Easter 2015—Bunny Ears and Big Appetites

Alyssa had the twins lying in the middle of the bed…trying to get them ready to go.

It was Easter Sunday…and they were having dinner at Mills' family's restaurant…with their family from Station 51.

Kelly came from the bathroom and pulled clean shorts and socks from the dresser drawer before he made his way over to the bed. He leaned on the foot board as he hobbled around to Alyssa's side.

He sat down on the edge and looked over at his wife…trying to wrestle Andy into his little jeans. And he smiled.

Sometimes he still couldn't believe he was a dad…but there were two little boys that looked exactly like pictures of himself as a baby.

He suspected Andy was exactly like him…and he wished his mom was around to ask. Andy was always going…from the moment he woke up, till he passed out from sheer exhaustion. He was always moving…even now, as he lay on the bed, he was flapping his hands and kicking his little feet for all he was worth.

Jesse was almost the polar opposite. He was the most easy going, laid back kid Kelly had ever seen…not that he had a ton of experience around babies. Jesse just laid there…taking everything in.

Lyssa finally got Andy into his jeans, and slid the little red and white striped polo shirt over his head.

"There." She said with a sigh. "You're done."

Kelly laughed.

And Alyssa took a minute to kiss her husband.

"You okay, Babe?" she asked.

"Yeah…" he said. "I'm gonna need you to help me with the brace, though."

He was still on medical furlough for the ankle injury he'd had on Valentine's Day. But the good news was he was finally out of the boot…and graduated to a supportive brace. Now he was going to PT five times a week. It was slow…but hopefully he'd be able to get back to work soon.

"Sure…"she told him as she slipped her arms around his neck.

He pulled her closer to him. He loved to feel her pressed up against him.

She kissed him again.

"Let me just finish with Thing 1 and Thing 2 here…"

Andy had wiggled around so much that his clothes were all twisted…so Alyssa had to straighten him out.

"Give him here…" Kelly said.

Alyssa handed him his son, before she moved over to Jesse.

"Hey Buddy…" Kelly said to the little boy. "Where's the fire?"

He held Andy away from him…and it looked like the little boy was running in place. Then he put him up on his shoulder.

"Easy, Little Guy…just cool your engines." He said as he rubbed Andy's back. "It's okay…take a little rest."

Alyssa got Jesse into his little jeans and his navy blue and white striped polo. Then the baby folded his little hands across his chest and crossed his little ankles…waiting patiently.

"Kelly…look." She said.

Kelly took one look at Jesse and chuckled. He just shook his head.

Lyssa moved Jesse up on the bed so he was sitting propped up against the pillows.

"You want me to get clothes for you, Baby?"

"Please…"

"Anything in particular?" she asked.

"No…you pick. Your taste's better than mine anyway." He said.

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They pulled up in front of the restaurant…and Kelly slowly got out of the driver's seat. It was tough to get going after he'd been sitting awhile.

He shifted his weight carefully and he caught Lyssa watching him with a worried expression.

"I'm fine, Baby…" he told her. "It's just stiff…"

"Maybe five days a week at PT is too much…" she said.

"It's fine…" he assured her.

He opened the back door of the car and grabbed Andy in his carrier.

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As soon as they walked in the door everyone pounced on the twins.

Casey lifted Andy out of his carrier and held the little boy up over his head…and Andy laughed.

"Look what Aunt Leslie's got for you…"

Kelly turned around when he heard to sing-songy voice…just in time to see Shay going toward his son with a pair of fuzzy pink rabbit ears.

"Uh-uh! No way!" he said. "Get those things away from my son."

"But they're so cute!" Shay protested.

"Not a chance…"

"But he's a baby!"

"He's a boy!" Kelly said.

Leslie turned to Alyssa…looking for a decision.

But Alyssa held up her hands. She wasn't about to get in the middle of this…

"His father obviously has very strong opinions on this…" she said.

"Thank-you…" Kelly nodded with satisfaction.

Shay crossed her arms over her chest in defeat.

Kelly took a couple steps closer to her and grabbed the ears out of her hand.

"Here…" he said as he stuck them on her head. "Adorable."

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Alyssa went to the kitchen to help Mills, Dawson, Ingrid and Mills' sister Elise.

They had a huge crowd…in addition to the entire crew from the firehouse, four of Alyssa's five brothers were there with their families as well…and Alyssa's brother Nick had brought his in laws. His father- in –law was a retired Battalion chief and he and Boden were over at the counter having a drink and telling old war stories. Hermann and Mouch were listening as well …and laughing.

Hermann's younger kids were playing with Alyssa's nephews Declan and Aiden…and his oldest son was playing some game on the tablet with Alyssa's fourteen year old niece, Michelle.

And Kelly sat in a booth with Casey and Shay feeding Andy and Jesse their bottles.

Jesse fell asleep mid-way through, and Shay cuddled the little boy to her.

Andy, on the other hand, pounded down his six ounces like it was nothing.

When they were ready to serve dinner Alyssa made her way over to Kelly. Shay took Jesse, still sleeping and laid him in his carrier set on an overturned high chair.

Lyssa reached over and took Andy from Kelly as he slid to the edge of the bench and braced himself to stand.

She could see the anticipation in his eyes…and she handed Andy to Matt.

"Matt? Can you put him in his seat?"

Casey took the baby from her.

"No problem…" he said as he headed toward the table. "C'mon Andy…let's go get some ham…and turkey…and…"

Alyssa turned to her husband, and reached out to help him as he pulled himself to his feet. She stepped close to him and he gratefully put his arm around her shoulders to lean on her for support.

"It's okay, Baby…" she whispered to him when she heard him catch his breath as he shifted his weight onto his injured ankle.

"I know…" he told her softly. "It's just sore…"

And they made their way to the long table spread down the middle of the restaurant.

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It took a while…but the food was passed around and everyone had a full plate.

Well, almost everyone.

Andy was sitting in his carrier between Matt and Kelly…and he was watching everything.

Casey went to take a bite of turkey…and he heard a loud squawk.

He turned to Andy.

"Did you want something?" he asked the little boy.

"Whatever's on your fork…" Kelly quipped.

Casey shot Kelly a look…

"But you just finished your milk. I saw you." He said to Andy.

Kelly scoffed.

"Wait a minute…" Leslie cut in. "I thought babies weren't supposed to eat table food for at least a year."

Kelly just chuckled…

"Yeah…I don't think Andy got that memo."

"So what would you suggest here…Dad?" Casey said to him.

"Feed him…"

So Casey took a saucer and put a dab of mashed potatoes, a dab of yams, and a dollop of jello on it and fed it to Andy on the tip of a spoon.

And Andy was happy…except when Matt tried to take a bit of his own food…then he complained loudly because his supply was momentarily cut off.

Everyone laughed as Casey put his fork down yet again.

"You want me to put that in the warmer for you, Lieutenant?" Mills asked.

"That'd be nice, Mills…"

"Yeah…that's my boy." Kelly said, shaking his head. "Barely three months old and he's already eatin' like a fireman…"

"Just wait till he's a teenager." Casey said.

"Just wait till he gets teeth…" Kelly shot back.

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That night he and Alyssa stood in the doorway of the twins' bedroom…just savoring the silence as the two babies slept.

Kelly slipped his arms around his wife and held her against his chest. She sighed contentedly.

"Whatcha thinkin', Lyssa?" he asked.

"I was just wondering…how do you feel about having them baptized?"