"Derek, wake up."

"No," he frowned, burying his face deeper into his pillow and reaching out to pull his wife closer to her.

"Yes," she giggled, her soft breath tickling his face as she leaned over him, her lips brushing against his cheek.

"Sleep," he murmured, his eyes still closed.

"Awake."

"Mean."

"You know, usually this conversation is reversed," she said, rolling him onto his back and settling on top of him. "Today is our daughter's second birthday. We have to get ready for her party."

"Which means that she's going to be awake any second," Derek sighed, opening his eyes and looking at his wife as she smiled down at him with sparkling eyes. Sometimes he couldn't believe how lucky he was.

"She will," Meredith sighed. "I can't believe she's two. She's turning into such a big girl."

"I know," Derek whispered, reaching a hand up to run his fingers through her hair. "It feels like yesterday you flipped out on Mom because she told us you were pregnant before either of us knew."

"God, that was the scariest moment of my life," Meredith sighed as she rested her head against Derek's shoulder. "I'm glad we kept her. I can't imagine what would have happened if we hadn't stayed pregnant."

"Me too," Derek replied. "I know it was a hard time for you to get pregnant, but I can't imagine our life without Katie."

"She's so amazing," Meredith nodded. "Susan says she's one of the smartest two year olds she's ever seen."

"Well, her parents are both neurosurgeons," Derek laughed. "Of course she the smartest little girl ever."

"Don't be obnoxious," Meredith rolled her eyes as she rolled off of him and reached for her bathrobe. "We should wake her up."

"Do you want to grab Dan first?" Derek asked. "Make it a family thing? Or should it just be us?"

"Definitely grab Dan," Meredith sighed, following him towards the nursery to wake their son.

"Hey little man," Derek whispered as he reached into the crib to pull his son into his arms. "How did you sleep?"

"Bama?" Dan frowned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he looked between Derek and Meredith with a confused expression.

"We know it's early," Meredith nodded, rubbing her hand over his back as she pressed a kiss to the top of his dark curls. "But we've got to wake Katie up so we can tell her happy birthday."

"Basa ma," Dan sighed as he reached up to tug on the collar of Derek's shirt, looking up at his daddy expectantly.

"We'll change your diaper," Derek said as he moved towards the changing table. "And then we're going to wait a few minutes for breakfast until Katie's awake. Can you handle that, buddy?"

He quickly changed Dan's diaper, snapping him back into his onesie before turning back to Meredith with a wide smile on his lips. "Ready?" he asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Ready," she nodded, leaning into his arms as she wrapped her own arms around his waist. They walked into Katie's room, pausing for a moment as they watched their two year old daughter sleep peacefully.

"She's so quiet," Meredith whispered.

"Which will be ruined when we wake her," Derek sighed. "She's going to be a crazed animal all day."

Dan sighed from Derek's arms as he looked at his parents carefully for a moment before he took a deep breath and shouted, "Bala so ma no!" Katie stirred in her bed for a moment before sitting up eagerly.

"Dan," Meredith giggled slightly. "Mommy and Daddy were going to wake her up in a minute."

"Mommy!" Katie exclaimed as she woke up. "Daddy! Birday? Presents? Party? I two now!"

"Good morning sweetheart," Meredith smiled as she lowered the bar on her bed. "Happy birthday!"

"Birday," Katie giggled. "Pesents?"

"In a little while," Derek laughed as he leaned over to press a kiss to the top of his big girl's head. "Right now Mommy and Daddy are wishing you happy birthday. We're going to miss our baby girl, but we love our big girl now. Mommy and Daddy are so happy to have a big girl around."

"Ma lo sa!" Dan shouted from Derek's arms.

"Dan too," Meredith smiled. "Are you ready for your party? All of your friends are going to come play."

"Psents," Katie sighed.

"We're going to wait until all your friends to come here to open presents," Derek said. "But Daddy's going to make a special birthday breakfast."

"Pancakes?" Katie asked hopefully.

"Pancakes," Derek laughed.

"But first we have a question," Meredith sighed. "Mommy and Daddy are so silly, and we forgot how old you are. Do you remember?"

"Two!" Katie giggled, falling onto her back and rolling around in her bed for a moment.

"Two," Derek sighed. "I can't believe what a big girl we have."

"Big girl," Katie nodded. "I hungry."

"Okay, let's go make breakfast," Meredith smiled as she scooped her daughter into her arms, settling her on her hip.

"Birday," Katie giggled. "Katie birday."

