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As they headed off to the zoo, they boys were so excited. Declan told Caleb about the bug room which made the little boy even more excited. They had told them about their baby sister and they were so excited that Emily had sent them outside to play so they could get out some of their energy. Emily and Derek wanted to wait to tell the family, but the boys were outside screaming it so they figured it wouldn't take long for one or both of them to blurt it out at the zoo. They decided that they would pick up pink bandanas at the store on the way to the zoo and wear them as a way to tell everyone about their little girl.
As they pulled into the 5 Below, the boys jumped out and raced into the store.
"Declan, Caleb, please wait," Emily called after the boys. Declan slowed down and Caleb followed the older boy.
Declan and Emily caught up with them and happily walked into the store.
"I think the bandanas are over there," Declan said as he led the family.
They found the bandanas and picked up four of them before heading to the register.
After their shopping excursion, they headed to the zoo. After they parked at the zoo, they all got out. Derek grabbed the backpack he had packed and pulled out the sunscreen.
"Alright," he said, looking at his family, "Let's get some sunscreen on so we can go have a good day at the zoo."
Both boys got their sunscreen on quickly and even Emily, who normally resisted wearing it, put it on, knowing that if she didn't and she got burned, she would be miserable.
After they were full of sunscreen, Emily helped Caleb tie his bandana around his head as Declan and Derek did the same. Once everyone was ready including sunglasses on everyone, they headed to the zoo entrance. They were meeting just inside the gates and once they were inside, they spotted Kate Callahan and who they assumed was her family.
"Hey Kate," Derek called as they approached.
"Hey guys," Kate said, smilng at them, "This is my husband Chris and our niece Meg."
"Hey, I'm Derek Morgan," he said, shaking Chris's hand, "This is my wife and another one of Kate's coworkers, Emily, and our boys Declan and Caleb."
"Hello," Declan said as Caleb hid behind Emily's legs before she scooped him up.
"He's shy," Emily explained, shaking Chris's hand and then Meg's.
Declan went over to Meg and the two started talking together.
"Hi Caleb," Kate said, rubbing the little boy's back.
Just then, the Hotchners and Rossis came strolling up to them. After introductions were made with Chris, Jack, Logan and Nicole went over to Meg and Declan. Kayla wasn't able to come because she and her fiancé were busy looking at venues for their wedding the following summer after they both graduated from college.
Logan (20), Nicole, (18), and Kayla (22) are all Erin Straus's kids who Rossi has been acting as a father to since they started dating three years prior. Even though they are older than the rest of the kids, they still enjoy spending time with them. Nicole even babysat for the families from time to time.
They heard the Reid family before they saw them as Addi screamed, "Nikki!" after seeing her favorite babysitter.
She ran over with Ashley chasing after her as Spencer pushed eighteen month old Ben in his stroller. The Lynch family wasn't far behind them and within a few minutes more, the LaMontagne family showed up.
Once all the introductions were made and the little kids were either holding a hand or sitting in a stroller, they headed into the zoo. Their first stop was the monkeys which was Henry's absolute favorite. They got some good pictures before heading to see other animals. They saw giraffes, lions and gorillas before they ran into the playground which the kids begged to play on.
Of course they let them so while the dads chased the toddlers and pushed the swings, the woman sat at a picnic table and watched. Charli wanted Emily to hold her and Savannah and Jamie were sound asleep in their stroller.
"How have you been feeling today, Em?" JJ asked, knowing her friend had been so miserable for the past few weeks.
"It actually hasn't been bad today," Emily said, shifting Charli slightly in her lap, "I wasn't sick this moring and the ride here didn't make me as sick as normal. Derek thinks maybe it's ending, but I'm not holding my breath."
"Your what, eleven weeks now?" Ashley asked, "That's when my sickness with both the kids started getting better."
Emily nodded before turning to Beth.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Good," Beth said, "The second trimester is the best. Mackenzie is doing well. Jack reads to her every night and it's been nice having Aaron home more these past few weeks."
"I remember the second trimester," Garcia said, "It's nothing but a fleeting memory."
"I'm guessing the exhaustion and all the other unpleasantries of being due in two weeks have hit you?" JJ asked with a smirk.
"I sleep maybe two hours at a time if I'm lucky," Garcia said, "It is better than with the twins though. I think I slept two hours a night with them because all they did was kick my bladder or each other."
"That's hour the triplets were," JJ said, "But it wasn't as bad because they were so early."
"Speaking of the Triple Threat," Ashley said, "How was the girls' appointments a few weeks ago? I don't think we've talked much since then."
