Dear Babysitter, ("sister")

My name is Jill.  I am 4 years old.  Are you nice? I have lots of toys for you when you come to my home but only the ones I tell you, ok?  I hope your name is Chrysanthemum.  I hope you are nice.

Your great big sister,

Jill Marie Halpert

Dictation taken by James Duncan Halpert

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wednesday 10:27 am

Scranton Business Park

Dunder-Mifflin, Scranton

Pam wasn't in the mood for this.  

She was dead tired from her early morning stint as Martha Stewart, the pressure in her lower half was building, and after dropping Jill off at pre-school this morning she felt like a terrible mother. 

Jill had actually cried when they'd dropped her off.  It hadn't been for show either. The tears had been those big, fat, clinging kind. They'd slid down her little pink cheeks as she'd begged them to stay or -

"Mama please take me with you...Pleeeeeaaaase."

Pam's Achilles Heel...Mama

Jill had never cried about getting dropped off at school.  She hadn't even cried the first time they'd taken her. She and Jim had cried, but Jill hadn't.  She'd loved school from very the start.

Jim had tried his best to reassure Pam as they'd driven away with Jill's pitiful pleas ringing in their ears.

"Pam she's fine...Better than fine - you know that.  We can't keep giving in to everything she wants. We're going to drive ourselves crazy eventually...I mean we already are - and we're not doing her any favors in the long run.  Leaving her there just now was the right decision..."

She'd just nodded and dabbed at her eyes with the sleeve of her cardigan because she was a terrible mother and what was she doing have another child anyway?  Had they been crazy?  What had made them think that this was the right time?

Of course, Pam had kept all of those sudden, nagging questions to her self, even as Jim had taken his right hand off the wheel and rubbed her shoulder for a moment.

"We'll call in an hour or so, just to make sure she's ok...Ok?"

More sniffling and nodding on her end.

True to his word, he'd called the pre-school director an hour later. Also true to his word, Jill had indeed been fine - more than fine.  According to the teacher's report, she'd been leading a parade of some kind in and out of the playhouse, at the time of their call. Using a plastic hotdog bun for a baton.

It reminded her of box of paper snow shoe races called Flonkerton, and origami doves.

She was just so...their's.

That thought sent the roller coaster on Pam's emotional track, careening towards guilt once more. How could she be thinking negative thoughts about having another baby when Jill had brought them nothing but ridiculous levels of joy?

However, as with most roller coaster rides, it began the trek once more - as soon as she sat down to work.

She wasn't in the mood for this today.

"Dwight," Pam said, slowly leaning away from her computer.  "Please don't send me anymore links like this.  I'm not having my baby in a pig pen."

"That is not a pig pen, Pam.  That is a horses' stable...And for your information, the Schrutes have been giving birth in stables for over one hundred years.  We believe that it helps children become one with their environment from the moment they enter the world.  They learn wilderness skills that are essential to survival. If more women did it, American society wouldn't be so hopelessly behind."

"Well I don't plan on leaving my baby in the wilderness, Dwight...so..."

Pam tried to click out of the website, but it wouldn't close. She shifted her mouse and clicked four times in a row...Nothing. Her patience was absolutely shot and it wasn't even lunch time.  She really should have stayed home and played Candyland.

Dwight leaned back in his seat.  "You never know what could happen Pam.  A meteor could strike you and then where would you be?"

"Well..." She sighed, still clicking on that stupid little red ‘x' in the corner. "There's always Jim."

"Oh Pam," Dwight said, as if speaking to a small child, "As if you and Jim are ever apart. You work together, you live together, you drive here together. There's a very high likelihood that the meteor would strike you both - killing the two of you instantly."

It was because she was already on edge, already emotional, already uncomfortable and already just...not in the mood that the thought settled in her chest like a rock.  No, not the thought of a meteor - she hadn't completely lost her mind.  But, the idea that something could happen to both her and Jim suddenly seemed very real. They were always together.  Maybe they at least needed to start taking separate cars to work or something.

You're being ridiculous. Stop it. It's just been a long morning that's all. You're overtired.

Pam pressed her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose for a moment before she spat, "Dwight, exactly how high is the likelihood that even one of us will be hit by a meteor? Do you know the stats on that?"

"That's," Dwight faltered, taken aback by the harshness of her tone. "Neither here nor there."

