necessary, which we have no issue with whatsoever.  
But along with the diagnosis came an emotional toll. It was my fault she hadn’t been born perfectly healthy. My fault.  

Concord was a natural at parenting, knowing whether she was hungry or simply wanted attention instantaneously. Often times, I’d hear her bawling and rush into the nursery only to find her already in my husband’s arms giggling up a storm.  

It felt like a year flashed before our eyes, because before we knew it, Bee was an adorable toddler. She inherited Concord’s light brown hair, but my vivid green eyes and pale skin tone. It’s too early to tell who she’ll take after structurally, but I have a strong feeling she’s going to look just like her mother.

Thankfully, patience was one of Bee’s many gifts, making dealing with her disability slightly easier. Things like potty training and learning how to walk were going to take her longer to learn then most others her age, but she seemed more than willing to tackle things one battle at a time. 
   

When we first brought Bee home from the hospital, Albany had given her an adorable, rickety doll who Bee promptly named Tubby. In fact, it’s the only word she can currently say…
Bee loves that doll more than anything; she takes it everywhere she goes! She just can’t seem to let it leave her side.

“Concord, it’s driving me insane!” I complained one evening.
“What’s that, Sweetie?”
“Having a daughter, but no son. It needs to be balanced. You know me…”
“Then let’s get right on that, then,” he flirted.