Standing Still - Twenty-four
Finally a happy day after all the shit we've been through these past four months, today is Phoebe's first birthday and the whole family is coming round to help us celebrate.
I wake early and full of excitement I immediately start prepping for the party. I'm half way through filling the fiftieth balloon with helium when Gail appears at the doorway her arms laden with decorations.
"Where do you want these," she asks enthusiastically.
"I think the family room and kitchen first and then the garden," I explain.
"I'll get Jason and Ryan to hang them in the garden and I'll start on the house."
"Thank you," I call to her retreating figure. It's funny thinking back to before Ana when a thank you from me was so rare, I hand them out like candy now. All Ana's influence I'm sure she certainly made me a much better person than I was.
By 7.00am Teddy is up and chasing the balloons that have yet to make it to their positions. It's funny watching him so happy as the balloons keep slipping from his grasp.
I've ordered a moon bounce for the day but as only Teddy and Ava are the only children eligible to bounce they're going to pretty much have it all to themselves.
At 8.00am the birthday girl wakes up and starts fussing so I rush to her bedroom to liberate her from her crib.
"Hey birthday girl," I say as I spot her standing up in her crib.
She shoots her head in my direction and with perfect clarity calls out for me. I love it when she calls me Dada and it still amazes me just how many new words she's picked up in the last few weeks.
Her vocabulary is a lot larger than Ted's was at her age but they always say girls mature faster than boys. She can name me and Ana and several other family members and calls Teddy, Deddy but I guess it's close enough. Gail is Gigi and baba means bottle but apart from that most of her words are perfectly clear.
Reaching down I scoop her up and instantly she start babbling away, she's such a happy baby. I stroke her soft brown curls and she reaches her hand to my face.
"Hello sweetheart, who's my big girl today turning one," I coo.
"Mmmm Dada," she's replies, like she understands everything I'm saying.
When we reach the bottom step I hear Gail and Taylor cheering and waving at Phoebe and instantly she gets shy and hides her face in my neck. Just like Ana my baby girl doesn't like a fuss and certainly does not appreciate too much noise on a morning.
"Happy birthday baby," says Gail happily and eventually Phoebe warms up and reaches out for Gail.
Reluctantly I hand her over then look around for my crazy three year old. I spot him sitting in his chair at the table and eating his way through a large stack of pancakes.
There's syrup on over his face but he certainly doesn't seem to care as he munches up his breakfast.
After we eat I help clear away the dishes as Gail tries to clean the syrup from Teddy's face. It's everywhere and he's even managed to smear it on his hair so I pick him up and carry him to the bathroom.
"Me walk," he points out as I climb the stairs.
"Not yet buddy, your all sticky and I don't want you touching anything."
"Sticky?" he questions.
"Yes sticky, very sticky."
In the end I decide to put my son in the shower to fully clean him off, it's unbelievable how messy he can get after just a few pancakes.
After the shower I dress him in clean clothes then take him back downstairs to play before everyone arrives. He's excited when he see's the moon bounce being blown up and immediately wants to play on it.
"Not yet buddy, it's not ready. How about we play with your trains and wait until Ava comes over."
"Ava coming," he asks.
"Yes for Phoebe's party remember."
"Party, cake?" he questions.
"Yes cake but not yet."
He smiles then runs to the playroom and I follow behind until I spot Ana slowly shifting towards me, holding onto Holly.
"How long have you been up," I ask quickly walking to her.
"Not long, you were busy with Teddy, Gail told me about the pancake disaster."
"Disaster is putting it mildly, your son was a sticky mess."
"My son?" she questions.
"Of course didn't you know, when he's bad he's your son and when he's good he's mine," I joke.
"Well I'll certainly have ownership most often, how's my birthday girl?"
"Happy, she was still eating her breakfast when I left with Teddy. I guess she's in the playroom, shall we," I ask taking her arm from Holly.
Slowly I help Ana to the playroom and marvel at the progress she's made in the last two months. It's taken a lot of effort on her part to get to where she today and I'm so proud of her.
With help she can walk to most of the rooms on the ground floor but it takes her awhile to do so. If we go out we still have to take the wheelchair but she manages well inside our home without it.
Stairs are still out of the question but with the elevator it's not much of a problem. Her arms are almost as strong as before the accident and in time I'm sure her legs will catch up.
"Hey baby girl," coos Ana as we enter the playroom.
Phoebe turns from where she's sitting and gives Ana her biggest smile of the day so far. She scoots onto her hands and knees and is soon crawling at full speed to her mother.
Helping Ana to sit down she laughs at Phoebe attempts to climb onto her. With effort she's pulls herself onto her feet and hangs onto Ana's shoulder.
"Mama," she shouts.
"Birthday girl," coos Ana.
I sit down too and soon Teddy is scrambling onto my knee, a bright red train in his hands.
"Hey buddy, look who I found," I say.
"Mommy," he says smiling.
"Hey baby," says Ana reaching over to kiss him while still keeping hold of our daughter.
"Not baby, big boy," say Teddy scornfully.
"Of course sorry, morning Teddy my big boy," Ana corrects.
He smiles then goes back to his trains as Ana hold Phoebes hands and watches her take some steps. I think our daughters language ability has come at the cost of he walking as so far she's not taken a step without our help. Like Ana she tries very hard but crawling is still her go to way of getting around.
I was worried at first especially since Teddy took his first steps so early but my Mom pointed out that all babies get there eventually and no children are still crawling on their first day of school.
As we're playing with the children our first guests arrive and join us in the playroom. It's my brother and Kate with little Ava, who instantly joins Teddy in playing with his trains. I'm sure she'll be bossing my son in no time so much like her mother, still in spite of out differences these last months have really brought me and Kate closer.
Both Elliot and Kate have helped us out a lot and Kate especially has always been willing to look after the children at a moments notice.
We chat together for a while and watch the children play until my parents arrive with Mia and Ethan in tow. A little later Ray arrives and finally the party gets started.
Ryan and Taylor help out as Sawyer helps the children climb into the moon bounce. Phoebe ever the daredevil wants to join in so I hold her hand as she bounces, making sure the older kids don't fall on her.
She loves it and starts laughing and in turn has Sawyer and I equally amused. Laughing at her antics we both can't seem to stop smiling, it feels so good after everything that came before.
In spite of his longer hospital stay Sawyer is almost back to his old self and is now perfectly mobile. Of course he didn't have to deal with the spinal damage that Ana did but he too has worked hard to get to where he is.
After lunch we play games then watch as Gail walks along the garden path holding Phoebe's birthday cake. One candle lights the way as we all sing happy birthday to our precious little girl.
At first Phoebe hides her face in Ana's neck at all the noise but after some encouragement she pokes her little face out and eventually smiles at us all. I blow out the candle as Phoebe's not able and then Gail starts to cut it up to give us all a slice.
Of course Teddy dives in and I'm sure another shower in on the cards for him tonight but Phoebe just stares at her slice.
"Look baby, it's nice," says Ana passing some frosting to her on her finger.
Phoebe looks at the pink frosting then tentatively licks at Ana's offered finger. Thoughtfully she thinks for a moment like she's contemplating something then just like Teddy dives on her cake.
"Mmmmm," she repeats and the cake disappears in her mouth.
"See it's good isn't it sweetheart," says Ana.
"Good," says our daughter with perfect clarity making us all laugh.
"Very good," I reply thoughtfully as I think how nice it is to hear our laughter.