“Twins are a lot forsure. But the boys always have someone to spend time with and their both just so good to each other, I just hope they make as much time for their little brother as they do for each other.”
“Yeah I mean she wants to turn it into this thing for Immy, but I’m still pulling through for a man cave. It’s just dark enough to create the right atmosphere, y’know? I could put all my shit up here that Char doesn’t like, it’d be awesome.”
“I’m all for a man cave, honestly. Alec has one and it’s his space, he gets to keep all his ugly things in it and I don’t have to look at it, or clean it. However a dance studio in the house? It’s really going to help Immy’s passion thrive.”
Married to the incredible @alecdanielhartwell as of June 15, 2019, we’ve been together since September of 2009.
Do you have any children? Names? If none, do you plan on having any?
I have twin boys Marcus and Lucas born April 7, 2020. I am also currently pregnant with another boy due December 27th of this year.
We will probably have at least one more child after this one. But not for at least 3 years. I need a break from pregnancy.
Where do you live?
I currently live in Seattle, Washington. My husband is the Quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks. I’m not sure how long term this is, I would love to move back to the east coast to be closer to family but that all depends on if he gets traded and when.
What do you think of New Quinton?
New Quinton is home. It’s where my parents live. It’s where I met Alec, and Charlie. It’s a great place to me. I don’t think I ever want to live there again, but I do love it.
When was the last time you were home? If you never moved away, why not?
I was last home in June. We came in for a week before pre season started for the boys to spend time with their grandparents and to catch up with friends in the area before it became Harder for Alec to travel and miss practice.
Do you miss home? If you never moved away, are you glad you stayed?
I miss my mom a lot. And Charlie, I don’t have that big of a support system (outside of Alec) in Seattle. I’m one of the youngest wives in the WAGS club. So a lot of them lump in with the girlfriends, and none of them have kids (although they desperately want one to get a ring), and it’s hard to make friends with the boys’s friends parents. They’re nice, but most people tend to see me as a trophy wife or even as a nanny, not realising that we don’t have one.
Who were your closest friends five years ago? Do you still talk to any of them now?
Charlie for sure. We talk at least 3 times a day. Everyone else is just as a much as it was when I lived close. Texts every few days, plenty of snapchats of the boys and love comments on instagrams.
How have you changed in the past five years?
I’ve grown up. Becoming a mom really made me into this person that puts them first. I accept my own faults easier and I’m much more independent now.
Do you miss who you used to be?
Absolutely not.
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Hopefully back on the east coast with Alec and our three boys. Maybe another kid or two. i want a longer time period between my current pregnancy on my next one than I did with my last one and now. So hopefully that’ll happen.
Charlie: I still like Charles. Elliot Charles Hartwell sounds really good, I'm just saying.
Charlie: I know! It's so weird that you haven't been to my house yet, but maybe you can help me decide on what to do with our attic. Jeremy wants to turn it into a man cave, but I was thinking a dance studio for Imogen. She's really taking to jazz and ballet well. Not a huge fan of tap, but we'll get her there.
Charlie: Oh, Jere is gonna LOVE that. They were fine when we saw you guys for Christmas, I'm sure it won't be a problem. They haven't tried to fight each other since our rehearsal dinner, and that didn't even get very far. Your dad got a glass of wine dumped on his lap, but that was the only casualty.
Charlie: You are more than welcome to sneak into my bed if needed. I'll make Jere sleep on the floor.
Natalie: Charles is great but then we have our girl she won't get the name Charlotte.
Natalie: It's so insane. We don't come home enough. With Alec's constant practice and the event planning doing well, and the constant state of pregnancy it just hasn't happened. I'm all for a dance studio, put Jeremy in the basement with the potential black mold. It'll give his man cave a rustic feel.
Natalie: Don't remind me. Alec and his mouth, Jeremy and his. It was the stupidest fight, neither of them even care about Baseball. My poor father.
Natalie: If you're inviting I will take you up on that. I'm not looking forward to a tent. Or sleeping in the same bed as the boys. Marcus's feet always end up on my hair and Luca likes to sleep on my belly, but with the baby it's more like my chest and head.
Alec waited for her rant to be over, knowing her moods came and went quickly. It’d taken him a long time to get used to during her pregnancy with the twins, and this one was no different. All he had to do was wait for her to calm down, and then she went back to being his level-headed wife. He hugged her close, resting his head on top of hers. “It’s okay, I get it. I shouldn’t have said that, it was a joke that didn’t land,” he kissed her hair. “We can have as many bags as you want, if it makes you feel less anxious. Don’t worry about extra fees, I’ll handle it.”
