A glimpse into the home of Alessandro Fanboy by their live-in nanny, Tracey.
I haven't told anyone that I'm pregnant yet. I figure Ryder should be the first to know. I feel like I must be showing, but no one has said anything, not even my friends, so I guess I'm just self conscious.
After his sister, Madelyn, died, fortune-minded Alessandro took the loss better than could have been expected. Amy, who barely knew Madelyn, seemed almost pleased. I guess she was happy for the extra savings. Not that they need money, heavens, with this house! And I have to say I'm paid comfortably plus free room and board. But once I'm showing, will it all change? [What Tracey doesn't know, of course, is that Amy was sad about Jordy's passing, but glad that her secret love affair that produced Giana would be secret forever.]
Giana had those "Fanboy eyes" as everyone likes to say. She's a good kid. Not the hardest worker, but still fun and good to her family. Little Sandro has her mother's plain brown eyes.
Giana started taking violin lessons at school and is coming along quite nicely.
I had Ryder over late one night after the family had gone to bed. I couldn't wait much longer to tell him about the pregnancy. "Ryder, I...I'm pregnant."
"You're what? But we were safe."
"Nothing's fail safe, Ryder."
"...What do you want to do?"
"...I don't know what you mean."
"Do you want to have it?"
"How could I not?"
Ryder had forgotten that abortion doesn't even exist on her island. To Tracey, there was no option. "Nothing, nevermind. Are you sure its mine?"
"You were the only one. Are you angry?"
"How could I be angry, Tracey? I'm just surprised. I feel like I have to move you to my place or marry you, but that's just not where I'm at. Are you okay to stay here?" I am thrilled. I love this house and thought I'd have to leave and go back to my island, amid all the political strife, which was no place to raise a child. But I am confused too. Why doesn't Ryder want to marry me? Doesn't he love me? But it was too much to talk about all at once. I had to be happy with what had been offered to me, work on the rest later.
With us downstairs quietly celebrating with the same action that started the process after Ryder had rescued me from those horrible guerrillas, and Giana sleeping, Alessandro and Amy decided to try for another baby.
How could they not feel in love with that amazing balcony and view just outside their bedroom door?
It wasn't long before I was showing. I knew it wouldn't be.
Ryder came over to tell the family.
He'd been over a lot lately, actually. He said a lot of things god "moved around" at work. But I think he moved them on purpose to be closer to me and his unborn child. Even though he wasn't really the "daddy" type, he was still excited. You could tell. "Ryder, do you want me to tell them? I mean, I'm the one going to cause the inconvenience?"
"Nonsense! This is my doing. I brought you here and hired you for the house. Its on me to tell them. Besides, they LOVE babies. They'll be so excited."
I was relieved. I didn't know how to tell them anyhow.
But just as it was all about to take place, all sitting around the table, Amy made an announcement of her own. Oh, I could tell she was pregnant, but she was showing a lot faster than I had. Probably because I was always running around after Giana while she was working. But still, she glowed. And it was supposed to be my, er, Ryder's announcement anyhow. So Amy burst out with "Guys, I'm pregnant! Giana, you're going to have a baby brother or sister!" We all reacted appropriately, if I was the tiniest bit sullen.
Ryder said "it has to be now" quietly to me and we stood up "Guys, more great news: Tracey is also pregnant!" But Ryder did not claim paternity. He didn't say WE anything. just that I was expecting. I wondered at this but didn't say anything. After all, it wasn't my place to. There was surprise all around and not the joyous hugging that Amy had gotten.
All Amy said was "Well, congratulations. When are you due?" I told her I was 5 months along and she said that she was just two months along, although her size was nearly the same as mine. I made a mental note to decrease the sugars and starches in her diet as she was getting too big.
Time flew and my pregnancy was easy. Ryder was over a lot more often, especially when everyone was at work and late at night. He'd steal into my bed like a welcome thief. One morning, just as Ryder had woken up in my bed and Giana and Amy had just come downstairs, Sandro still asleep in his crib, my water broke in my suite and my labor progressed quickly.
