Chapter 30: Bonding Moment!
TWO MONTHS LATER!
Brittany and Eleanor decided that Jeanette could really use a break away from the triplets and stress. They both planned out a trip to beauty salon. Just by luck the plans might works out as they expected. Since Alvin and Theodore are in collage and Dave is at work, and Miss. Miller is away on a trip. That leaves Simon alone with the kids for most of the day.
After the usual, breakfast rush, Brittany and Eleanor came over to help Jeanette get ready. When the three of them were ready they came back downstairs to say bye to Simon and the three adorable little ones.
"Are you sure your going to be fine?" Jeanette asked Simon.
"Of course, I am" he insured his wife's fears, "This will be therapeutic, and it'll end my paranoia of being all on my own with the kids. Besides, this will also give me more of a chance to bond with them. Right guys?" Simon said as he faced his children with a smile.
Both of the little boys gave their mother a pleading look. Saying, 'don't go'.
Their look almost convinced Jeanette to stay. She turned to her sisters "M- m-maybe I shouldn't go today?" she stammered. "Perhaps we could go another day?"
"No way! We made these reservations at the salon so that you could have a well deserved facial, today!" Brittany argued solidly.
"Brittany's right, Jeanette. It just wouldn't be fair to cancel out now." Eleanor agreed.
Simon walked up to his wife and gave her a hug. "Your sisters are right." He sided with his sister-in-laws, "You could use the break! Trust me, the kids and I will be fine, I promise!"
Jeanette looked into Simon's eyes and saw the confidence and sincerity in them. She nodded in agreement and gave him a kiss on the lips. "Ok! We should be back in a couple of hours. I love you!"
"I love you, too!"
As soon as the girls left, Simon then faced his children as they finished their breakfast. For sometime the four of them just sat there staring at each other, wondering what to do. The only sound coming into the room was of the clock on the wall. Soon Simon the tension is so nerve racking, it becomes hard for him to breathe. He mentally smacked himself in the face for being an idiot. How could he be afraid of being alone with three little babies, especially after all he has gone through for the past 10 years?
Simon grabs the chair beside him as sat down on it in front of the triplets. "S-s-s-so, w-what should we do first?" He asked them.
Again, an awkward silence filled the room.
Simon's nerves hadn't felt this crazy since the first time he had participated in a play on stage. He tried desperately to swallow a large lump down his throat as he even tugged at his blue turtleneck collar to create more space.
He turned to look behind him and eyed the clock on the wall. "Only one minute has gone by.?" He thought. Simon groaned nervously and turned back to his little ones. 'Why does time seem to move more slowly when you actually want it to go by faster?'
By now Simon was totally lost. Here were three pairs of eyes just staring at him. It felt as if every move he made was being judged. 'Well, at least they're not crying.' Simon thought again.
The silence had been too much to hope for; Vincent starts frowning his face and began to whimper. It is obvious that Vince misses his mom already.
"Oh no. No, no, no. Come on, Vince. Don't cry. It'll be all right. It's ok. Shhh." Simon pleaded to the infant.
Vincent looked up at his unsure father with his watery grey-blue eyes. "You guys want to drop me a line here? I'm drowning." Simon begged them.
Little Mary-Anne finally held up her half eaten, and very much drooled on, Arrowroot cookie. "Dada." She said offering Simon some of her cookie.
That was enough to break the tension. Simon sigh a breath of relief and lifted his hand up to his daughters chin. "Aw, thanks darling. You're a sweetheart, but you know what? Daddy just ate and is not really that hungry right now. So, you can finish the cookie ok?"
Mary-Anne giggled to Simon's tickling touch under her chin. She looked up to him with her bright blue eyes, and gives him the expression which said 'everything will be alright.'
He smiled proudly at all three of them. He started feeling a bit more confidant with being with them now. After a few minutes Simon finally got up and started to clean off the table and begins to put the rest of the dishes in the brand new dishwasher they got last month.
Afterwards he spent most of the morning reading to them and brought out a few of their learning toys, which Simon played with them. When time came to change their dippers Tom started to cry, but by using the same technique Simon learned from his mother, he instinctively held his son close to his chest and started to sing. After a few minutes into the song, Tom calmed down.
Lunchtime came around, and Simon brought them back to the kitchen and prepared them a simple snack. Simon noticed how organized all of this parenting can be, if you know how to handle it right. He sat with them at the table while each of the babies sat in their respective highchairs and ate.
When they finished Simon realized that each of them made a mess of themselves. Food covered most of their faces and cloths. Simon sighed and shook his head. "We really must learn how to eat properly so we don't make a mess of ourselves, right guys?" He told them as he collected their dishes.
Simon puts all the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. Seeing that it is now full he fills a tiny container with the dishwashing powder before starting up the machine. While the dishes were being cleaned, Simon put the rest of the leftover food in the fridge. After that was all done up, he grab all three of his dirty looking kids upstairs for a bath.