Pam shifted uncomfortably in her chair.  The pressure built low in her belly and she found herself wishing she could put her feet up on something - anything. 

Then there was the website from Hell that just wouldn't go away. The image of a woman, completely spread eagle in the hay with a baby's head plainly crowning between her legs. With a deep frown, Pam clicked her mouse violently - about five times in rapid succession.

"Uh, I know you haven't been a salesman long Pam, but even you should know that's not good for a computer and if you damage company property then I'll be forced to -

Pam pushed herself up in exasperation while Dwight created some sort of made up consequence befitting her crime.  She blocked out the rest of what he was saying, and tried her best to physically lift her belly as she waddled towards Jim's office.

Just a little relief from the pressure...even if just for a moment.

Jim looked up as soon as she leaned against the frame of his open door, her hands still laced beneath her belly, lifting.

"Hi."

"Hey," she sighed heavily. "Is there anyway you could call our IT guy out today?...My computer's doing that thing again and I might have to kill Dwight."

Jim's eyes widened at the prospect. "If I don't call the IT guy, will you kill Dwight?...Because now I feel like I need to weigh my options."

Her head fell to the side against the door frame and he figured maybe now wasn't the time for jokes.

"I'll ask Erin to call him...Did you try restarting it though because it always used to do the same exact thing to me and -

Somewhere between the words ‘restart' and ‘same exact thing' her eyes pooled with tears.

Uhoh, Jim thought.  He stood up quickly. "Nope...yep...Calling the IT guy."

Pam slowly started to follow him out of his office when Michael's voice came booming through the bullpen.

"Oh my God!  WOW! Wooow!"

Jim turned just in time to see Pam glare at him. The glare clearly saying, See? If you would have just listened to me in the first place...

"Ok...to be fair," Jim said whispering to her, "The IT guy couldn't have gotten here that fast, even if I'd done it immediately."

That statement however, was only met with more glaring and he knew it had been the wrong thing to say. Halfway out of his mouth it had been the wrong thing, but so far he hadn't developed the ability to reverse time.

"Rewind," Jim said with a grin. "Just...Making it go away now."

"Jim did you see this?" Michael was saying as Jim came to a stop in front of Pam's computer. "How will you ever even look at her the same?"

"Ok," Jim said waving him off. "You know what Michael? I think we should play a game where we just pretend this picture isn't even here," Jim said waving a hand in front of the monitor. "You're good at pretending right? Let's improv...let's just improv that this is all gone."

Dwight rolled his eyes. "Good one Jim, what's the fun in that game?"

Jim swallowed hard and glared at Dwight. "Will you stop?"

Michael still stood transfixed. "Pam how on Earth are you going to do that? Is that what you did with Jill?...God, I'd rather die then go through that."

Dwight sighed in boredom. "Women have been doing it for centuries, Michael...It's no big deal.  My mother had me in the middle of a field....Also, since Pam's done it before - chances are this baby will just slip right out of her.  The muscles down there are real loose now."

Jim watched Pam zone out. Watched her eyes focus on some imaginary spot on the wall, the way they always did when she desperately wanted to not be there.

She'd once told him that when she first started at Dunder-Mifflin she feared her eyes would go permanently cross-eyed because she'd stare until her focus would start to blur; funny colors starting to swim like paint on a canvas.  It was comforting.

Michael looked at her in fascination. "Is that true, Pam? Wow...Maybe you should just have it here then? I mean do you even need a doctor for that? Dwight you've delivered a lot of farm animals, right?...This would be great for the documentary...Right guys?" Michael said turning to the camera crew then.

Jim glanced at Pam, gauging how much she had left in her, gauging whether her eyes had gone cross-eyed.  It was time to save the receptionist - even though she wasn't the receptionist anymore.

"Erin please call the IT guy now - tell him it's an emergency...."

"Absolutely. I'm on it Jim," Erin said with a chipper smile. She picked up the phone immediately.

"What emergency?" Kevin said, on his way out of the break room. He walked towards them with a donut in his hand.

"Nothing to see here Kev," Jim said crisply, glancing at the ticking time bomb that was his wife.

Meredith turned in her chair. "Pam, don't even worry about it...Dwight's actually right for once. Second kid...no problem - you barely even feel it.  It's just about the same level of sensation you had when you got pregnant in the first place, believe me."

