"So . . . ?" Josh asks when I join him and the kids in the family room.

"She'll be ready in 10 minutes. She's anxious to get over to the Mansion and see Peter."

Josh laughs. "But not anxious enough to get up before 10?

"She's on vacation. And it's not like you have to get to work, remember?"

"I know. But that's not what I meant anyway. How'd the talk go?"

I glance over to where Lulu is playing, absorbed in the imaginary world of her dollhouse.

"Good. I mean, a little awkward. She's pretty adamant that she and Peter aren't sexually active, her exact words were: 'are you kidding? My Dad would kill me!'"

Josh grimaces.

"I told her I remember that feeling. That when I was that age I was sure my parents would kill me if they found out that I slept with my boyfriend too."

Josh cringes. I wonder what bothered him. He already knew how young I was. Is he bothered by how I think my parents would have reacted? Is he worried about Carly's actual safety?

"Josh, it's just an expression."

"I know." He answers, but he doesn't look convinced.

"Anyway, I told her if she ever needed anyone to talk to she could call me anytime, And I reminded her that she was the only one who should make decisions about her body and that all of us just wanted her to be safe. And then we both suffered through a health class refresher on STDs and pregnancy prevention."

Josh chuckles a little at that. "Well, at least you have practice for when Lulu is old enough."

"That's fine. I'll talk to her. You talk to Jonah. But you know what I'd like?"

"What?"

"I'd like our kids not to think we'd kill them over the choices they make."

"Agreed."

"Aunt Donna! Uncle Josh!" Carly yells barrelling down the stairs, "I'm ready to go!"

Lulu pops up from the dollhouse. "I wanna go too."

"We're all going, baby." Josh assures her.

"I'm going to bring my dollies." Lulu informs him, as she begins to gather the figures.

I quickly veto that idea. "No, you should leave them here."

Lulu looks back at me with a glare before turning puppy dog eyes towards Josh.

"Mommy's right," he tells her gently. "We need to leave those here, but we can take your new vet set and you can show Miranda."

"OH! That's a good idea!" Lulu shouts immediately heading towards the stairs. "I better bring some animals too."

"Just a couple." Josh insists, starting after her. "I'll get her, you get him?" He throws back over his shoulder. "His diaper bag is already, it's just getting him into the car seat."

"Okay. Carly, can you tell the agents we'll be ready in five minutes."

"Sure, Aunt Donna!" She grins at me following Josh and Lulu back up the stairs.

"Well, Jo-jo, it's you and me. Are you ready to go to the White House and see the President?"

Jonah stops gnawing on his fist for a moment and just looks at me solemnly.

"Oh so serious!" I tease him. "It's okay. Your sister used to go to the White House every day."

I know he doesn't really understand what I'm saying but it's good to have conversations. Hopefully he'll end up taking to language the same way Lulu did, even though he's not as advanced as she was at this age.

"Okay, let's go." I tell him as I scoop him out of the boppy seat. Once I do, he gives me a huge smile. He may not be as vocal as his sister but he's still just as loving.

"Oh, I love you so much." I give him a big squeeze as I head up to the foyer.

Carly is bouncing around while I get Jonah buckled in. I guess she's anxious to see Peter even though it hasn't even been 12 hours since he left here. She's also twirling a gift bag.

"What's that? I thought you and Peter exchanged gifts last night?"

"Oh we did!" She squeals, fingering the heart shaped locket she's wearing with a smile. "But My Mom insisted that I bring a hostess gift for Mrs. Santos, and I also brought a present for Miranda."

"Nothing for the President?" I tease, but Carly looks stricken.

"Ohmygod! You're right! I can't not give him something! What am I going to do?" She wails.

"What's the problem?" Josh asks, walking in on the drama.

"I don't have a gift for the President!" Carly cries.

Josh frowns, not seeing the problem. "I'm sure he's not expecting anything."

"But I have a candle for Mrs. Santos and I got a really awesome hoodie for Miranda. It's rude if I leave him out. He's always so nice to me. I feel terrible."

"I have an idea." Josh declares, "come with me." He turns on his heel and marches into the kitchen, where he picks up the tin of shortbread. "You can give him this."

Carly opens the tin and looks in. "But it's half gone." She laments.

"I think we still have some snickerdoodles." Josh suggests, pulling out the tupperware container and popping the lid open.

"How old are those?" Carly asks, looking at me for help.

"They're fine." Josh insists, biting into one.

"Don't you have a gift box, Aunt Donna?" Carly beseeches, "I don't want to give the President cookies that I didn't even make!"

I have to stop and think for a second. I don't actually have a box of random gifts like my Mom does. But I do have something that might work.

"Come with me."

We hustle up the stairs and into my dressing room. I start rifling through the drawers on Josh's side.

"Ah ha!" I shout as I find what I'm looking for. "It's not exciting, but they're new."

"Socks?" Carly moans.

"Hey. It's this or Uncle Josh's stale cookies."

"I'll take the socks."

"Good choice."