As usual, during each bath time they would have, somehow always seem to get Simon in the crossfire of almost every splash they make. Simon dreads at times like this due to he always has to change his shirt afterwards.
Forty-five minutes later Simon finally had got them clean and changed into fresh clothes, including himself.
He took them back downstairs to the living room, and sat them down in front of the TV and had them watching educational children's programming. Thus giving Simon the opportunity to clean up the toys.
When he was done, he pulled out one of his study books for collage and lied down on the couch. While his kids watched their programs, Simon pre- studies for the courses he plans on taking in the fall. Suddenly some movement caught Simon's eye.
"What do you think you are doing?" He raises an eyebrow to his son, Vincent. Simon sat up and watched his son as he stood himself up with the help of the coffee table. The little infant looked up at his dad with his greyish/blue eyes and with a smile he takes a few steps and makes it to the couch.
"You did it! You took your first steps all by yourself!" Simon gasps proudly and regretted a little for Jeanette for missing out. He forgot about his book, as he bends over to pick up his son. It didn't take long for the other two babies to follow Vince suit up to the couch and join them. Simon picks up Tom and Mary as well, and all four of them lie on the couch together as they continue to watch the TV programs.
************
TWO HOURS LATER!
It is just after 4:30pm when the Chipettes come home. Jeanette, even though feeling a lot better after her facial, she was looking forward in coming home to her children. She was so worried on if they would be ok. It's not that she doesn't trust Simon being home with the kids alone, it's just that her husband went through so much trouble in the past. Dealings with near-death experiences, depression, suicidal attempt, and the latest seems to be that he is paranoid with being alone with the babies for some reason. She worried that he might have a breakdown in front of the kids and the house would be a complete disaster.
She walked in with her sisters and noticed how quiet it is. At first this made Jeanette nervous, 'where are they?' she wondered. Brittany and Eleanor started snickering when they saw a most interesting scene in the living room. "Awe, now that's a Kodak moment!" Eleanor commented.
Jeanette gasped and turned to see what her sisters were looking at.
On the living room couch, Simon and the three infants, were all sound asleep. The two little boys were on either side of Simon with his arms rapped around them so they won't fall. Mary-Anne curled up in a little ball on top of Simon's chest. The TV was still on, it is showing a nature program.
Jeanette thought about Eleanor's comment about it being a 'Kodak moment' and went to get the camera. As soon as she took the picture, Simon began to stir. Slowly he opened his eyes and saw three Chipettes smiling down at him and the infants in his arms.
"Wha.?" He said, feeling unaware of why they are hovering over him with a 'knowing' grin on their faces.
"Need a hand?" Jeanette asked as she addressed his attention to the infants on his body.
He looked down and saw his kids sleeping soundly on his chest. With a shy smile Simon again looked up at the Chipettes. "Sure!"
Each of the girls took an infant and walked them upstairs to their crib. That gave Simon the opportunity to sit up, stretch and rub the sleep from his eyes. When the girls came back, Jeanette sat beside her husband and kissed him on the cheek.
"So, what did you do today?" She asked.
"Not much, it was pretty much a quiet day." Simon suddenly remembered something and looked at his wife with a smile. "Vincent took his first steps today!" He added in a proud tone.
"He did? Awe. And I missed it!" She said in a disappointed tone. She knew that she would miss something important before she left this morning.
Noticing her disappointment, Simon put his arm around her and held her close to him. "Don't worry Jeanette, there's always Tom and Mary-Anne yet to take their first steps!" He then lifted her head with his free hand and looked into her eyes. "Did I ever tell you how beautiful you look?"
"Thanks." Jeanette replied with a shy smile.
"We'll see you later, ok Jeanette!" Brittany said. She suddenly felt ill due all of this 'mushy' talk.
Eleanor simply snickered before following Brittany.
"Do you two have to leave now? We could sit and talk for a bit before Dave and the boys return home." Jeanette suggested as she got up and ran to her sisters.
"I'm afraid Brittany's right, Jeanette." Eleanor sighed. "We do have to go home and study a bit. I have that exam that I need to study for on Thursday."
"Oh, all right." Jeanette says. She then gives each of them a huge hug. "Thanks for a wonderful morning!"
"No problem! We should do it again soon sometime!" Brittany mentions. And with that her and Eleanor leave.
Jeanette turns to Simon after closing the door. "So, what should we do now?"
"Don't know." Simon replies. "What do you want to do??"
Jeanette was at a loss for words then a thought accrues to her. "We could just sit here and lavish in the house being quiet for once?" She suggests.
Being that the babies are asleep, and everyone else won't be home for another hour or so, this could give Simon and Jeanette the time to just be together. Both of them sat on the couch and watched TV and simply just relaxed in each other's arms.