Oscar leaned back in his chair, and glanced at Meredith. "Meredith, you only have one kid."

"What emergency?" Kevin repeated slightly more adamantly as he bit off another piece of powdered donut.  A few sprinkles fell on the carpet as he got closer. 

Jim took a deep breath. "Nothing Kev. Just -

Meredith smiled at Oscar, "That's what you think, honey."

Angela folded her arms across her chest behind Oscar. "Pam's baby probably will just slip out...And not just because it's her second child."

Kevin's crumbs fell from his mouth and onto her keyboard. "What emergen -...Holy Mother of God..."

It all seemed to happen like a train wreck. A train wreck that finally forced Pam out of the room.

"I'm going to lunch now," she said abruptly walking towards the break room.

Jim licked his lips and watched her leave.

"Uh...it's not lunch time yet, Pam," Dwight said. "You can't just take a lunch whenever you want because you're carrying the co-manager's lovechi -

"Hey - shut up," Jim said suddenly bending down so that his face was mere inches from a sitting Dwight's.

Dwight sat back in his chair, visibly stunned as Jim straightened to his full height.  He'd never heard that particular tone before.

Jim couldn't think of a time he'd heard himself sound that way, actually. He tugged at his tie and looked from one person to another in the bullpen, "Hey...guys...Listen - Play nice today...ok? I'm serious."

Total silence fell upon the office. 

Awkwardly, Jim glanced at Erin.  Her eyes were wide, waiting for her next instruction or waiting for him to blow.  He took a deep breath. "Erin make sure the IT guy is on his way, ok?"

"Absolutely, Jim. I'll call him again just in case," Erin said nodding quickly

.

It was Creed who grabbed his shoulder as he walked towards the break room.  Creed of course - not intimidated at all. His voice a creepy old whisper, "I have explosives in my car if you need ‘em man.  Just say the word and we end this place."

Jim just stared at him for a moment, blankly; his eyes wide and scared. "That's...no."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Breakroom

Pam's relief had lasted all of twenty seconds before Kelly had came in under the guise of wanting to buy Peanut Butter cups from the vending machine...but now she wanted to talk.

And Pam, wanted to die.

"So have you and Jim even decided on a name yet?" Kelly asked incredulously. Her high, chipper voice made Pam's head hurt.

Or maybe that was the website.  Or Dwight. .Or Michael.  Or Kevin...

Or the baby pressing firmly against her.

Something was giving her a headache.

Little Baby Whatshername picked that moment to do a floating backflip and Pam gripped the side of the counter so that she wouldn't spill her hot tea all over the place.

I don't want to listen to Kelly either Baby, but she does happen to be a very reliable babysitter...so let's just push through, ok?

"Um...yeah....we have a few in the running," Pam said quietly. "Nothing definite though." 

Why hadn't she just listened to her daughter and stayed home?

"Pam, you have to tell me!  I can help you figure it out. I am really good at naming babies...You should have asked me when you were naming Jill...I mean not that it's a bad name or anything. It's just...super plain.  I think you should name your new little girl, Lady Gaga.  It's perfect because it's a first name and a middle name and it already sounds like it's a name for a baby...Gaga," Kelly added when it looked like maybe Pam didn't understand.

Pam bit her bottom lip.  You can either just nod or you could figure out a way to vent some frustration right now.

"Um...Jim and I are actually thinking of names like Martha...or Helga...You know, good strong names like that."

"Oh my God  - gross."

Jim walked in just in time for Kelly's input.  She spun around as if to plead with him to see reason. "Jim are you seriously gonna let her name your second born something that fugly? I thought you loved your kids."

Jim frowned, feigning ignorance. "What were the choices again, Pam?"

Pam bit into a carrot stick. "Martha...or Helga."

"Oh," Jim said nodding then as if he'd just forgotten. "Helga definitely...I'm not sure why she wants Martha...But I don't really get involved in that at all...so...whatever."

"Oh my God you guys are hopeless.  Honestly? You should really be thinking about like five other names anyway to go with that terrible name because seriously it looks like you guys are having like five more babies."

Pam's eyes met Jim's over Kelly's head.  Jim's eyes widened to the size of saucers.  She wasn't even mad though.  She was sort of just resigned to this being the most terrible day in a host of some truly terrible days during her time at Dunder-Mifflin.

