Family Values – The Spin off 3

Continued from the spin off 2, now in the year 2008, two and a half years on from The Spin off 2, it is the beginning of August, the twins are now 3 about to turn 4, the rest is explained in the first chapter

The bright August morning sun shone through to Lexie and Archie's bedroom as they sat in bed together. Lexie ran her fingers over the red leather cover of the photo album she was holding, which they had started in 2006 as a new years resolution to a better year together as a family and home again at Glenbogle.

It was now the year 2008 and as Lexie balanced the photo album on top of her big pregnant belly she reflected the conversation her and Archie had, had about having another baby.

"Well it's something we have thought about for a while, and well the girls are 3 now, it would be a good time to consider another child if you wanted too" Archie suggested to Lexie as they lay in bed that morning.

Lexie smiled as she saw Duncan run past their bedroom door with Ellie and Kyla running behind him giggling. "I guess another one wouldn't be too bad" Lexie replied pondering the thought.

"Excellent" Archie answered with a big grin, "I need a son to carry on the lairdship"

"Arch you can't guarantee a son" Lexie replied sharply

"Well it's got to be a boy this time hasn't it, I mean we had twin girls" Archie commented

"I don't think it works that way Arch" Lexie reminded him, a bit unsure about the whole thing now. "And what if it's not a boy?" she questioned

"Then we'll try again" Archie smiled but was met with Lexie's frown

"Arch I am not gonnae be poppin' out babies till you get a son!" Lexie shouted, "So ok what if I have a girl, will you not love her as much as if she were a boy?"

Archie was shocked by Lexie's reaction "Oh course not, I would love her all the same"

"I just don't know if it's a good idea now" Lexie replied

Yet here she was 7 months later and pregnant, due to have the baby in 2 months.

"Can we look through again?" Lexie asked opening up the album.

Archie sighed, "Lex we must have looked through about a thousand times"

Lexie smiled and moved closer to Archie in bed as he put his arm around her and turned his attention to the album.

As they looked at the first page it was filled with pictures from the New Year celebrations bringing in the year 2006.

"I must admit that was one good party" Archie commented as they looked through the pictures.

"You and Paul look good together in your kilts" Lexie mentioned pointing to the picture of the two brothers standing together with Lizzie.

"Yeh we do make quite a pair" Archie admitted laughing.

"Oh look Paul's 40th, Isobel was starting to show there wasn't she, she must have been about 4 months along then" Lexie noted

"Then the next thing you know, out pops Livia" Archie laughed turning five pages.

"Archie!" Lexie replied in protest

"It's only the usual birthdays" Archie replied

"You mean that special day once a year when our children age another year" Lexie answered before noting another picture "Oh I love that picture of Paul and Livia" Lexie continued pointing to a picture of a proud Paul holding his baby daughter in his arms with her bright blue eyes and a little tuft of blonde hair, which Isobel claimed came from her Grandma. Which was how 'Livia' got her name, from her great grandma Olivia, and her grandma Megan, and so she was blessed by the loch in a joint effort by Archie and Paul as Livia Megan Bowman.

There had been discussions over adding Macdonald to her name but Isobel had objected it saying Livia Megan Bowman Macdonald might just be harming the poor kid already, so Livia Megan Bowman stuck.

"…And then we have the girls in their bridesmaid dresses down on the beach" Archie commented turning to Paul and Isobel's loch side wedding, which had taken place in November, a month after Livia had been born.

"Oh it was cold that day" Lexie mentioned seeing a picture of her holding Livia as the wind blew Lexie's hair all over her face.

"Ah I remember it well" Archie replied looking at a picture of him holding his kilt from blowing up.

"Oh Aye chilly was it?" Lexie joked

"…And turning to the girls 3rd birthday party" Archie quickly changed the subject.

"I feel sorry for them being born on the 12th August" Lexie added

"What because it's our wedding anniversary or the fact it's the start of the shooting season and we all wake up to excited old men shooting guns?" Archie replied

"Both I think!" Lexie answered smiling at a picture of the birthday cake Molly had helped make with the supervision of Lexie in the kitchen.