TWO MONTHS LATER!
Brittany and Eleanor decided that Jeanette could really use a break away from the triplets and stress. They both planned out a trip to beauty salon. Just by luck the plans might works out as they expected. Since Alvin and Theodore are in collage and Dave is at work, and Miss. Miller is away on a trip. That leaves Simon alone with the kids for most of the day.
After the usual, breakfast rush, Brittany and Eleanor came over to help Jeanette get ready. When the three of them were ready they came back downstairs to say bye to Simon and the three adorable little ones.
"Are you sure your going to be fine?" Jeanette asked Simon.
"Of course, I am" he insured his wife's fears, "This will be therapeutic, and it'll end my paranoia of being all on my own with the kids. Besides, this will also give me more of a chance to bond with them. Right guys?" Simon said as he faced his children with a smile.
Both of the little boys gave their mother a pleading look. Saying, 'don't go'.
Their look almost convinced Jeanette to stay. She turned to her sisters "M- m-maybe I shouldn't go today?" she stammered. "Perhaps we could go another day?"
"No way! We made these reservations at the salon so that you could have a well deserved facial, today!" Brittany argued solidly.
"Brittany's right, Jeanette. It just wouldn't be fair to cancel out now." Eleanor agreed.
Simon walked up to his wife and gave her a hug. "Your sisters are right." He sided with his sister-in-laws, "You could use the break! Trust me, the kids and I will be fine, I promise!"
Jeanette looked into Simon's eyes and saw the confidence and sincerity in them. She nodded in agreement and gave him a kiss on the lips. "Ok! We should be back in a couple of hours. I love you!"
"I love you, too!"
As soon as the girls left, Simon then faced his children as they finished their breakfast. For sometime the four of them just sat there staring at each other, wondering what to do. The only sound coming into the room was of the clock on the wall. Soon Simon the tension is so nerve racking, it becomes hard for him to breathe. He mentally smacked himself in the face for being an idiot. How could he be afraid of being alone with three little babies, especially after all he has gone through for the past 10 years?
Simon grabs the chair beside him as sat down on it in front of the triplets. "S-s-s-so, w-what should we do first?" He asked them.
Again, an awkward silence filled the room.
Simon's nerves hadn't felt this crazy since the first time he had participated in a play on stage. He tried desperately to swallow a large lump down his throat as he even tugged at his blue turtleneck collar to create more space.
He turned to look behind him and eyed the clock on the wall. "Only one minute has gone by.?" He thought. Simon groaned nervously and turned back to his little ones. 'Why does time seem to move more slowly when you actually want it to go by faster?'
By now Simon was totally lost. Here were three pairs of eyes just staring at him. It felt as if every move he made was being judged. 'Well, at least they're not crying.' Simon thought again.
The silence had been too much to hope for; Vincent starts frowning his face and began to whimper. It is obvious that Vince misses his mom already.
"Oh no. No, no, no. Come on, Vince. Don't cry. It'll be all right. It's ok. Shhh." Simon pleaded to the infant.
Vincent looked up at his unsure father with his watery grey-blue eyes. "You guys want to drop me a line here? I'm drowning." Simon begged them.
Little Mary-Anne finally held up her half eaten, and very much drooled on, Arrowroot cookie. "Dada." She said offering Simon some of her cookie.
That was enough to break the tension. Simon sigh a breath of relief and lifted his hand up to his daughters chin. "Aw, thanks darling. You're a sweetheart, but you know what? Daddy just ate and is not really that hungry right now. So, you can finish the cookie ok?"
Mary-Anne giggled to Simon's tickling touch under her chin. She looked up to him with her bright blue eyes, and gives him the expression which said 'everything will be alright.'
He smiled proudly at all three of them. He started feeling a bit more confidant with being with them now. After a few minutes Simon finally got up and started to clean off the table and begins to put the rest of the dishes in the brand new dishwasher they got last month.
Afterwards he spent most of the morning reading to them and brought out a few of their learning toys, which Simon played with them. When time came to change their dippers Tom started to cry, but by using the same technique Simon learned from his mother, he instinctively held his son close to his chest and started to sing. After a few minutes into the song, Tom calmed down.
Lunchtime came around, and Simon brought them back to the kitchen and prepared them a simple snack. Simon noticed how organized all of this parenting can be, if you know how to handle it right. He sat with them at the table while each of the babies sat in their respective highchairs and ate.
When they finished Simon realized that each of them made a mess of themselves. Food covered most of their faces and cloths. Simon sighed and shook his head. "We really must learn how to eat properly so we don't make a mess of ourselves, right guys?" He told them as he collected their dishes.
Simon puts all the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. Seeing that it is now full he fills a tiny container with the dishwashing powder before starting up the machine. While the dishes were being cleaned, Simon put the rest of the leftover food in the fridge. After that was all done up, he grab all three of his dirty looking kids upstairs for a bath.
