Author's note: Yes, I'll admit it, I purposely made Brianna's birthday on the seventeenth.

Ponyboy's POV

As Brianna's first birthday got closer, we all got more excited about it. Two-Bit and Steve had some bet on how much cake would actually end up in Brianna's mouth and not everywhere else. Personally, I think she'll get more cake in her mouth than they will in theirs. I've been watching then eat my whole life, so I have my reasons for believing this.

"Pony, what are you getting Brianna for her birthday?" Darry asked me. I had just put Brianna to bed and was returning to the living room.

"I don't know." I admitted. "I was thinking of drawing a picture of her on a horse. We don't have a lot of money to spend."

"Yeah. That'll be a good gift." Darry told me. "Soda and I are getting her one of those bouncing ponies that she can sit on."

"Soda's idea, right?" Soda has always been horse crazy.

Darry just nodded. "I think Soda might have some other gifts for her. But we both chipped in on the pony."

I sat down on the couch and thought about that day back in late April when Sandy showed up at the door with Brianna. We had all been surprised to see her. But then, she left again. Brianna looked so small and helpless. I imagine that Soda felt small and helpless, too. One minute he's a normal seventeen yeat old kid and the next he's a father. Now, Brianna would be turning one. The year went by quick.

Soda's POV

I got home from school and flopped down on the couch next to Ponyboy. I was tired and I still had to do my homework. Sometimes I wonder why I even bothered returning to school. But, I knew it was the right decision.

"Tired, little buddy?" Darry asked.

I nodded sleepily.

"Why don't you go to bed?" Pony suggested.

"I have homework to do." I yawned.At that moment I heard Brianna cry from her bed room. "And a child to take care of."

I got up and went to Brianna's room where she was sitting in her crib looking up at me. Her cries stopped when she saw me enter the room.

"What's wrong?" I asked checking to make sure everthing was okay. Then I picked her up. "Do you just want someone to hold you?"

"Dah?" Brianna replied.

"What?" I asked.

She pointed at her basket of toys.

I shook my head. "No, it's bed time. You played all day."

"Gah!" Brianna looked at me.

"I'm sorry, honey, but daddy has homework to do. And you need to go back to sleep. We'll play in the morning before I leave for work." I told her putting her back in the crib. I also put in a few extra toys knowing she'd probably be up a little longer playing. She'd been doing that a lot lately.

"She wanted to play, didn't she?" Pony met me in the hall.

"Uh huh. I'm going to start on my homework." I replied.

"Okay, I'm going to bed." Pony said entering our room and closing the door behind him.

"Soda, I ordered Brianna's birthday cake this afternoon. We can get it the morning of her birthday." Darry told me as I walked past on my way to the kitchen. I stopped to grab my stuff for school.

"Sounds good." I said. "Did you get extra icing on it?"

"Yes, I got extra icing." Darry sighed. "And, I even ordered cookies."

"The kind mom used to buy for us?" I looked at him.

Darry nodded. "I think she'll like them as much as we do."

I grinned and went off to start my homework. Brianna's birthday was only a few days away and while we knew what we were getting for her, I think we were all wondering if that would be the day she would say her first word. I had a feeling it would be soon and I was anxious to find out what that word was.