"They were really good," JJ said, smiling at Charli who was relaxing in Emily's arms, "Charli weighs 9lbs. 10oz. and Savannah is 10 lbs. 2 oz. They both are crawling and once they master walking, their physical therapy will be reduced and eventually, they will be able to stop. They are doing really well and aren't too far behind Jamie."
"What exactly is wrong with them?" Kate asked. Being new, she didn't know everything about everyone yet, but was slowly learning.
"They have Russell-Silver Syndrome or RSS," JJ explained, "It is a complicated genetic mutation, but it essentially means they are small and have low muscle tone. They also don't really eat a lot and have G-tubes. They will start eating more as they get more muscle tone we hope, but a lot of these kids just aren't interested in food. We might start them on growth hormone which helps these kids. They are in a lot of therapy to help with it."
"Oh," Kate said, "But they will be alright?"
"Absolutely," JJ said, "They are always going to be small, but that's about it."
"And we love them little," Emily said before cooing at Charli, "Right my Charli-girl. We like you and Savannah tiny."
Charli smiled at her aunt, babbling nonsense at her.
"Hey Em," Garcia said, looking from the playground to her friend, "What's with the pink bandanas? Are you guys trying to keep track of the boys with them or something?"
"No," Emily said with a coy smile.
"What are they for?" JJ asked, looking at her friend suspiciously.
"It's a secret," Emily said, "And shockingly my boys haven't told anyone yet."
Everyone looked at her suspiciously until JJ's eyes widened and she clamped her hand over her mouth.
"I think I know," she said, smiling at her friend, "Is it what I am thinking?"
"Yeah," Emily said, knowing her friend had the right idea.
"What?" Ashley said, looking at Emily.
Just then, they heard a cry from the playground. They all looked up to see who it was. Emily quickly handed Charli to JJ when she realized that it was Caleb. Derek was already with the little boy who had fallen off a swing and clearly bit his lip. By the time Emily got there, Derek already had his bandana off and on the boy's bloodied lip.
"Mommy," Caleb cried, reaching for her as she came up to them. She took him in her arms.
"It's ok," Emily said, standing up with him.
She and Derek went to a different picnic table near the one the ladies were sitting at and carefully pulled the bandana off his lip.
"It's ok," Emily said, putting Caleb on her lap to calm him while Derek wet the bandana with a water bottle and wiped his lip.
"Stitches?" Emily mouthed to Derek with a worried look.
"No," Derek said, "He just bit his lip a little. He's fine, just a little scrape right, Little Man?" Derek said, smiling at him.
Caleb gave a watery nod as Derek got the rest of the blood off her face. His lip was still bleeding a little on the inside, and he wanted to keep the bandana on his lip, but the crying had stopped.
"Is he alright?" Ashley asked, coming over.
"He will be," Derek said, "He's a bit shaken up, but he'll be fine. Just a little busted lip."
Ashely nodded, knowing exactly what he was talking about. "Are we ready to go then?" Ashley asked, "I think the kids are getting hungry."
"Of course," Emily said, looking up from Caleb, "Do you want to go get some lunch?"
The little boy nodded at her.
"Come on Declan," Derek called.
The other parents called their kids and soon they were headed to the food court. Once everyone had food, they went to a nice picnic area where they all could sit on the ground. They got their kids situated and happily enjoyed their lunch. Part way through, Garcia looked at Emily and Derek.
"So, you wanna tell us what the bandanas are for?" she asked, taking a bite of her hamburger.
"Well," Emily said, "We found out this morning that we are having a baby girl."
Congratulations flew around which Emily and Derek happily accepted. They had a nice lunch before starting back on their tour of the zoo.
They hit the bug room right after lunch and Caleb was in heaven. He would have spent all day in the room, looking at the bugs, but they had more to see. They saw snakes and tigers and elephants and fish and polar bears.
Emily sat outside the penguin exhibit with Charli, Savannah, and Jamie who all were sleeping in their strollers. The penguin exhibit smelled like fish and it made her sick. As she looked at her nieces and nephew sleeping, Emily's hand went to her stomach to where her own little one was busy growing. She was so glad her kids were going to cousins to grow up with.
Soon, the rest of the family came out and they continued on their way through the zoo. They saw so many animals, but by four, the little kids were all cranky and they knew missing the afternoon nap for most of them was rearing its ugly head. They all headed to the gate and got ready to go.
After a round of hugs for everyone, the families headed to their cars with smiles on their faces after enjoying their fun day.
There it was. Don't forget if you want a say in teh name of baby Prentiss-Morgan, there is a poll on my profile. Thanks so much!