"Actually," Pam began. "We haven't told anybody yet but I'm the new Octo-Mom.  Jim and I didn't want to be judged so...you know - we kept it quiet. But...there you have it - we wanted you to be the first to know. So you just saved us a lot of time."

Kelly stared at them both in horror. "I'm kidnapping Jill one day...You two are so completely jacked."

With that she left the room in a huff.  Jim leaned against the fridge, folded his arms across his chest and smiled at his wife from across the room. "You are so jacked... Why are you alienating one of our most reliable baby-sitters?"

Pam giggled. Bone-tired or not, he was still the best person to have around on a day like this. "I don't know...Let's just use Lauren-Elisabeth."

Jim sat down next to her, watching her eyes close. "Ok...whatever you say."

She sighed and seemed to sink further down into her chair.

"Hey," he said taking her hand in his, atop of the table. "I have an idea - why don't you go home? Take the rest of the week off."

She looked at him but didn't say anything.  It was the oddest sort of Catch-22.  She wanted - with everything in her being - to not be here anymore.  Yet, going home, meant thinking about all the crazy changes that would be happening in a matter of a week.

"I know you said you wanted to try and work as long as possible, but...I mean...enough is enough, right?" Jim said then.  "Do you really want to continue be around these people? Feeling the way you're feeling? I think you might actually kill someone...I mean I just yelled at them - and you know about me and yelling."

Pam smiled at him but then said, "I feel like I might drive myself crazy at home."

"Well at least at home you'd be the only crazy one."

Jim slid his finger along the tan line that her wedding ring had left behind, weeks prior.  She wore the simple band as well as her engagement ring, around her neck now. Her fingers had long since given up the fight of wearing rings. 

"Come on," he said trying to coax her. "That way I won't have to explain to Jill why Mommy ended up in jail tonight." 

"I could give birth in prison," Pam said grinning. "That'd be a funny story."

"Awesome," Jim said, still weaving his fingers through hers.

She sighed again. "I guess I'm just feeling a little...weird today, and a lot pregnant....and..." she paused for a moment. "Sort of like I've been riding a bike all day long."

Jim's smile was instantaneous and it seemed to grow exponentially larger as the seconds ticked by. A bike.

"Seriously?" He asked grinning.

Refusing to smile back at him, no matter how giddy he looked, she nodded. "Yes, seriously."

He couldn't stop grinning.  They were the exact same words she'd said to him last time.  Last time, three days before Jill was born.  Maybe they were a little ahead of schedule this time.

Pam finally burst. "Ok listen, it could still be awhile! Don't get all giddy! Besides, this isn't great news! This means that in a few days I'm going to look like that lady in Dwight's pig pen picture!...And neither of our parents are available to get down here by tomorrow, so...stop.  We kind of need this baby to wait till the weekend at least."

Jim grinned some more and brought the back of her hand up to his mouth, kissing it.  All he could think was, happy. 

He took a deep breath and found her eyes. "Alright Beesly, as your boss I demand that you go home - put your feet up for what could be your last day of uninterrupted rest and make me a playlist."

"What?"

"I've been asking for a playlist for over a month and you've always been too busy. So...go home, I want a Labor and Delivery playlist to me by the time I arrive home at 5:30...5:00," he said correcting himself.  Then he glanced at his watch again, "4:45...4:30...paternity leave - early."

"I don't know -

"Quit stalling, Beesly.  Go home - no more excuses."

"How are you gonna get home?"

"I'll tell Dwight to expect a complete Disadulation tomorrow morning if he doesn't drive me...I think he's a little scared of me now...I kind of got in his face."

"That's sexy."

"Really Beesly? Because that's what got you into this mess in the first place."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Little Baby,

I know that lately I've been sort of quiet, and that you're used to hearing me talk to you more often.  I'm sorry about that.  I've just been a little overwhelmed thinking about your arrival.  I know that everything will be fine. More than fine because you're already perfect and we already love you so much.  Daddy and I are super excited about you coming.  It may seem like Daddy's more excited than me...but that's not true. He's just that way and I'm my way, but both of our ways is to love you more than anything in the world.