As usual, during each bath time they would have, somehow always seem to get Simon in the crossfire of almost every splash they make. Simon dreads at times like this due to he always has to change his shirt afterwards.
Forty-five minutes later Simon finally had got them clean and changed into fresh clothes, including himself.
He took them back downstairs to the living room, and sat them down in front of the TV and had them watching educational children's programming. Thus giving Simon the opportunity to clean up the toys.
When he was done, he pulled out one of his study books for collage and lied down on the couch. While his kids watched their programs, Simon pre- studies for the courses he plans on taking in the fall. Suddenly some movement caught Simon's eye.
"What do you think you are doing?" He raises an eyebrow to his son, Vincent. Simon sat up and watched his son as he stood himself up with the help of the coffee table. The little infant looked up at his dad with his greyish/blue eyes and with a smile he takes a few steps and makes it to the couch.
"You did it! You took your first steps all by yourself!" Simon gasps proudly and regretted a little for Jeanette for missing out. He forgot about his book, as he bends over to pick up his son. It didn't take long for the other two babies to follow Vince suit up to the couch and join them. Simon picks up Tom and Mary as well, and all four of them lie on the couch together as they continue to watch the TV programs.
************
TWO HOURS LATER!
It is just after 4:30pm when the Chipettes come home. Jeanette, even though feeling a lot better after her facial, she was looking forward in coming home to her children. She was so worried on if they would be ok. It's not that she doesn't trust Simon being home with the kids alone, it's just that her husband went through so much trouble in the past. Dealings with near-death experiences, depression, suicidal attempt, and the latest seems to be that he is paranoid with being alone with the babies for some reason. She worried that he might have a breakdown in front of the kids and the house would be a complete disaster.
She walked in with her sisters and noticed how quiet it is. At first this made Jeanette nervous, 'where are they?' she wondered. Brittany and Eleanor started snickering when they saw a most interesting scene in the living room. "Awe, now that's a Kodak moment!" Eleanor commented.
Jeanette gasped and turned to see what her sisters were looking at.
On the living room couch, Simon and the three infants, were all sound asleep. The two little boys were on either side of Simon with his arms rapped around them so they won't fall. Mary-Anne curled up in a little ball on top of Simon's chest. The TV was still on, it is showing a nature program.
Jeanette thought about Eleanor's comment about it being a 'Kodak moment' and went to get the camera. As soon as she took the picture, Simon began to stir. Slowly he opened his eyes and saw three Chipettes smiling down at him and the infants in his arms.
"Wha.?" He said, feeling unaware of why they are hovering over him with a 'knowing' grin on their faces.
"Need a hand?" Jeanette asked as she addressed his attention to the infants on his body.
He looked down and saw his kids sleeping soundly on his chest. With a shy smile Simon again looked up at the Chipettes. "Sure!"
Each of the girls took an infant and walked them upstairs to their crib. That gave Simon the opportunity to sit up, stretch and rub the sleep from his eyes. When the girls came back, Jeanette sat beside her husband and kissed him on the cheek.
"So, what did you do today?" She asked.
"Not much, it was pretty much a quiet day." Simon suddenly remembered something and looked at his wife with a smile. "Vincent took his first steps today!" He added in a proud tone.
"He did? Awe. And I missed it!" She said in a disappointed tone. She knew that she would miss something important before she left this morning.
Noticing her disappointment, Simon put his arm around her and held her close to him. "Don't worry Jeanette, there's always Tom and Mary-Anne yet to take their first steps!" He then lifted her head with his free hand and looked into her eyes. "Did I ever tell you how beautiful you look?"
"Thanks." Jeanette replied with a shy smile.
"We'll see you later, ok Jeanette!" Brittany said. She suddenly felt ill due all of this 'mushy' talk.
Eleanor simply snickered before following Brittany.
"Do you two have to leave now? We could sit and talk for a bit before Dave and the boys return home." Jeanette suggested as she got up and ran to her sisters.
"I'm afraid Brittany's right, Jeanette." Eleanor sighed. "We do have to go home and study a bit. I have that exam that I need to study for on Thursday."
"Oh, all right." Jeanette says. She then gives each of them a huge hug. "Thanks for a wonderful morning!"
"No problem! We should do it again soon sometime!" Brittany mentions. And with that her and Eleanor leave.
Jeanette turns to Simon after closing the door. "So, what should we do now?"
"Don't know." Simon replies. "What do you want to do??"
Jeanette was at a loss for words then a thought accrues to her. "We could just sit here and lavish in the house being quiet for once?" She suggests.
Being that the babies are asleep, and everyone else won't be home for another hour or so, this could give Simon and Jeanette the time to just be together. Both of them sat on the couch and watched TV and simply just relaxed in each other's arms.