Natalie embraced his hug. Her head resting on his chest. “I just don’t want to forget something then have to buy it there and then having to bring it back. “ She smiled. “Good, because I really don’t want to repack Although I do need you to pull out what you want to wear. I was thinking maybe all of our clothes could go in the big one. The boys clothes and coats in the smaller one. A duffle for the shoes, a duffle for the toys. A duffle for the electronics, the diaper bag, purse, and the dual stroller. But I’ll need to go over my clothes again. because right now my clothes are taking up two of the carry on suitcases we have, and that probably won’t fit into the big one with your clothes.”
Charlie: Our little Elliot! Have you decided on the middle name yet?
Charlie: That's true...Rest in peace to that bitch, I heard her sister is still around town somewhere. We're hardly ever in New Quinton anymore, since we bought the house in Mirandaville.
Charlie: Well I have the Expedition, and I have car seats so it shouldn't be a problem. I can make Jeremy follow me in the truck if you think you'll need more room for your things. I'm making him rent a camper for the trip, otherwise I'd be in the same boat right now.
Natalie: No idea. We have too many options. And we keep fighting about it.
Natalie: I can't wait to see that home in person. The facetimes don't do it justice.
Natalie: It should be enough room. Bring the truck just in case. We can put Alec in it and they can bond over their fights in high school. Alec refuses to let me have a camper. He convinced the boys that a tent would be more fun. More poor pregnant lady back will be sleeping on a pile of two air mattresses and a foam topper with two little boys And a grown man who snores.
Charlie: They aren't. You're gonna need to stop comparing your kids, mama, it's gonna get hard.
Charlie: Yeah, god, I was so mad at you for that. It took me an entire year to lose the weight from Alex and I still -- I mean, I lost most of the weight from Fiona but she was a big baby. And I knew it was my last pregnancy so I kind of went hard on the corndogs, but still. You bounced back so fast, I was pissed.
Charlie: By the way, when are you guys flying in? Tomorrow? Am I still picking you up?
Natalie: I know especially with nugget coming along soon.
Natalie: I was breastfeeding two little ones at once. That was a lot. Plus I didn't gain that much extra weight. I told you to do pregnancy yoga. We did it with Immy and you snapped back fast. There's a spiteful instagram directed at Taylor Scott about that.
Natalie: Tomorrow yes. And yes please. I can't handle cab drivers, and my mom doesn't know we are coming in. You sure you have room? We have a lot of luggage, and babies. We aren't bringing car seats only the double stroller for the airport. Thank god for first class, and damn it all for not being able to have a martini.
“Nice shoes? What do we need nice shoes for?” Alec questioned, more confused than upset. He sighed, ready to drop the subject before it turned into an argument. “Fine, if this is what you want, then it’s fine. I think it’s unnecessary, but I know you’re about to pull the pregnant card, so do whatever you want.”
Natalie stared at him. “Because you just never know.” She commented harshly. Her eyes zoomed in. “The pregnancy card? You mean the fact that I’m pregnant? That I am the mother of your children and have to carry them for 9 months, while you go off and throw a ball?” Natalie knew she was overreacting. She frowned. Putting down the baby powder she was trying to shove into a bag. She walked over to him. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that. I love you, I love this. It’s just a lot of stress. Traveling, the plane, the boys, the bump. It’s a lot. I’m sorry. I don’t need so many bags. I’ll just re organize, again. Maybe only the one set of travel luggage, that’s what 5 pieces? And the diaper bag or course, and my purse. So 7, I guess.”
Charlie: Nat, you're stressing yourself out too much. The doctor says it's normal because it IS. I have three kids, and so far they've all been different and everything is fine. Relax.
Charlie: I feel like if anyone of them kill anyone, it's gonna be Fi. She's eight months old but I'm already pretty positive she could kick all our asses by the way she bit my tit the other day. Barely any teeth and she bit the hell out of me
Natalie: I just worry. I get they aren't the same, but they are.
Natalie: Oh my god. I don't want to start breastfeeding again. I hated when they bit. It hurt, Especially at first. Then again I did lose the baby weight way faster by doing it.
Charlie: Do you remember being 18 months old and learning to talk? Besides, if any of our kids was going to kill anyone, we all know it's one of mine. We're Bands. Who knows what we'll do.