I really can't wait to meet you,

Mommy

3:10 pm Wednesday

The Halpert Residence

Jim paused on his way up the drive, hearing the unmistakable sound of Jill's laughter come from inside the house.  He shook his head.  He should have known that sending Pam home to relax meant that she'd pick Jill up from pre-school on the way. 

He should have known that he'd come home to this: laughter and the sweet smell of something chocolate...Jill and Pam's girl time almost always resulted in something chocolate.

He pushed his key inside the lock and before he even stepped over the threshold -

"Daddy!"

A whirling ball of energy came barreling towards him.  Bright, and pink, and frosted from cheek to fingertip, she leapt into his arms before he even had his messenger bag all the way off his shoulder.

Pam waddled behind her as quickly as she could, "Oh, Beanie let's wash your hands before you get Daddy all -

"Frosted?" he finished, as Jill left a streak of pink frosting zipping it's way along the gray of his jacket.  It was time to take this suit to the cleaners anyway, right?  Hell, maybe he wouldn't need a suit for about a week or so.  Maybe he wouldn't be leaving this house for awhile.  The thought made him smile.  He reached up to swipe at some of the frosting on her cheek. "What flavor is that?"

"Pink Daddy."

Pam grinned at him. "Pink Jim. It's Pink flavored."

"How did I not know about this flavor before?" He said swiping some of Jill's cheek again.

Pam shrugged, as Foxy ran a loop around her.  A dash of pink streaked its way across his nose.

Jill was showing Jim a mini-cupcake she'd made for "Baby Chrys". The cupcake in it's half-eaten form was really just a large crumb in a cupcake liner though.  She mentioned once more that it was for "Baby Chrys". 

That was their Jill - just practicing a bit of mind control in the afternoon.  Jim had to hand it to her though,  she wasn't really so far off the mark.  Just the night before he'd dreamt that they had indeed named the baby Chrysanthemum and that Andy had run around her doing leaps like a ballerina. It had been so weird.

"Yes, it's for Baby," Pam said a bit of tongue in cheek. "But Jill wanted to taste it. You know - just to check."

"Oh yeah...totally.  Thanks for checking on that, Jill-o."

Jill nodded, completely unaware of any trace of sarcasm. "You're welcome."

"There's still some sprinkles left though...and that's what counts," Jim said, looking at all the left over red sprinkles in the cup...and the ones on his jacket... and the ones on the floor, and the ones in Foxy's fur.

Foxy who seemed to be hovering near Pam's feet anytime she moved an inch.

The Sprinkle Queen wiggled in Jim's arms and he bent to let her down. She went running back to the kitchen.  "Mommy come on, let's make one for Auntie and Grammy and Grampy B, and..."

Her voice trailed off because she'd rounded the corner into the kitchen. She'd just sort of expected that they could still hear her.

"So...I'm confused," Jim said, finally pulling off his jacket and messenger back. He hung them up on the wrack near the door and then turned back to Pam. "Coming home and relaxing now involves cupcakes?...Pretty sure I gave you an assignment...aaand now you failed."

Pam maneuvered herself so she might be folded up inside his embrace (a challenging feat to say the least). Jim laughed at how awkward they were as she looked up at him. "I just wanted to spend the afternoon with her...and she initiated cupcakes for the baby.  Jim...it's her very first goodwill gesture. How could I say no?"

"You felt guilty."

She smiled. "Maybe a little...Shut up," she said when he grinned at her. "What are you doing home anyway? I thought you said 4:30."

He shrugged, and ran his hands through her hair.  He kissed her forehead. "I didn't want to be there anymore. Wanted to be here with you...With both of you," he said jutting his chin towards the kitchen, "And this one too," he added softly, stepping back for a moment to put his hand on Pam's belly.

Pam pulled him towards the kitchen, as Foxy followed behind them. "Come help us finish cupcakes."

"Duh, Pam. Obviously."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

8:22 p.m.

Jim glanced at Pam, seeing her wince once again out of the corner of his eye. "The Bicycle" as they were now referring to it, had intensified as the day had worn on.  By sundown she seemed to be in a fair amount of discomfort...she swore, however that she was not having contractions. This was a completely different kind of sensation.  

Now, he caught her acting as if she weren't feeling any discomfort what so ever.   Training his eyes back on the TV, Jim turned up the volume to drown out the rain coming down outside.

"How's it goin' over there Bees?"

Pam sighed and let her head fall against the heel of her hand.  "Are you trying to make me wish I didn't tell you?"