"It is Katie's birthday," Derek smiled as he settled Dan into his high chair. "And we have a surprise for you."

"Pesent?" Katie breathed, looking around the room eagerly.

"Well, since you're such a big girl now, Daddy and I decided that you don't need a high chair anymore," Meredith said as she placed Katie in the booster seat Derek had snapped onto a kitchen chair the night before. "So you can sit at the big table with Mommy and Daddy now."

"I big girl," Katie nodded eagerly as Meredith snapped her into the booster seat.

"You are," Derek nodded, reaching for a plastic crown that sat on the counter. "And everyone should know that today is about the princess, which means that she should wear this crown. What do you think, Katie belle?"

"Pretty," Katie breathed as Derek placed the plastic silver crown on her messy curls.

"Good," Derek smiled, turning to the stove as Meredith placed a sippy cup in front of Katie and turned to open a can of peaches for Dan. "Now I'll start your pancakes, okay?"

"Tank Daddy," Katie nodded as she sipped her milk eagerly.

"At lease she's still captivated by plastic and rhinestones," Derek laughed.

"Probably not for long," Meredith giggled. "Any money you've saved from never buying me expensive jewelry will probably go to her getting twice as much as she should have."

"I would buy you jewelry if you liked it," Derek protested. "And my princess deserves the best."

"You spoil her," Meredith sighed. "And maybe I do like jewelry."

"You didn't want to wear your engagement ring," Derek pointed out as he poured the patter onto the pan.

"I got over that," Meredith smiled as she held up her left hand and examined her ring closely. "I love the ring. But I don't want any more jewelry."

"Told you," Derek smirked, flipping the pancakes.

"Shut up and make me breakfast," Meredith rolled her eyes as she turned back to Dan. "Your daddy's an idiot," she whispered before spooning a bite of peaches into his mouth.

XXXXX

"Al!" Katie screamed hours later, their living room crowded with her day care friends, their parents, and all of Meredith's friends. "Hi Al!"

"Hey there, Katie bug," Alex smiled as he entered the room, Addison behind him with a nervous expression on her face. "Happy birthday!"

"I two!" Katie announced proudly, frowning when her crown tumbled off of her head.

"I know, you're such a big girl," Alex laughed as he adjusted the fallen crown. "I got you a present."

"Open?" Katie asked, already tugging at the tightly tied ribbons.

"I think your mom and dad want you to wait until you open all the rest of your presents," Alex smiled as he looked up at Meredith.

"He's right, Katie," Meredith said. "I'll put it with the rest of your presents."

"Mine!" Katie frowned, hugging the box close to her chest.

"Katherine, you know the rules," Meredith raised her eyebrow.

"No rules," Katie said stubbornly.

"Katherine Isobel, do you want any of your presents?" Meredith asked, knowing the reaction she would get.

"Fine!" Katie frowned as she threw the box on the ground and stormed over to where Derek was talking to Owen, Dan cradled against his shoulder.

"Sorry," Meredith sighed as she leaned down to pick up the present. "She's officially hit the terrible twos. I hope this isn't fragile."

"A new Barbie," Alex shrugged.

"Perfect," Meredith nodded as she placed it on top of the mountain of presents already piled on the card table in the corner of the room. "Hi Addison."

"Hi," Addison said uncomfortably. "I um…I hope this isn't too awkward that I'm here."

"No," Meredith smiled. "You're here with Alex. You and Der…well, we've forgotten about it right?"

"Right," Addison sighed, visibly relaxing.

"And we don't have to have this conversation every time we see each other," Meredith smiled. "It's…we're friends."

"Friends," Addison nodded. "Right."

"Mer, your daughter is going crazy," Derek's voice cut in as he came over and handed Dan to her.

"What's she doing?" Meredith asked as Dan cuddled into her neck.

"She's trying to sneak cookies," Derek said, nodding to where Katie was standing on her tip toes near the dessert table. "That definitely makes her your daughter."

"And the fact that your kid eats muesli instead of cheerios makes him an idiot like you," Mark announced as he joined the conversation.

"He doesn't like Museli," Meredith rolled her eyes. "He doesn't even have enough teeth to chew yet. Derek's just delusional."

"I think it's cute," Addison smiled. "I'm um…do you want anything to drink?" she asked Alex.

"I'll come with you," Alex nodded, following her towards the food.

"Daddy!" Katie screamed from the table where a plate of cookies had toppled onto the floor.

"Oh, sweetheart, it's okay," Derek sighed as he moved to clean up the mess, leaving Meredith alone with Mark.