"Still it was special having the birthday picnic up on the hilltop to share our 5th wedding anniversary" Lexie added

"See I'm not just a pretty face" Archie smiled

"Yeah and at 38 you still look half decent" Lexie joked only for Archie to have a come back "And who turned the big 3-0 that year?"

"And my wonderful husband whisked me down south to London for a much needed shopping trip and overnight stay in a five star hotel" Lexie replied

"I aim to please" Archie commented giving her a kiss.

"Don't forget Dunc turned 30 that year as well" Lexie mentioned turning to Duncan's birthday party.

"I Can't believe we let him plan his own birthday party" Archie replied looking at the pictures of a bouncy castle with full grown adults jumping around on it like little kids.

"Oh come on the bouncy castle was still fun after a serving of ice cream and jelly" Lexie laughed remembering Archie throwing up later that night.

"Remind me why we let Duncan baby sit the girls again?" Archie commented as he received a playful hit from Lexie.

"Which leads us into this year" Archie mentioned turning past more Christmas celebrations and new years and past early year birthdays.

"And now we've got the girls turning 4, Livia turning 2 and the birth of our new baby all to look forward too." Lexie replied as she closed the album and put it at the bottom of their bed as she snuggled up to Archie and he gave her a kiss on her forehead.

"Talking of the girls, I better go see if their up" Archie answered as he got out of bed. Lexie snuggled down under the covers "I think I could go back to sleep"

"MUMMY!" Ellie shrieked as she came charging through the bedroom door. Lexie immediately woke again and turned to see an energetic 3 year old attempting to climb on the bed.

Archie came through carrying Kyla in his arms as he plonked her down on the bed and lifted up Ellie.

"Oh Ellie be careful of mummy's tummy" Lexie informed her daughter who was bouncing nearby.

Kyla and Ellie both knelt beside Lexie and put there tiny hands on her belly, each slapping away the others hand.

"Girl's its big enough for the both of you" Archie commented attempting to be peace maker between them both.

"Baby not kicking mummy" Kyla questioned putting her hands in the air and shrugging her shoulders.

"I reckon baby's still asleep" Lexie replied whispering.

"Shh" Ellie mouthed at Kyla.

"Oh Hello, not interrupting anything am I?" Paul's voice came from the doorway, holding a fully dressed and ready Livia in his arms, with her little denim farmer dungarees on as Paul liked to call them, with her bright blonde hair done up on the top of her head.

"No come on in, your up bright and early aren't you?" Archie commented

"Isobel and I have got some business calls to make and sort out and we were wondering if ya wouldn't mind watching Liv for a while?" Paul asked

"No problem, bring her over here to her Aunt Lexie" Lexie replied ushering Paul over and holding her arms open for her niece who shouted "Lex!" as Paul bought her over and handed her to Lexie.

The girls smiled up at Paul with grinning white teeth. "You trouble's gonna give your uncle Paul a hug?" Paul asked as they both bundled up on the bed to give Paul a hug. He wrapped his arms round them both until they giggled.

"Right well I better be off, thanks again" Paul commented as he left the five of them in the room.

"Peek a boo Livia" Ellie spoke as she hid behind the covers making her cousin giggle as she jumped up. Kyla went and sat on Archie's lap and sucked her thumb while nesting into his t-shirt.

"So it's different having five in a bed then" Archie mentioned as they all sat together.

"Yeah, well there will be soon, oh which reminds me tomorrow I'm going to Glasgow to visit my mum and have a scan at the hospital" Lexie answered

"I'm not coming?" Archie questioned

"Arch some one has to stay and look after the girls, Molly's going down to London to stay with friends and Isobel and Jess are going out and Duncan and Golly are working on the other side of the estate" Lexie replied

"Oh ok then, I just feel bad" Archie answered

"Well don't, plus you'd have to spend 48 hours with my mother" Lexie laughed

"We'll be fine here wont we girls" Archie asked as Kyla nodded her head against Archie's chest.