He muted the TV. "We could just go to the hospital...I mean it is an option."

"Jim you're right - it is an option. It's an option for women in labor not for women like me who aren't in labor and won't be until about this time next week.

"Oh...great.  Thanks for clearing that up.  I thought the constant shifting around on your side of the couch over there and frown lines...I thought that was labor - but...Who am I?"

"It's jut a sensation," Pam said for the thirtieth time that evening.

Jim shrugged. "Sensation, Denial...Potato, Potahto" 

Pam smirked as Jim aimed the remote control back at the TV.  He started to turn the volume back up but then dropped his hand back to his lap, "I just really think -

"Will you stop? I can't effectively mock the Bachelor with you yapping about labor!" Pam spat, being as quiet as she could be, since Jill was sleeping on top of her like a throw blanket.

Jim sighed and lifted the remote. They did enjoy a good reality show mocking.  It was kind of their thing.  Sometimes they'd save up episodes (like they had tonight) just to be able to mock at a marathon pace.

He knew he should have been thinking the same way Pam was - willing the baby not to come until next week - given that his parents were visiting his brother's family in Boston this week and her mother had gone on some kind of women's retreat.  If they went to the hospital now, chances were they'd have to take Jill with them.

As if on cue, Jill's Princess Unicorn nightgown twisted around her even more when she maneuvered herself so that her head was on Pam's thigh. 

He glanced up at Pam again and stared for a moment. 

"What?" Pam asked, apparently feeling his gaze. "Quit staring at me. I'm not in labor."

Jim ignored her and rose from the couch.  Maneuvering past Foxy who'd parked himself in front of Pam's side of the couch.   If Jim was one of those people that thought dog's had a sixth sense he'd definitely think that Foxy knew something that Pam didn't.  He was not normally this clingy of a dog.

"Want me to take her up?" Jim asked gesturing towards Jill.

Pam waved him off.  Her voice no more than a whisper,  "No, no...It's ok...Besides if she hears thunder she's just going to come looking for us anyway......Gosh, look how peaceful she looks."

Jim smiled and sat back down. "Peaceful and heavy...You sure you don't want me to put her in bed?"

"It may be one of the last times she gets to be this close for such a long period of time, you know?...It's ok."

Jim sat back down as Pam, combed her fingers through Jill's hair.

"So sweaty when she sleeps...just like Daddy."

He let his head fall back on the couch and grinned at her for a moment.   

Pam rubbed her belly. "I hope this one looks more like you."

"I don't know Beesly," he said gently tugging on one of Jill's toes. "I think I like what we did with this first one. Why go fixing something that's not broken?"

"I'm an artist Jim...I need versatility."

"Oh hey!" Jim said suddenly, and when Pam shushed him, he lowered his voice. "I have an idea...How about you use some of that creativity on coming up with a name, Pam? We can't very well call our kid Whatshername all her life."

"I know," Pam said laughing softly. "We suck."

"You suck."

"Well," Pam said smiling, "If you'd just agree with me, then we'd have a name by now."

"Oh. I'm the problem?"

"Yeah."

"No," Jim said grinning at her.  "This is totally your fault. You hate every name I come up with, and may I remind you that it was me who came up with Jill."

"Um...that was a joint effort."

"No. I will take credit...forever...And now you're just holding up the process."

Pam's mouth fell open in shock.  "Listen, I'm sorry I don't think we can name our child Lily, given that it will automatically be shortened to Lil, by everyone and then we'll have Jill and Lil and that will be ridiculously cheesy and Jill already has a case of the green eyed monster for a child that's not even born yet...We can't set this kid up for immediate failure...Besides, we'll just...know when we meet her," Pam finished.

Jim sighed and moved close enough to pull Pam's feet into his lap.  "Whatever, Beesly...Ok...let's think about this...What about going back to the A's again?"

"Yeah...we sort of both liked A's," Pam said, sighing a bit as Jim began to rub her feet.

"I could probably get you to do anything I wanted right now."

"Diabolical," Pam said with a smile.

"Amy?"

"Yeah...I like Amy...."

"But then there was April too. We liked April....Ava?"

"Too trendy."

"Hmm...Allie?"

"But aren't we like...obligated to name her Allison if you do Allie? That's why I don't like Allison. I like it for an adult, but I don't like it for a baby."

