1301 - A Baby and a Bath
After welcoming their new addition to their family Olyff was ready for bed again. She gave her new baby girl, Pipa, a light kiss on her forehead as her husband, Byrhtnoth, held her in his arms. She got back into bed and he told her he'd watch over the baby until she fell asleep.
It didn't take much for Olyff to fall asleep again. As smooth as her labor was it was very physically intense and took a lot out of her. Byrhtnoth rocked Pipa delicately and when she tried to start a fuss he would shift her in his arms, coo at her and hum a quiet song to get her to sleep. Once the little one's eyes fluttered closed he gently lay her into the small crib he built, rocked it a little and got into bed with Olyff.
Once dawn broke and the rooster called out to awaken the new parents the baby decided to join him, her small and whinny cries waking the married couple up. Byrhtnoth got up to check on her as Olyff rubbed her eyes and he said,
"I think she might be hungry, you haven't fed her yet haven't you?"
Olyff disagreed in sleepy groans, "pass her to me, would you?"
Her husband carefully carried Pipa into her arms and in that moment she shared her first breastfeeding with her baby. They both stared with contentment at how natural it felt to care for their child as it suckled on its mother's breast. Byrhtnoth suddenly interrupted the serene moment and said,
"I'll prepare us some breakfast while you feed our child." He smiled and she smiled back, both buzzing with pride and joy that they can say they have a child together. Family life was starting off well for the two of them and they only hoped it would keep getting better and better.
Once Olyff and Pipa were finished their first feeding she rocked the baby for a short while, burping her in the process, and then laying her back down in the crib while she went for breakfast. As they were back in the winter months she was grateful to see that Byrhtnoth prepared a warm helping of porridge made from their own cow's milk. They both wolfed it down after last night's events and after cleaning up Olyff felt like she needed to have a discussion with her husband.
"I'm sure you've realised by now but our routine is going to change by a fair bit." Byrhtnoth nodded, waiting for her to say more.
"I'm going to be spending much more time in the house, caring for the baby, but I'll still have time to tend the crops this year. We probably won't grow as much as we did the year before, unless you help out more, but I don't want you to separate yourself from your fishing that you have been doing."
"Don't worry, love," interjected Byrhtnoth, "once the season comes you plant what you think is best and if I have to miss a fishing trip or two it shouldn't be a problem." Olyff looked into his eyes and couldn't help but smile from ear to ear before enveloping him into an embrace.
"You are the best husband ever," she said softly, "thank you."
"Anything for you dear," he replied. As they pulled away Olyff had one more thing to say,
"Actually, if you say anything... we desperately need a bath tub!" Her husband chuckled before saying,
"Okay, okay, I promise you I'll buy wood or go down and cut a tree myself if it means we can finally have a good bath." They laughed for a bit together before Pipa began to cry again. They parted ways and here began their busy year.
Pipa quickly became a loud and fussy baby, often waking the pair up long before their rooster would. They were gentle with the baby but they couldn't help but share the frustration together as they groaned with annoyance before calming the newborn.
This fussiness happened to make Olyff be more attentive to her child and she unfortunately shirked her responsibilities of the farm for a short while. Byrhtnoth would spend less time away on his fishing trips in this time but it was for the better as the early months of the year were bitter cold.
He put all his efforts into caring for their cows, milking and feeding them when it was time. He still went down the hill from their bungalow to catch a fish or two in the afternoons after his chores were done but would rush back if he heard Pipa crying too loud and help his wife out if she needed it.
Byrhtnoth also had more time to care for and get closer to the family horse while he spent more time on the farm. He would often feed her any carrots or apples they had stored over winter and she would get very excited for them. He made sure to give her ample exercise, going on short rides together or sometimes letting her roam freely in the empty fields not far from their home.
Several weeks after the birth of their child Byrhtnoth surprised his wife with some wood he finally acquired from a local carpenter; they struck a deal where he would trade his scrap wood for a month's supply of fish that Byrhtnoth would catch for him. He used the first small batch to make a standing bucket that they could use for washing up and Olyff also used it as a perfect basin to wash their baby in.
One evening, as the weather was getting warmer, he asked Olyff to spend some time outside with Pipa. She was a little confused at his request but happily abided it. He finally called her back in to present her a hand crafted wooden bath, placed perfectly just inches away from the hearth in their bedroom. Olyff squealed with excitement and passed the baby into his arms before exclaiming, "I'm running to prepare a bath!"