Giana, being my little pal, wanted to stay with me and see the process. Amy was opposed, said she was too young. But Giana's persuasive and I didn't have a problem with it. Good for a young girl to know what to expect later in life. Works as birth control too. Little girl doesn't want to do all that suffering.
I even let her hold him in the hospital. My baby, Nico. He has my eyes and I don't know where that red hair comes from. Ryder said a lot of his family has red hair so maybe its recessive. That's the first he talked about Nico being his since I told him those months ago.
Giana's inquisitive and sharper than anyone gives her credit for. "Uncle Ryder, you've always been around me growing up, right?"
"Sure, Giana. Since you were in your mommy's tummy."
"Right. And you're going to keep being around, right?"
"Yep. I'm your uncle, after all."
"So why don't you marry Tracey? Nico is your baby, right?"
"Uh...I think its about time you got washed up for dinner, Giana."
But there was no denying it. Ryder was head over heels for that little bag of bodily fluids.
I helped Sandro become a toddler, all the while thinking of my own little boy and how soon it would be that he was learning to walk and talk too.
Amy wanted this birth to be in water. She'd been reading some nature magazines about how it was better to have your children swim out of you then be pulled out the old way and how it was easier to clean up and better for the environment and such. So she practiced, big as a moose, if you ask me, in her bathtub, doing her relaxing breaths.
But when the time came, Amy turned on the tub and hot water started flying out of it, soaking everything and making it impossible to use. Good thing she had to go to the hospital. I wouldn't have wanted to clean up that mess - no matter how easy the magazines said it would be.
No wonder she was so big, Amy had twins. Jordan and
Jorge. Named after their deceased grandfather, Jordy.
Nico grew into a hairless toddler. Thankfully, we didn't have to look at that red hair on him. Silly.
Giana was so talented with a telescope - and the family had money enough to let her attach a recorder to it, that she identified a new star and got to name it. That earned her a nice little chunk for her savings account.
The babies' room is being used by the twins.
And the playroom has been changed into a room for the toddlers, Sandro and Nico. Its crowded, but small children never mind cramped conditions.
With two toddlers, there's lots to teach. Amy actually shifted her schedule to take an extra day off each week to be with Sandro. I think she was jealous of my relationship with him, as I'm the primary caregiver. But no matter, with two babies, two toddlers, and active Giana, there's tons to do with homework, cooking, cleaning, playing, diapering, and singing nursery rhymes that another pair of hands is good, no matter their motive.
Sandro and Nico are more like brothers than...what would they be?...Cousins? That is if Ryder says he's the father. Why don't I ask him to do that? Why has no one asked me about Nico's father? Do they assume it was from my past or from the refuge conditions? Has Ryder told them something?
[How cute are these bowls? I never noticed.]
Its always hard when Amy goes to work.
I have twin infants who do not have their needs on the same schedule, so they often cry and wake the other.
I have two active toddlers who need to potty, eat, sleep, and learn.
And I have me, with my needs for sleep and food and relaxation. But I don't get much rest around this house. But that's my job and I have a beautiful safe house to live in, so I don't complain.
And Ryder still comes to help out a lot.
When I saw Amy buy a second bed for the boy's room, I thought she'd let me keep Nico in the room with Sandro once he was old enough to be out of a crib, and turn the babies' room into a room for the twins. But she wanted Sandro to share a room with Jorge
and added a bet in Giana's room (which she was unhappy about) to share with Jordan.
Maybe they can do something with the giant living room they never use. What a waste of space.
But for now Nico just sleeps in my room with me.
We're good pals. He's very sophisticated. Must get that from Ryder.
Giana and Sandro are best buddies. They play together all the time even though Nico and Sandro are closer in age. Giana can be a bit bossy, but she is the oldest.