"You are so weird," Jim said rolling his eyes. "What does it matter?"

"It matters," Pam said through grit teeth.

Jim chuckled and his voice emerged hoarse, "No. That's weird."

"No, it's not. It's like naming a baby Dexter.  It's fine for an adult, but not for a little bitty baby, Jim."

"Um...it's fine if your baby is a police officer/serial killer....not really sure what we're talking about anymore."

"See, this is why we can't do this." Pam said shaking her head. "We shouldn't be allowed to procreate."

Jim laughed again. "Let's just wait till she comes out. We'll know then."

Pam rolled her eyes. "I just said that."

Silence lingered between them as Jim continued to massage her feet. Tiredly, Pam let her drop to the back of the couch as Jim used both thumbs to push into the soft skin at the bottom of her foot. She moaned loudly in appreciation.

His eyes went wide at the sound.  "Wow...That good?"

"You don't know how good....Better than anything," she said when his fingers really dug in.

"That's not insulting at all."

Pam looked up at him. "It's still you that's doing it. You should feel flattered...You're multi-talented in the art of pleasuring me."

In spite of a facial expression that clearly said, ‘gross,' Jim continued his massage, eliciting the same sounds...and a languid stretch.

He bit his bottom lip at the sight.  She was ridiculously pregnant, and he knew enough to know that she wouldn't want to do anything remotely sexual tonight, but all the sounds and the stretching weren't helping matters any.

"Speaking of um...doing it," he said then.

"Who was speaking of that, Jim? I don't remember anyone actually -

"I mean shouldn't we just make this baby get going the old fashioned way?"

When she looked up at him she was giggling. "The old-fashioned way? What are you a doctor now?"

"I just remember that they recommended that with Jill...that's all. Some people listen when they go to the doctor, Pam.  You should try it sometime."

She continued to smile at him, disbelief written on her face. "Well, Jill was late, Jim. This baby is on schedule so far...So, you know... No need for anything ‘old-fashioned'."

Jim shrugged. "Ok but...isn't slightly early always better though? I mean don't they say that about everything Pam?  Get to class slightly early? Get to work slightly early...We'll be teaching her something she needs to know.  An important life skill, Pam. You want her to get a job right? Succeed?"

Pam grinned. "Wow...is this where Jill gets it from?  This uncanny ability to make up rationales? Twist facts to suit her own purpose?...Are you happy she learned that from you or..."

"I'm just saying it's important...that's all."

"No, that's ok.  I don't want to teach her any life skills. That's dumb."

"You are a horrible mother."

"I know...sorry," Pam finished with a casual shrug.

"Well...Anyway...I was just thinking that...you know practically...once the baby comes we'll have to wait like...six whole weeks...so...

Pam let Jill's locks fall through her fingers.  "Actually it was more like nine weeks last time because I didn't want you anywhere near me."

"Oh. Yeah. That's...thank you...I remember now,"  Jim said with a slight smile. "Your memory is amazing."

"Anytime," Pam said through a yawn.

He shook his head.. "It was a long time..."

Pam grinned at him lovingly. "No Monopoly for awhile, my friend..."

"Not even Park Place?"

"Not even."

Pam yawned then, and watching her - he did too. "We should go to bed.  We won't be having - playing Monopoly or getting any sleep soon."

Pam nodded quickly. "That's true."

"Oh, so the offer of sleep you're ok with?"

Pam giggled as Jim rose.  He lifted Jill up and into his arms effortlessly, but groaned none the less.  "What are we feeding her?...Whatever it is, we should stop."

As he disappeared up the stairs, Pam maneuvered herself to an upright position on the couch and knew that now it felt more like she was sitting on a baseball, than riding a bike.  She took a deep breath as she stood.  She wasn't having a baby tonight.

Lying down in bed would be much better.  Now if she could only get there...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

12:38 a.m.

It was just after midnight and Jim's turn to be sleepless in Scranton.  He had his own things to finish before the baby came and though it had nothing to do with baking large pans of Lasagna, it was important none the less, if not as practical.

He waited for Pam to fall asleep and then quietly got out of bed, opening his nightstand drawer to pull out the two journals he'd been completely negligent about writing in lately.  He let his eyes adjust to the dark before he moved out into the hall and then downstairs to the kitchen table.  

