Again

Baby No. 3

January 3, 2010

Janet had been in pain since midday, but it was bearable, and her water hadn't broken yet. She took a walk on the beach after trying to eat but she wasn't hungry. Toni walked with her, when they came back, they went to take showers. As Janet was getting in the shower her water finally broke, luckily, she had just stepped in the shower. Toni turned around when she heard water that wasn't the shower.

"About damn time, Aaliyah it's time to get out of Mama." Janet said talking to her stomach.

"Babe do you want to stay in the shower or get out?"

"I wanna stay in. I'm not in much pain right now. We can call everybody when we get out." Toni washed herself and her wife then rinsed off and left the shower. She brought Janet her towel and robe.

When Erykah got to the house three hours later Janet had dilated to six centimeters. She was in pain but not nearly as much as she when she had Serenity. When her mother and Momma E got there two hours after Erykah she was already at eight centimeters. It seemed as if Aaliyah wanted out sooner rather than later. Her labor was progressing fast she and Toni were both anxious. This time she wasn't cursing Toni out either. For some reason Janet was just really calm. She walked the long hallway in their house until she began to get feelings as if she had to push.

She got into the tub and the water was soothing to her contracting muscles. Toni got into the water with Janet and just rubbed her back. Janet was now fully dilated and on the next contraction Erykah told her to start pushing. Toni held her legs like Janet did when she had Denim. Janet pushed until Aaliyah came out and blessed their ears with her cries. She was very vocal but once she was placed on Janet's chest she calmed down.

Aaliyah Neveah Braxton-Jackson graced their world with her presence on January 3, 2010 weighing 8lbs even and 20 inches. After Erykah cleaned her up, Aaliyah was laid on Janet again and she just looked around. When Toni held her for the first time, she just looked at her Mommy and tried to snuggle closer. Like before most of the family was there, they all got a few seconds to hold Aaliyah. Aaliyah was named after their good friend Aaliyah who died not too long after her and Toni's commitment ceremony. Aaliyah was kind and gentle spirit a quality that both Toni and Janet hoped that their Aaliyah would have.

By ten pm all of the people who had come to witness the birth of Aaliyah had gone home. Janet and Toni were looking at their daughter in amazement already they could tell that she would be different from Serenity. Serenity kept peeking at the baby wondering about her. Denim had come into his mothers' room and just sat with them. Erykah would be staying the night with them just to make sure all went well. Denim got to hold his new little sister and she wrapped her little finger around his. Serenity sat with Toni as she held the baby and allowed Serenity to look at her. Just that quick they went from a family of four to five. The two women felt blessed beyond measure.

Many gifts had arrived before and after the birth of Aaliyah. As with Denim and Serenity, Aaliyah would want for nothing. Missy would be Aaliyah's godmother, it wouldn't be right for her not to be, and Gil was godfather to all the Braxton-Jackson clan. The women quickly adjusted to life with three children. They had learned to work out a schedule for themselves and they stuck to it. There were definitely days when it didn't go right but they just went with the flow.

----New Opportunities

Everything in the Braxton-Jackson household was beginning to return to their new normal. The Jackson family was still healing from the death of Michael. The Braxtons were being approached about a family reality show and both Toni and Janet were recording new music. About two months after the birth of Aaliyah, Janet received a very unexpected call.