Natalie: No, but it's the structure. The difference between saying just Nana and saying I want Banana. He could just feel it or something, I don't know. I still think Shane dropped one of them on their heads when they were 1. Being dropped on your head as a baby can cause psychopathy you know. They all seem well adjusted, maybe, who knows I guess. Give them 20 years.
“But twelve? And six of them being yours?” He gave her a disapproving look. “What’s in that blue one? I’ve never even seen that – Did you buy more bags just for this trip?”
Natalie scoffed. “Only 5 of them are mine.” She paused. “I have no idea what to wear for any of it! Plus the boys both need so many clothes. So many you never know. Just last week I went through 12 shirts on Lucas alone one day.” She frowned looking at the bag he pointed to. “I bought that like 6 months ago. I was thinking about it for a diaper bag but it was too big. I’m using it for all the shoes. Not just mine, but yours and the boys. We need camping shoes, nice shoes, house shoes. And because my feet a swollen I need two sizes of everything, because I am not squeezing my feet into too small bean boots just to keep them warm. I can’t do it.”
Charlie: It's okay mama, breathe. Alex did everything faster than Immy did, and Fiona is doing everything slower than he did. All kids are different, they learn and grow at different speeds. Everything is fine, you don't have to do anything.
Natalie: I'm still worried. What if Lucas gets an inferiority complex and becomes resentful because Marcus is talking first and then bam 20 years from now he killed us all.
Natalie: The boys aren't talking at the same speed. Marcus is using full sentences and Lucas is mostly all hand motions. the dr. says it's completely normal but it may mean that they won't potty train at the same time. They walked at the same time, they stopped breastfeeding at the same time. I don't know what I'd do Lucas is still in diapers and Marcus isn't.
“I’m 7 months pregnant, we have two 18 month old boys and you suggested we go camping one last time all the way across the country. How many bags did you think we need?”
“Alec could cheat on you again. Alec could snap and hit you. Anybody is capable of anything, but you aren’t scared. Because you love him and he loves you and yeah. Maybe my relationship isn’t solid like yours and maybe Jeremy is unpredictable, but I would take that over anything else.” She sighed, relieved that Natalie was at least able to see past it. “I’ll be safe, Nat. If something happens – which it won’t – but if something does, he’ll never see me or Imogen again.”
“I hate when people say Alec cheated on me. I broke up with him. Both times. There was no cheating. You know that. It didn’t hurt any less, but it wasn’t cheating. Jeremy was in a continous cheating relationship with another girl. He slept with her multiple times while also sleeping with you and hitting you. It’s not easy for a best friend to look past.” Natalie paused. “He also wouldn’t hit me because he isn’t that guy and has never seemed to be that type of guy. We’ve had fights and he’s never once ever even seemed to want to hit me. Jeremy has a track record here to deal with.” Natalie nodded. She trusted Charlie’s judgement. She also knew Jeremy had grown up. She didn’t trust Jeremy she knew Charlie wouldn’t be making the same mistake again. She sighed. “If it happens again run as far as you can. And I know you will. I love you. I will never like him. But you and Immy mean everything to me. And if he makes you happy and you are safe I’m not going to dwell on his past.”
“That was three years ago,” Charlie was exasperated. She was tired of everyone giving her the same lecture. “He’s always loved Imogen, Natalie. And ever since she was born, he’s always loved me. He won’t hurt me like that again, he doesn’t have it in him.”
“You didn’t think he was capable of it then. I’m okay with you being with him. I see that love from him, but anyone is capable of anything. It could happen again is all I’m saying. He could cheat on you again, he could hit you again, it could happen. You have to accept that. I don’t want you to hide it again, or accept it again. You deserve everything and a muffin Charlie, I don’t want you to forget that.”
“I don’t want to hear it,” Charlie said, putting her long blonde hair in a ponytail. “I love him, okay? I’ve loved him since I was fourteen. He’s my daughter’s father, he’s my family. I’m happier when I’m with him. I don’t need your judgement right now. Just be happy for me. Please.”
Natalie clicked her tongue as the person closest to her ranted at her about her new relationship status. She sucked in her breath shaking her head lightly. “I want you to be happy. You know that. I also want you to be safe and he hasn’t always been the safest.” Natalie grabbed her friend’s hands. “But I’ve seen the change in him. Over and over and over. He cares about you. Your happiness is important to him finally Imogen is important to him. I accept it. I do. I just don’t want you to ignore your own safety for him again.”
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