With his laptop set up next to him, he set about creating a Labor playlist for Pam - the one she hadn't worked on tonight.  In the mean time, as the rain began to pelt the roof above him, he opened Jill's journal and began to write.

Dear First Baby Girl,

I'm so excited to see you as a big sister.  I think you're going to be so, so GREAT.  Lately, when I see you I can't help but think about what it was like when we first brought you home.  You were the sweetest, tiniest little baby and you're still the sweetest thing I've ever seen.  But not so tiny anymore.  I feel old just THINKING this phrase, but "Where did the time go?"

I remember thinking that it was impossible that something so incredible had come from me. Everyday though you remind me that you're a little bit more like your mommy than you are me, but that's good.  I'm pretty sure that's why you and I get along so well.  You've turned into this little person with a unique personality, and you're just so smart. You keep mommy and I are on our toes, and you're funnier than either one of us.  I can't wait for all your new material once the baby gets here.

You're worried about this baby thing, I know.  Not really sure what's going on. Why everyone pays so much attention to Mommy's tummy and just who's coming to sleep in the new room with all the cool stuff (your stuff is still cooler though). I get it. Just so you know though - you'll always be our first baby girl.  That's something that will never change and we'll always remember when our lives first changed - forever.  Your mommy and I love you more than just...anything.  That won't change either. I hear there's room enough to spare for your sister though.  I have a feeling you are going to like her more than you think you are.  I have a feeling that the four of us will have an even better time than the three of us did - if that's possible.

Love you ‘finity-billion times ‘finity-billion (and that's more than anything),

Daddy

Jim closed Jill's journal and plugged Pam's iPod into the laptop, syncing the playlist that he hoped would make her happy. 

Dear Pamela Morgan Halpert,

Since I think we're having Baby Number 2, sooner than you think we are - I'm writing this now while I'm still coherent and -

He paused as a clap of thunder shook the house.  Like clockwork, the sounds of little feet moved above him. Jill was making her journey to their bedroom.

He sat quietly for a moment waiting for the sound of returning feet.  None came.  Pam either hadn't woken up, or was too tired to walk her back to her room.  She really needed her sleep though. Jim shut the journal in front of him, and left it on the kitchen table before lifting himself out of his chair and climbing the stairs. 

Sure enough, Jill lay tucked under her chin.

"Hey," he said standing in the doorway, feeling Pam's gaze on him even though he couldn't really see her.  "I should take her back to bed."

"Yeah," Pam said whispering.

He stepped close to the bed, and reached for her, "Here,"

"Actually...Um....I think you just...maybe you should just go and grab some warm clothes for her first?...Because...I think we have to go to the hospital."

Jim felt the soles of his feet tingle. He smiled. "Are you serious?"

"No, I'm joking around."

His smile fell. "Oh."

"Yes, I'm serious."

"Oh," Jim said smiling then. "So...the Bike thing..." his heart immediately began pumping a bit faster.  Like someone had flipped a switch.  "I was right."

"I've been having contractions for the last two hours. I'm probably not dilated...but...it can't hurt to just....check...you know."

He kept smiling.  "Yeah it doesn't hurt to just check."

"Stop smiling. I'm not going to tell you that you were right because I don't know for sure that you were right.  They might still send us home.  Will you please just go and get your daughter some clothes?"

"How do you know I'm smiling? It's dark."

"I can feel your smile."

He could too.

"Yes," he said then. . "Let's go have another baby Beesly."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Jill,

I thought of you the night that Daddy and I went on our first date.  I feel as if I may have imagined you exactly the way that you are.  This morning when you got maple syrup in your hair and you bent your head into the sink as I washed the ends,  I watched the water drip from the golden tips of your hair and you smiled up at me and the sun from the kitchen window was in your eyes so you squeezed them shut...You thought it was so funny and suddenly this overwhelming rush of just...something (Daddy is better at these letters than I am) it wasn't just love ...There was something about the expression on your face.   Your scrunched little face, guarded from the water and the sunlight...I swear I felt like I'd been in that exact moment a thousand times before.  Like maybe I'd been washing the syrup from your hair since...I don't know when.  I've never put much stock into the idea of past lives and other places, but today...Today I know one thing for sure:  that I was meant to be your mother.  Yours.

Forever,

Mommy

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