And of course the twins are inseparable. Named after their grandfather, who always wore a stylish mask, both kids as toddlers were fitted for masks. Jordan's is more full-face
while Jorge's is more traditional.
Once Giana found these shell earrings on the beach, she asked Amy if she could change her look and wear makeup. Amy's a sucker for a little girl - after having Perth turn her back on her as an adult - and agreed. I was glad Giana's new look wasn't too grown up.
Nico and I took silly pictures while shopping in our jammies one night.
Alessandro has a similar one from his college years. But I suppose its in a box somewhere.
Although the only thing over his computer is his diploma.
Giana and Sandro are water babies. Its hard to drag them away from the seashore for dinner.
But I try to make sure everyone in the house has at least one nice meal a day. We talk about the kids, mostly. Its boring, a little, but that's the job of the live-in nanny, I suppose.
At least I feel appreciated each evening when I look over at my bedside at see all the sea glass the kids have collected for me. I'm going to have to start a second bowl soon.
Then his table had not been bussed and still had a ramen bowl on it. He waited another 20 minutes for the waiter to come with some water - no bread - and tell him about the films the restaurant had been featured in. When Leo asked about the bowl, the waiter left saying she would get someone, but 45 minutes later, she did not return.
Leo spoke to a manager, who had been also doing hostess duty that day, and complained about the slow service and dirty table. He didn't expect it was TGIFridays, but still!
She reacted appropriately, but even 20 minutes later, Leo still had no menu. Five plumbobs for this?
Once the family came back from shopping, Leo talked about his dramatic almost-lunch and the family decided that enough was enough and checked out of the hotel early. They stayed at some cheap hotel for the last couple of days of their trip, but it really ruined their vacation.
At least it was pretty, sighed Lakshmi. [Who I have been calling Lakshimi for months]
Leo was so fuming mad when they left. He was just eager to return home, where he could get a decent grilled cheese sandwich.
Robin, too, had missed the comforts of home.
Lakshmi missed Pandy, her womrat. Don't worry, a neighbor had been by to collect the mail and feed the pet!
"Now this is a lunch!" stated a satisfied Leo. Everyone mumbled assent.
Maureen was growing up so fast. Stay-at-home-dad, Leo had noticed Maureen didn't even seem to like to talk about grilled cheese anymore. What the hey? They get so big!
Lakshmi spends some quality time helping Robin gear up for her next promotion. As the primary breadwinner, its important she have the necessary skills for work. Lakshmi's part time job was just pocket money for her, not to help the house.
Leo approached Robin about having another pitter patter of little feet.
"After all, Robin, the kids are so big. I mean, yeah, Lakshmi's adopted, but she's been ours for so long! And she's getting so big. She's nearly off to college, if that's her plan."
"And Maureen's a pre-teen now. Almost a teenager herself. So grown. Expressing her own opinions."
"And you see how good a job I do taking care of the kids - both straight A students, as you know - and the house is always clean, and I even keep up my looks for you. We can handle one more."
"With your successes at work, let's give it a try. I'll keep all the work of it - except the labor part, of course - which I'd gladly do for you if I could."
And they got more than they bargained for. "I wanted one...I got four. And all girls, poor Leo!"
Marianne, Jennifer, Amanda, and Shirley.
All four have those classic Fanboy eyes and dark hair - both parents have black hair.
The refinished attic holds a playroom, bathroom, and sitting area - with extra bottle-filled fridge - on one side.
And a bedroom with changing table and baby bath on the other side. The pink and blue carpet was chosen before the sexes were determined.
Lakshmi helps out a little to give Robin a chance to relax. Four babies is frustrating stuff.
Maureen grew up. She is so enamored with her little sisters that she wants a big family of her own. Leo feels like she's lost in a dream world sometimes, but his little girl still believes in a Prince Charming, and he's not going to burst that bubble for her.
Leo checks in on his big girls before drowning in diapers from his little girls.
