Photography is an art of love

Chapter 31

After three months...

Little Faith moves her hands and feet energetically when she sees her mother bending down to pick her up from the crib.

"Hello, my ray of sunshine," Aleksandra says and carefully takes her three-month-old daughter in her arms.

She lowers a hand down on her feet which are covered with small cream shoes. The shoes her father gave her, before he died. That's how she feels Ivan next to her and Faith, watching over them closely.

Aleksandra looks lovingly at her babbling daughter as she puts her hand in her mouth.

At birth her eyes were blue. But now their color has changed, being green. Just like her Daddy.

Looking at her face, she can see that Faith has her nose, Nikki's lips, Nikki's eye shape too. Faith took more from her father than from her mother.

But in terms of hair, Faith has jet black hair like her mother.

Her skin is very light, like her mother's who has its lighter than her father's.

Nikki enters Faith's room, placing one hand on his wife's shoulder and the other hand on his daughter's head.

"She woke up," he smiles, looking at Faith.

The baby recognizes him and smiles.

"She is very excited to see you," Aleksandra tells him.

"What would you say if we go for a walk on the beach with her?" Nikki proposes.

"That would be a wonderful idea," agrees his wife. "The salty air would do good to her."

Said and done because not long after, the three are walking along the beach.

Faith is in her baby carrier in her mother's arms and curiously looks around without making a sound.

A few weeks after her birth, Faith had colic and cried every night for about a month. It was a difficult time for Aleksandra and she felt so overwhelmed.

But luckily she has Nikki as a supportive husband and he helped her get over it because he has experience, having older children.

Now Faith doesn't have colic anymore and is such a good and happy baby.

She makes sounds sometimes, because she is starting to find her voice.

"You know, I was thinking about something," says Aleksandra suddenly, catching Nikki's attention, who looks at her with interest.

"What, exactly, honey?" He smiles at her, capturing her hand in his.

"A sibling for Faith," she smiles softly and looks down at Faith, who at that moment is also looking at her mother, with a confused expression.

"I think Faith likes this idea too," Nikki giggles.

"It seems so," Aleksandra smiles. "Do you really think this is a good idea?"

"Of course it is! It would be nice for Faith to have a playmate."

"So could we start the IVF sessions?"

"Yes. Let's hope that we will have immediate results like in Faith's case."

"I hope so, too. I hope for another child."

"Me too, honey," Nikki kisses her on the forehead and go down to Faith and kiss her on the top of her head.

After nine months...

Unfortunately, this time, their second child does not appear so easy.

Nikki and Aleksandra have tried many times through IVF to have a second child, but so far Aleksandra has not gotten pregnant.

The thought worries them both. Maybe they were lucky when they found out they were going to have Faith some time ago. Now it seems so difficult and the wait is so challenging.

Today is little Faith's first birthday.

All of her siblings are gathered at home, at the table. Even her grandmother and uncle from Russia are at this significant day.

Aleksandra holds Faith in her arms, Nikki next to them and the rest sing Happy Birthday.

Little Faith is attracted to her first birthday cake, but especially for the pink candle on it.

Her sister Frankie helps her blow out the candle and everyone applauds ecstatically.

Faith has no more patience and buries her hands in the cake, to the amusement of her laughing family.

In a short time, the little girl puts her hand to her mouth, tasting the cake.

Nikki and Aleksadra move a little further, talking in the kitchen, now looking at their daughter who is in the arms of Aleksandra's mother, Frankie showing her her gifts.

"Can you believe that a year has already passed?" Aleksandra asks, still looking at their daughter.

"Time flies so quickly," sighs Nikki. "On her birthday the best present would have been a sibling," he says bitterly. "Maybe this will never happen."

"You may be wrong," Aleksandra grins.

"What do you want to say?" Nikki stares at her, confused.

Maybe Faith didn't receive her sibling today, but she will receive him or her in 9 months!

"What the? You..." Nikki measures her head to toes, stopping at her tummy. "You are pregnant?"

"Yes, I am," the brunette smiles widely. "It seems that the last IVF was successful!"

At first, Nikki stares at her as if he doesn't believe it. Later he smiles and takes her in his arms, kissing her passionately. Both of them can't help and keep kissing, which is getting more and more passionate, but they have to take a break because the others might see them.

"When did you find out?" He asks her, caressing her cheek.

"Well... Today!" She smiles. "I felt sick, dizzy and my period was late. The same symptoms as when I got pregnant with Faith. I took a pregnancy test and it seems that we have another bundle of joy on the way. There will be such a small age gap between them!'

"This is wonderful news! We have to tell the others too!" Nikki says and gently takes her hand going into the living room where everyone else sees them approaching them.

"We are going to make an announcement," says Nikki with a proud look at his wife who is smiling widely.

All attention is now on them. Each member of their family stopping whatever activity they are doing to pay attention to them.

Even their daughter Faith looks at them.

"We will have a baby!" Aleksandra cries, her face filled with happiness.

At first, everyone remains dumbfounded, but they end up smiling, laughing, and then they go and congratulate the parents.

"I will have another sister!" Frankie is simply over the moon.

"Don't get too excited," her father tells her. "Maybe this time you will have a brother."

"Did you hear that, Faith?" Georgi says to her granddaughter who is in her lap. "You will have a brother or a sister."

The girl mumbles something that only sounds like "mommy, daddy and baby".

"I think she is delighted," Aleksandra says and goes and takes her in her arms, kissing her on the cheek.

"Of course she is happy," says Nikki, going to his wife and daughter. "Faith received the most beautiful birthday present."

"That's right," Aleksandra smiles.