Who: Merrill and Frodo Baggins (The Bagginses!) What: Babystuff. More babystuff. When: Today Where: The Baggins Kitchen Rating: G. Just cute babystuff! Status: Complete!
Merrill was wrapped up in the blankets and pillows of her kitchen windowseat, as she often was on the weekends during the day. Even as the days grew a little colder, there was still plenty of sunshine to keep her warm. It would probably get colder, though, and more cramped as she progressed, but she was quite comfortable for now.
She’d had a fun time shopping for maternity clothes over the weekend, and found some very cute things. A lot of them were cuter than the clothes she’d had before she’d gotten pregnant! She was wearing one of her new dresses now, over comfortable leggings. As was becoming more and more typical, she was barefoot under her blankets.
At present, she nibbling on some sunflower seeds and reading a book.
The mood in the house was decidedly calmer since Frodo had reached an impasse over the fate of the Ring. There was no Mount Doom, which meant destroying it was not an option. It was a bit of a relief to know he had to keep it for the time being, but Frodo’s meeting with Khamul had convinced him to take precautionary steps and the Ring was locked away in a very high-tech, very secure safe. So unless it had means of escaping of its own accord, it was no threat.
While Merrill read in her nesting area, Frodo was at the kitchen table, nibbling on apple slices and going over a stack of complicated-looking paperwork. His secret project.
Merrill still wasn’t entirely sure the ring couldn’t escape on its own, but she had let the upset go. She was happier with it out of sight, and there hadn’t been any more arguments about it. She hated the idea of fighting with Frodo; it made her more nauseated than the morning sickness had. Things between Merrill and Frodo had returned to normal, now, which she was very grateful for.
Suddenly, Merrill a little flutter in her stomach. “Oh!” she said, her hand moving to her belly.
Frodo heard her utterance of surprise, but didn’t look up. Merrill frequently made little noises and comments while she read, sometimes like she was talking to the characters themselves. He smiled, but kept busy with his work. “Hm?”
Merrill’s cheeks were flushed, and she giggled. “I think I felt the baby kick!” Her throat was tight with excitement, and she could feel tears in her eyes. Oh, hormones! She was so emotional at the drop of a hat now, and this was certainly more than a hat!
What Frodo dropped was his pen. It landed with a soft plop on top of the stack of papers. He turned to her and was already getting out of his chair. “Really?” But of course, he knew Merrill would never pull his leg about something like this.
Merrill nodded emphatically. She laughed, giving a little ‘Eep!’ as she felt it again. “Come here,” she said, reaching for his hand. She wanted Frodo to feel it, too!
As she grabbed his wrist and tugged him forward, Frodo gave a quick look at a chart on the refrigerator. It had been torn from a magazine. According to it, the baby was currently the size of an avocado. And while he did not like thinking of his child as a bumpy green fruit, it did seem likely that something that size could indeed be felt while kicking.
He pressed his hand gently against Merrill’s belly, which was slightly curved now. He sat down at the edge of the window seat and waited.
Baby was quiet. She looked down at her belly, then back up at Frodo. They might have to wait a minute. “I had to tell my class yesterday,” she said. “One of the boys asked me why I was getting fat.” She blushed. “Oh! There! Did you feel it?”
“Oh goodness gracious,” Frodo said. He was not sure if he wanted to laugh or roll his eyes. Kids could be so forward. Perhaps it was a little funny, but Frodo planned to instill some good English manners in his son.
Especially since he was so rudely withholding kicks from his father. “I didn’t.” He frowned.
Merrill pouted. “Oh. Well.. It wasn’t a very big kick,” she confessed. “More of a tickle.” She was sure the kicks would get bigger, and Frodo would be able to feel one soon. She didn’t want him to be disappointed! “He must just be wiggling around, maybe practicing his kicks so he’ll be able to properly impress his daddy.” She grinned.
Frodo smiled a lopsided smile. He was disappointed, but he was sure Merrill understood. Still, he kept his hand were it was for a few minutes, longer. Just in case. “Well, he is part hobbit, so he might end up with very large feet,” he joked, but even Frodo had not yet taken on any hobbit attributes. Not like Merrill and her pointed ears.
Merrill giggled. “He probably will, you know. That’s something the Dalish discovered long ago, when we first met the other races. Elven traits don’t really get passed along.” It was hardly something to be concerned about here. She was the only Dalish elf she knew of. Zevran was an elf, but.. He was Zevran! Merrill couldn’t imagine. “He’ll be a hobbit.”
Frodo finally moved his hands and touched his ears. “Hmm, still round.” No pointy ears for him just yet. He was looking forward to that day... though less so to the day when he might wake up a few feet shorter.
Merrill smiled. “Won’t that be a funny family picture, if they get pointy? All of us looking like something from a storybook.” She was looking forward to it, too, but it did strike her as amusing.
He chuckled. “Maybe Dr. Alpert will see it on the ultrasound. Won’t that be funny?”
Merrill giggled. She could picture the man trying to hide his surprise. He did an impressive job of keeping calm. Maybe it was something they trained him in Doctor School. “It would!” she agreed. “Oh, I bet he’s going to have a full head of curls,” she said, brushing over her husband’s hair.
Frodo turned upward, as if he was trying to see past his eyebrows to the crown of his head. Then he chuckled. “And possibly on his feet as well.”
He scooted back against the window. There was a sliver of space between Merrill and the glass, just enough room for Frodo to fit into. He pulled the covers over himself and got comfortable. He hummed contentedly.
Merrill laughed, shifting as Frodo snuggled close, giving him a bit more room before leaning on him. “What have you been working on today?” she asked, kissing his shoulder.
Frodo looked at the papers on the table. Then he closed his eyes. “Your Christmas present. Part of it. No peeking.”
Merrill smiled, her eyes bright. “Really? That’s an awfully lot of paperwork for a present!” She wouldn’t peek, though. Figuring it out wouldn’t be any fun. She rested her head on Frodo’s shoulder. “I hope you’re enjoying it, at least.”
“Actually, I am,” he said. “I know it looks like a bunch of paperwork right now, but it is actually quite fulfilling, working on this little project.” He opened his eyes and looked up at her. “I think you will like it very much.”
“I’m sure I will,” Merrill agreed. She was easily amused in general, and Frodo knew her very well. She was certain anything he did for her would make her very happy. “I’m not sure what I’m getting you,” she confessed. Her brain had been occupied, and the upcoming holidays had slipped her mind. So much for the stereotype of women getting their Christmas shopping done before men.
But Frodo had never been very interested in receiving presents, at least not of the material sort. He had too many things as it was. He was always giving things away.
He curved his hand back around her belly and sighed. What else could she possibly give him? He kissed her cheek. “Do not worry. I am not difficult to please.”