"Thanks so much for coming over again Nick," I said as I handed Nikki over.
"No problem – I was kinda missing these guys anyway," he said as he tickled Nikki. "I know that Howie's been running the club since you can't and well, I figured you could definitely use a hand or two."

I finished getting Jacob into his pajamas and began to straighten up the nursery. "It's amazing how much shit is around this room already and these guys aren't even big enough to play with any of it yet!"
"Been a long day?" Nick asked with a smirk on his face.
"Every day with newborn twins is a long day."
"Well," Nick said looking back and forth between Nikki and Jacob, "these guys seem to be content for the moment. Why don't I take them and you can take a long hot bath and relax?"
I laughed at Nick, "What are you – a glutton for punishment? You know as soon as I'm out of the picture these two will tag-team you."
"That's okay – I'll deal with them," he said. I stared at Nick and debated whether or not to take him up on his offer. "You better go before I change my mind!" he laughed as he pushed me out the nursery door.

I guess it was the feeling of guilt that made me end my bath earlier than I would have liked. I couldn't leave poor Nick with the two of them for much longer. It wasn't fair – they weren't his responsibility. I got out of the bath, threw on my robe and headed down the hall to my bedroom. As I walked by the nursery, I peeked in to see how Nick and the kids were doing. Nick was reading to Jacob and Nikki as they all lay on the floor.

I do not like them in a box,
I do not like them with a fox,
I will not eat them in a house,
I do not like them with a mouse,
I do not like them here or there,
I do not like them ANYWHERE!

Nick must have heard me giggling outside of the door because he stopped reading. I walked into the nursery. "Nick, I think that Dr. Seuss is a little advanced for 4 week olds."
"Yeah well – I like this book," he said as he got up and put it back on the bookshelf.
"Well then finish it!"
"No it was a stupid idea ... you laughed at me!"
"I laughed because it was cute – not because it was stupid."
Nick thought for a second or two before picking the book back up and climbing back on the floor with Jacob and Nikki.

I went into my bedroom and threw on some comfy pajamas. It was almost time to put the kids down for the night and that was usually my best time to get at least a couple hours of sleep. I went back into the nursery when Nick was reading "Horton Hears a Who." "You're really liking those books aren't you?" I laughed.

"Yeah, well, we're bonding."
"Well, how about we bond some more downstairs over a couple of bottles?" I said as I picked up Nikki and headed out the door. Nick followed right behind me with Jacob in his arms.

I just sat down to give Nikki her bottle when the phone rang. I reached over and barely got a hold of the cordless phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey honey! How are you holding up?" Howie asked.
"We're doing okay. Uncle Nick stopped by to say hi and he's been helping me out."
"That's cool – so, it would be okay if I stayed here longer than expected?" Howie inquired.
"Why what's going on?"
"Well...um...Sheila isn't feeling too well and was going to go home...but if you need me to come home, I'll just make someone else stay here."
"No – it's okay. I was about to put the kids down anyway. Tell Sheila I hope she feels better."
"I will. Look I gotta go...um...it looks like something's happening that shouldn't be. Give the kids a kiss goodnight. I'll see ya later baby."
I turned to Nikki and Jacob, "It looks like daddy won't be home to say goodnight so, this is from him." I gave each of them a little kiss on the forehead like Howie does every night.

After Nick and I put the babies into their cribs, we headed back downstairs. "Well, thanks for helping me out Nick. I really appreciate it."
"No problem," he said wandering over to the refrigerator.
"Okay," I thought to myself, "now is the usual time I head to bed...I wonder how long he's going to stay here."
"So...what's Missy been up to? I've been trying to get a hold of her for the last week but she hasn't called me back. Has she been really busy at work or something?" I asked.
"Um... actually she took Patrick to see her mom for awhile," Nick answered, his head still in the refrigerator. "Why do you ask?"
"Oh, I'm just really surprised that she hasn't been over to see the twins yet."
"Well...you know how she gets sometimes." Nick came out of the refrigerator with a couple of beers in his hand. "You look like you could use one."
I laughed at the thought. "You know," I said, "it's been a long time since I had one of these!"

Nick and I ended up splitting a six-pack and talking for half of the night. Apparently he and Missy have been having some problems as of late. He wouldn't go into any details about it, but it was the reason she went to see her mom. Just when I thought Nick was going to start talking about it, Jacob woke up for his middle of the night feeding.

"Oh my god," I said looking at the clock, "I can't believe its one o'clock already." I stood up to go get Jacob and felt my head spin a bit.
"It looks like your tolerance level has shot down," Nick laughed. "Let me go get him. Why don't you go to bed?"
"Nick – he's my son. I can feed him."
"Yeah I know you can, but I'm offering the help so you might as well take me up on the offer." Nick jumped off of the chair and headed upstairs with a bottle.
I laid on the couch and pulled the blanket over me. "I guess a little nap won't hurt."

It was about four o'clock in the morning when Howie woke me up. "Baby," he said shaking me, "what's with all the beer bottles? Tell me that you did not drink all of these last night."
"What? Oh those..." I said trying to focus my eyes on Howie. "Nick stayed for awhile last night and we had a couple of drinks. What time is it?"
"It's four," Howie answered.
"Four?? Oh my god. I didn't feed Nikki," I said jumping off of the couch, the room spinning around me. I grabbed onto Howie to catch my balance.

Howie sat me back down on the couch. "Don't worry – if she was hungry I'm sure that you would heard her!" He headed over to the kitchen and warmed up a bottle. Howie came back into the living room and pulled me off the couch. "Come on, let's get you to bed." Howie dropped me off at our bedroom and headed over to the nursery. I could hear him wake up Nikki and try to give her the bottle. "Come on honey," he said to her, "you gotta eat something...maybe if Daddy sings a bit...that sometimes helps huh? Okay...any requests this evening?"

I was so tired but I loved listening to Howie talk to the babies through the monitor, so I decided to keep myself awake a little bit longer.

She's got a way about her – I don't know what it is
But I know that I can't live without her
She's got a way of pleasin' – I don't know what it is
But there doesn't have to be a reason anywhere
She's got a smile that heals me – I don't' know why it is
But I have to laugh when she reveals me

"Oh come on Nikki!" Howie said with frustration in his voice. "Just take some of this bottle so I can tell mom that you ate."
I was about get up and go into the nursery when I heard someone mumble, "I already fed her."
"What are you still doing here?" Howie asked.
"She won't eat because I already fed her," Nick answered. "Rhonda fell asleep downstairs and when I got done feeding Jacob, Nikki woke up so I fed her. I was tired so I went to sleep in the guestroom. I hope you don't mind."
"Uh...no, I don't mind at all. Thanks for the help...wait a minute - you're telling me that I woke a sleeping baby for nothing?"
Nick laughed at Howie. "I guess you did."
"Great – now how am I going to get her back to sleep?"
"Hand her over," Nick said. A few seconds later, Howie came into the bedroom and changed out of his clothes.
"You're not going to put your little girl to bed?" I asked.
"No – if Nick wants to try to get her to sleep, then let him!"