Two is More Than One

Writers: Chelle, Paula, Suzee
Date Posted: 26th October 2012

Characters: Chupsin, Benani, Yanley
Description: The twins have their checkup.
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 10, day 10 of Turn 6

Benani

Yanley

Knowingthe twins were due for their checkup, the healer had readied
things and was waiting for Benani's arrival. He'd already asked Yanley
to assist him, which would be a help and they were her nephews anyway.
Doing a last check of the few supplies that had been set out on the
table, he was satisfied.

Benani smiled at her sister as they carried the babies down to the
Healer's. Benaris slept soundly in Yanley's arms while Zathan's little
arms waved in the air as he tried to focus on anything in the passing
hall way. She shook her head. "They're getting so big."

"With the rate they're feeding, that's not surprising," Yanley
replied, holding the boy gently and little bit
possessively.

**Yanley was so good with the babies. It's such a pity she doesn't
have any of her own. She be a great mother.** "They are a little pair
of gluttons aren't they?" Benani pushed through the door. "Ah Chupsin,
here we are."

"Ladies and Lords, everyone seems to be in good health. We'll need to
know for sure, though." He gestured to the seats he had set out and
the small bassinet for the babies. "Yanley, if you can use the scale
for me to get a weight and perhaps a height measure?" She was becoming
quite a proficient nurse.

"Of course, Chupsin," Yanley put the baby down and went to fetch the
required instruments.

Benani hovered over her boys while the others got ready making faces
and cooing to the two
babies.

While Yanley was getting that bit ready, Chupsin took one twin and
quickly listened to his back with a paper tube before looking inside
his ears, nose, and eyes. He went to grab the other one as he handed
the elder to his Aunt. "So Lady Benani, are they sleeping through the
night and feeding well enough now?"

"Oh, they're feeding just fine," she smiled. "Zathan more so than
Benaris." She still kept the babies in her room at night since she
wasn't quite ready for them to foster. She didn't think she really
would be ready when the time came to leave most of their care to
nurses. "The majority of the night, yes. But one or the other tend to
wake very early."

"They're not crying too much or anything unusual?" He didn't think so
from the look of them but he had to ask the routine questions.
"Needing to be changed normally as well?" That was a common issue with
small children.

"Well," she chuckled. "I don't really have to change them that
frequently but I have heard there is an occasional one from one or the
other that are quite messy."

Yanley made a face, she had ended up changing the mess once or a while.

"Ah well that means on the whole they're processing well then. Good."
Chupsin scribbled again,
looking at the amounts that had been recorded from their weighing.
"They seem to be healthy weight and size. Nothing to indicate the
problems we saw that night have had any lasting effects."

Benani gave an inward sigh of relief. She'd been concerned about
Benaris. He wasn't growing quite as fast
as his brother, but then Zathan was a little porcine. She smoothed
Zathan's hair and he smiled at her, stiffened his arms, and pumped his
legs. Then he made a sound that seemed to surprise him and she laughed
back in his face. "Yes, I was talking about you, wasn't I Zathan?"

She looked back at the healer. "When should they start on some solid food?"

"Around four to six months is the norm," Chupsin replied easily as he
looked again at his notes. Watching the baby's eyes to see if they
were tracking, he observed for a bit. "Play is normal and they're
responding...One twin is more quiet than the other, you said?"

"Yes," she replied. "Benaris seems to interact with others less than Zathan."

"My question is, because he's more quiet do you tend to give his twin
more attention?" That was curious and could provide interesting
consequences later. Chupsin made a few notes.

"I don't think so," she said thoughtfully. "But Benaris will only go
to my sister Yanley or me when he isn't feeding. While Zathan will go
to anyone who pays attention to him." She smiled softly rather amused
at her older son.

"Oh, yes, Benaris is with me more than Zathan," Yanley agreed with a
fond smile. "He's such a well behaving, sweet baby. His brother,
however will be a rascal!"

"As they get older, it will be interesting to see the dynamic there in
personality. I would continue to encourage you to show Benaris
affection and attention, though, despite his quiet. Stimulate him
just as you would his brother." Chupsin made some notes and continued
watching the babies. "I think everything's fine from what I can see
but if they show any problems, bring them back in."

"Thank you Chupsin," she said with a smile and picked up squirmy
little Zathan "Did you hear your Aunt
Yanley?" She said to the boy in her arms. "You're a rascal!"

Last updated on the November 17th 2012

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Two is More Than One