~May 10, 2003~

"Hey babe, where are you?" AJ called through the house.

He walked around to the kitchen and out to the patio.  Katie was sitting on the swing, her pregnancy book in her lap.

"Babe?" AJ came up next to her.

"Huh?" Katie sat up, a little confused, "I think I fell asleep."

"You feeling okay?" AJ crouched down next to her.

Katie nodded, "Yeah, just tired.  Always tired."

"You're carrying around two babies in there, you should be tired.  Think I can convince you to get up?  I have something to show you."

Katie nodded and put her arms out for AJ to help her up.

"So what do you need to show me?" Katie wobbled into the house behind AJ.

"I've been working on this in my free time," AJ began.

"Free time?  They've got you guys working so much I didn't think you had any free time."

"That's what you think.  We've been sneaking in to do this while you thought we were working."

"We?  So the guys were helping, too?"

AJ nodded, "And Kris and Leigh helped a lot, too.  But it's finally finished."

He led her through the house and up to the spare bedroom that was right next to their room.

"So what is it?" Katie grinned, knowing exactly what it was.

"Wait here for just a second.  And cover your eyes," AJ instructed then cracked the door open and slipped inside.

Katie stood in front of the closed door, hands over her eyes, waiting impatiently.  She heard the door open several seconds later, and felt AJ's hand on her arm.

"Okay, take a few steps forward."

"This isn't easy to do with this belly," Katie complained.

"You'll be fine.  Okay stop there.  Ready?  Open."

Katie dropped her hands to her sides and her eyes widened.  It was gorgeous.  And standing off to the side of the room was the whole group.  Everyone had been finishing up so they would be able to show Katie.

"Oh wow guys, it's amazing!" Katie teared up as she stepped further into the new nursery.

She ran her fingers over the soft yellow walls and noticed the detail put into the beautiful paintings.  Beautiful trees were painted from floor to ceiling, flowers and butterflies and bees scattered throughout.  She moved over to the wall holding the cribs.  Identical white cribs sat side by side, bedding to match the walls.

It was perfect.  More than Katie had imagined it could be.

"I love it you guys.  Thank you so much!"

Katie continued exploring the wonderful nursery.  Diapers were set up in the changing table.  A rocking chair was placed at the window.  All of the baby clothes they'd received as gifts as well as the clothes Katie had bought herself were neatly folded in the drawers or hung in the closet.  All the room needed was her two beautiful babies.

AJ walked over to Katie, resting his hand on her belly.

She giggled, "They're kicking again."

Everyone smiled.

"They kick whenever they hear you, harder when you touch my belly."

AJ puffed out his chest, "That's cause their daddy is awesome."

*****

"Have you guys picked out names yet?" Kristin asked.

Katie, Kristin and Leighanne were sitting on the patio of their favorite restaurant for their weekly lunch.  The girls had gossiped about everything and now was time to get to business.

"Yeah, I don't think these babies are going to have names," Katie frowned.

"Well you need to put a stop to Nick's names for them.  Soon," Leighanne laughed.

Katie grinned, "Yeah, I think if we keep calling them Seamonkey one and Seamonkey two..."

"They'll get complexes," Kristin began to laugh, "Which one is which?"

Katie shrugged, "I don't think Nick knows, how the hell should I know?"

"Seriously though...any thoughts?"

"I don't know.  We can't seem to agree.  I keep getting different things.  One book says to make their names different-they are two different people, and another will say to link them somehow.  I think we decided we want them to start with the same letter, but that's making it harder I think."

"Okay, so what do you have then?" the girls got really into it.  They were determined to rid these babies of the name Seamonkey.

"I suggested Alexander James Junior, but Alex wasn't sure he wanted a junior."

"That surprises me.  I thought every guy wanted their son to be named after them."

"I don't know.  He's a guy, I can't get his logic sometimes.  So I suggested James, and then Jessica for a girl.  Hmm, what else...Hayley and Hayden, Charlotte and Christian...I don't know."

"Are those one's you're discussing?"

"Not really.  He shot down Hayley and Hayden.  And he doesn't like Christian."

"Men.  We'll get something settled."