"So how's Lex?" Meredith asked as she looked over to where her sister was seated on the couch, a hand resting on her swollen belly.

"Crazy," Mark sighed. "Four more months to go."

"And then you'll have your son," Meredith giggled as she looked down at her own son, resting his sleepy head against her shoulder. "A best friend for this little guy."

"Second generation of Shepherd and Sloan," Mark nodded.

"Just what I need," Meredith rolled her eyes before she offered Dan to Mark. "Want some practice?" she asked.

"Sure," Mark smiled as he took the baby out of Meredith's arms. "Hey there, bud."

"He's a good baby," Meredith nodded. "Oh, and his diapers are in the top drawer of his changing table. I'm pretty sure he just made a messy diaper."

"You're evil, Big Grey," Mark frowned.

"Shepherd," Meredith giggled. "And you need the practice."

She could hear Mark grumbling as she walked away, collapsing on the couch beside Lexie. "How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Like a fat elephant," Lexie sighed.

"Don't worry, that will change soon," Meredith nodded knowingly.

"Really?" Lexie asked hopefully.

"Yeah," Meredith nodded. "Then you'll feel like a beached whale."

"Great," Lexie sighed. "You want to feel Chris?"

"You named him?" Meredith asked.

"Yeah," Lexie giggled. "I've always loved the name Christopher, but Mark had a fit because he was afraid that Derek would think we were naming our son after him."

"Which he probably will," Meredith giggled as she looked over to where her husband was kneeling on the ground, surrounded by Katie and a few of her friends.

"So I eventually won out," Lexie sighed, taking Meredith's hand and resting it over her belly where she could feel Chris kicking. "Christopher Joshua Sloan."

"That's amazing," Meredith smiled. "I'm so happy for you, Lex."

"Thanks," Lexie smiled.

"Okay, this is seriously disgusting," Christina sighed as she walked over. "Where the hell is all the alcohol?"

"It's a two year old's birthday party," Meredith giggled. "And keep the swearing down."

"Whatever, Mommy," Christina sighed as she collapsed beside Meredith. "This is a complete mess."

"What?" Meredith asked. "It's my daughter's birthday, and she's happy. How is it a mess?"

"Besides the fact that you're like…a mom?" Christina asked. "Well, there's the fact that our friend Alex isn't just dating anyone, he's dating your husband's ex-wife."

"We've already been over that, it's done," Meredith shrugged. "We're friends."

"And you have that stupid nurse here, in your house," Christina continued. "All we need is that stupid Rose chick to make this completely awkward.

"Her daughter and Katie play in day care," Meredith shrugged. "We had to invite parents."

"Still, completely disturbing, Christina nodded firmly.

"Whatever," Meredith sighed as she stood. "I think it's time for cake now. Derek and I should get the cake, can you make sure there are no disasters that take place in here while we're gone?"

"Mer, there are more adults here than there are kids," Lexie giggled. "We'll be fine."

"Okay," Meredith nodded before she turned to walk towards Derek, wrapping her arms around his waist and interrupting his conversation with a scrub nurse whose daughter was best friends with Katie. "Cake time?" she whispered in his ear.

"Sure," Derek nodded, automatically leaning into her arms. "Excuse me."

Meredith smiled as she took his hand, leading him into the kitchen and leaning against the counter as he pulled the cake they had made the night before out of the fridge. "She's so hyper."

"Cake and presents should help with that," Derek laughed as he stuck a couple candles in the cake.

"She'll crash early," Meredith smiled slyly. "And then we can start the grown up party."

"I like grown up parties," Derek laughed. "Where's our son?"

"With Mark," Meredith shrugged.

"You gave my son to Mark to take care of?" Derek asked.

"He needs practice," Meredith nodded. "He's going to be a great dad, Derek."

"I know," Derek sighed. "Doesn't mean I want my Danny boy being carried around by an idiot."

"You carry him around all the time," Meredith pointed out.

"Mean," Derek frowned. "Ready?"

"Ready," Meredith nodded, kissing him quickly before picking up the cake and moving towards the living room. Katie's eyes widened as she saw her parents walking into the room, and Mark reached out to place her in the chair at the dessert table. Meredith giggled slightly as she placed the cake in front of her wide eyed daughter who was practically bouncing with excitement. "Make a wish, princess," she murmured as she leaned into Derek's arms. As Katie leaned forward to blow out the candles, Meredith rested her head against her husband's shoulder and made a few wishes of her own.