Byrhtnoth laughed at her joy and watched her bring in buckets of water to heat over the fire before pouring them into the bath and submerging herself in the clean and relaxing water. She leaned back and rested with her eyes closed for a while, enjoying the light crackling of the fire and the warmth that it radiated beside her. She finally could start keeping herself truly clean every few weeks and feel more alive with each bath she indulged in.
When the days where Pipa was old enough to wiggle around and mumble some incoherent but cute babbles came, Olyff started to get a sensitivity to smells and fish stew again. Her morning sicknesses became a recurring event and she was certain she was with child once more.
After a full day of fishing, with a view of the castle keep in the distance, Byrhtnoth travelled home with Beauty and was greeted by his wife helping Pipa to sleep. The couple prepared themselves for bed and Olyff finally broke the news to her husband.
"Really?!" exclaimed Byrhtnoth before being shushed by his wife as she pointed in the direction of the occupied crib, "Oh thank The Watcher, our family grows once again!"
He swooped her up into his arms and gently lifted her an inch or two off the ground in his excitement before putting her down and sealing this moment with a kiss.
That night Olyff fell asleep first while Byrhtnoth was still enjoying his bath. He watched his wife and baby sleep peacefully close to another and counted his blessings that the first two years of their life on his late uncle's bungalow have been nothing but pleasant. He relaxed near the fire and thought of what it'll be like to have a second child, or maybe three... why not more?
They have been very lucky to not experience many hardships so far but he knew that they would come around eventually. Olyff still occasionally mourned the loss of her parents and he prayed that his children wouldn't have to experience that grief prematurely.
He thanked The Watcher every day for the great health of his parents and planned to go visit them sometime soon, or perhaps invite them over to see his firstborn child. It was getting late so he stepped out of the bath and dried himself off before snuggling up close to Olyff in bed and drifting off to sleep.
Life continued on peacefully into the summer months. Their crops sustained the pair just enough with only a few to spare to trade for other goods at the village market. When Beauty was out of her stable during the day Olyff would endure the smelly but necessary task of cleaning it, only gagging just a little in the process. Inside the home Pipa was growing healthy and quickly, passing every milestone with ease, getting closer to her 1st birthday every day. Byrhtnoth traveled to local fishing spots by horse and began to see the leaves slowly change into warm autumnal colours on the trees.
And soon enough it was autumn with Olyff stretching up to their apple trees to pick some ripe ones to feed to Beauty and save a few for herself as a snack. Crunchy leaves settled on the wet ground and soon began the rainy downpour that was expected in England every year.
Regardless of the wet conditions outside Olyff continued to keep up the laundry washing under the overcast grey sky. She scrubbed their earth toned clothes in a metal basin and once they were clean she would hang them to dry on a wooden rack inside, away from the rain and close enough to the kitchen's fireplace.
The further into her pregnancy term the more Olyff began to be perpetually tired, and with the constant bursts of rain she couldn't help but nap during the day and go to sleep for the night earlier than her husband.
But she didn't avoid her womanly duties around the house and always secured her husband a hearty dinner just before she went to bed. He would often come home to some warm apple porridge or flavourful vegetable stew waiting for him on the table and kiss his wife gently as a thank you for looking out for him.
And in these tired nights, when Pipa would begin to fuss, Byrhtnoth felt it would only be fair to repay his pregnant wife and care for the child while she rested and her body worked hard at growing their second child in her belly. He was delighted to spend time more time with his daughter those nights and tried his best to try and teach her to talk but to no avail, her first baby teeth hadn't even grown in yet, but he was hopeful.
As the winter months dragged on they found themselves spending more time indoors and away from their small garden and the frozen-over lakes not far from home. They celebrated Pipa's first birthday quietly and we surprised to see Byrhtnoth's parents come and visit to deliver a hand carved rocking horse for her to play on as she learned to walk. He thanked his parents with all his heart and praised his father's handy work that he promised to pass on for generations to come!
And just as they were ready to celebrate stepping into the new year, sitting by the fire in their stone bungalow and keeping warm away from the frost outside, Olyff gasped and began to feel a pain in her belly. Before she knew it her water had broken and quickly they went into baby delivery mode.
They felt somewhat experienced after the birth of Pipa so they got comfortable on their bed and began to wait for their new baby to come into the world. Olyff pushed all night and the baby was waiting to be born on the first day of the new year...
