better together | ethma

Sixteen

Emma's POV
Two Months Later

The Holiday season came and went, and Ethan and I had a blast with the kids.

Taytum was growing by the second, and now she's two months old!

She's able to hold her head up when laying on her stomach, and she's found her voice, her hands, and her feet.

Tenley loves to perform little dances to entertain Taytum just as much as Taytum loves watching her, and Tenley loves to play with Taytum. Their bond is really close already.

Taytum woke up at seven this morning, so I immediately put her on the changing table to change her diaper and get her dressed for the day.

"Hi, little bear." I said. Taytum cooed. She's at the age where she recognizes Ethan and I, and even Tenley. "Hi, baby. Good morning." I said.

Tenley walked in the room, and kissed her sister on the forehead. "Good morning, Tay bear."

That was another one of Taytum's nickname.

Taytum smiled at Tenley, who looked at me and giggled.

"Good morning, sweets."

Tenley hugged my side and mumbled good morning, and I leaned down and kissed her forehead.

Ethan walked into the room, and gave Tenley a hug before Taytum squealed at the site of her father.

"Hi, baby." He said before kissing Taytum on the cheek. Ethan then snuck his arm around my waist and pecked my lips.

"Good morning." I said. He smiled at me before I finished getting Taytum dressed, and he scooped her up.

Tenley and I headed downstairs, Ethan following suit with the baby, and I made some toast for Tenley, and Ethan and I ate leftover vegan burritos we made a few days ago.

Then I heated up a bottle of my milk for Taytum, and Ethan fed her.

Usually after breakfast, we have family time in the living room.

Taytum has been loving her tummy time, and so we usually put her on the living room floor, and she plays with some of her baby toys.

Today Ethan was laying on his side next to her, and the way she was laughing at him was so adorable. I loved seeing how good he is with our baby.

Tenley was sitting next to where Ethan was laying, and she was also trying to make Taytum laugh.

This was what a normal Saturday morning was like. Breakfast, and tummy time. We turned on a Disney show, and luckily it was one that entertained both of the girls.

We put Taytum in a little bouncer seat, which had a couple of toys hanging on it to entertain her.

Luckily with my job, they gave me a year of paid maternity leave, and Ethan can work from home, so we can take care of the baby together. It's also nice because it's easier to get Tenley to school everyday, and to dance class three times a week.

Taytum was cooing in her little seat, and Ethan peeked over at her. "What are you talking about, little bear?" He asked. Taytum just squealed in response.

When babies are two months old, it's a scientifically proven fact that their favorite people in the world are their mom and dad. It was definitely true by the way her face lit up when she saw Ethan or me.

Ethan got up and sat on the floor next to Taytum's bouncer seat that she was laying in, and he smiled at her. "You are such a pretty baby." He said.

Taytum smiled at him. She's seriously such a cute baby.

"Look, dad! She's smiling at you!" Tenley said. She always gets super excited over little things that Taytum does. It's cute.

"She is, isn't she?" Ethan said. Tenley wrapped her arms around Ethan's neck from behind him as he was sitting on the floor, and the two of them admired the baby.

I was admiring all three of them. It felt like this was where I was supposed to be—a mother and wife with the best husband and kids that the world had to offer—and more in the future.

To think that Ethan and I went from being two 17 year old high school seniors who were just young and in love to being a husband and wife with two beautiful daughters, and enjoying life with our family is such a crazy thought. So much has changed in our lives, yet here we are loving each other all the same.

At the end of the day when the kids are asleep, it's him and I against the world.

We're still lucky enough to have Lisa babysit the kids about once or twice a week (and sometimes on the weekends she takes both our girls, and Grayson's daughter).

Two weeks ago I finally reached the six week mark from when I delivered Taytum, so I was cleared to be sexually active again.

Ethan took it slow with me the first couple of times.

I think he was scared that I was going to rip open. He's cute when he's worried about little things like that.

We were slowly getting back into the swing of things, fitting time in for each other when Tenley was at school and the baby was sleeping, or quietly at night while we stuffed pillows in between our bed to limit noises.

I had a form of an IUD put into my arm, so we didn't have to worry about getting pregnant with another baby right away. Our plan was still to wait until Taytum is nine months old.

In all, everything was still amazing in our marriage. The way we take care of each other, love each other, and simply have fun while living life and navigating the world together makes us fall in love more and more everyday.

We truly are partners in crime, and being his wife is my biggest dream come true.

Being a parent with him, and taking care of our family together is the most incredible thing that we get to do together.

Seeing him in his natural habitat as a dad makes me admire him that much more, and I know for a fact that he loves seeing me be a mother to our wonderful daughters.