Roger's POV.

3 years and 7 months later……

It was around 5 o'clock in the morning when I was running around blowing up balloons and tossing them around the living room. Why balloons, you ask? Well, because Josh was turning 3 years old today. Normally he wakes up at 6 am, which is way earlier than either of us, but because he ate a really heavy dinner last night, he slept more soundly today. So that gave me a chance to decorate the house for tonight's birthday party before he woke up. Mark was in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on a chocolate sponge cake with sugary flowers on it. When I finally finished the last balloon, I skipped over to the kitchen to see him.

"Hey Marky-poo," I whispered as I slid my arms around his waist from behind. "I'm done blowing the balloons."

"Oh great! Thanks hun," he replied as he patted my cheek from the front.

I spun him around to face me and grinned evilly. "Maybe I can blow you too after that workout session."

Mark's eyes grew as round as basketballs. "Rog, how can you say that? Our little boy is gonna wake up any minute!"

I giggled at him and pulled him closer to me. "Oh c'mon. It'll only take five minutes."

"Yeah yeah, it always takes only five minutes with you anyway," he mumbled as he tried to swat my face away.

I fake-pouted at him. "Ohh pretty please? I just wanna taste you…" I shoved my face into the crook of his neck and started licking his skin.

"Roger, stop it!" hissed my scrawny Jewish husband as he tried to shake me off. But nothing could hide the fact that his body really wanted this. But a minute later, we were interrupted by the sound of a bed creaking.

"That's him," whispered Mark. "C'mon let's go."

Tip-toeing into his bedroom with some balloons in hand, we could see our little boy, clad in Superman pyjamas with his sand-coloured hair completely tousled, sitting up in bed. He was busy rubbing his eyes with one hand and yawning, but suddenly his eyes shot wide open and his hand froze as he saw the colourful balloons that we carried in our hands. Before he could move a muscle, we both yelled:

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSHUA!"

Josh just squealed with delight as we both scooped him into our arms and hugged him tightly. His eyes were popping right out of his head and he had a huge smile on his face. He threw his little arms around my shoulders and hugged me tightly, squealing "Da da!" I hugged him back and kissed his forehead.

"Hey there, little buddy," I whispered as I hugged him back and stroked his hair. Mark took him from my arms, kissed his cheek and held him close, whispering:

"Happy birthday, Yeshula". Josh hugged him back and rested his little head on his shoulder, whispering "Ahh-baaa". I could see my husband's eyes cloud up with tears as Josh said this. I kissed Mark gently and looked into his eyes.

"C'mon baby", I said to him and I pulled him to his feet. "Time to make this little guy a yummy breakfast."

Mark wiped his eyes from under his glasses and smiled at me. "Yeah, I'm sorry. Let's go."

We each took Josh's hands and helped him walk into the kitchen through the 'living room', where his eyes grew wide again and he squealed even louder as he feasted his eyes on the numerous balloons that adorned the walls and ceilings. Josh giggled with delight as he watched us make him his favourite breakfast: waffles with maple syrup and sliced strawberries on top. I smiled as I watched him go "MMMMMmmmm" as he happily devoured the waffles, but I remembered that I had a band rehearsal that day, so I thought I'd finish it now so I'd be free in the evening to celebrate his birthday. So I grabbed the car keys, threw on my leather jacket, kissed my husband and son goodbye and walked out of the loft. I sighed deeply. It was the best feeling in the world: having a family of your own to love and look after.

6.00 pm. The whole gang came by with loads of presents. Maureen and Joanne came first, with Maureen carrying baby Leana on her hips. Both girls hugged Josh and wished him a happy birthday, to which he responded with a "Fank Ooo (thank you)". Maureen carefully placed Leana on the floor, who crawled up to me and grabbed my leg in her little hands. I chuckled and picked her up.

"Hey Lea," I cooed as I brushed her walnut-brown fringe away from her face. She looked absolutely adorable in her little yellow dress, shiny white shoes and a matching yellow flower-clip in her hair. Josh, all decked out in little blue jeans and a little "I love the Well Hungarians" t-shirt which I had specially made for him, looked at Leana with a huge smile on his face. Well why not? She looked so cute. Leana babbled loudly and tried to stick her finger up my nose, a cute frown forming on her face. Oh man, she's already a drama queen like Maureen, I thought, laughing.

Collins walked in next, and Josh screamed in delight as the professor scooped him into his arms and spun him around. Josh hugged him tightly and giggled and as Collins tickled him under his arms. "Hey there, happy birthday little dude," he said in his warm, good-natured voice as he carried Josh and positioned him on his waist. Mimi walked in next, hugging and kissing Josh, who smiled shyly at her. No Benny tonight, though. He probably had to put up with Alison tonight. Chuckling to myself, I laid all the food on the coffee table while Mark placed the chocolate cake near the edge. He then got a blunt knife which he held in his own hand and placed Josh's hand on top. I stuck a single candle in the cake and lit it. I saw how happy Josh looked as he feasted his eyes on the delicious cake in front of him. I smiled as I read the message "Happy 3rd Birthday Josh" written on the front of the cake in pink sugary icing. Little Josh just couldn't contain his joy. We then started singing:

"Happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday dear Joshua!

Happy birthday to you!"

"Ok Josh, remember what I taught you," said Mark and Josh focused his eyes on the candle. I giggled as I remembered watching Mark light a candle and teaching Josh how to blow it off. He almost got it, thought. So tonight, he attempted to put that practice to good use. He blew it once, but the flame didn't budge. He blew it again, this time the flame flickered but it still stayed. Josh pouted and cast his dejected face downward. Mark wrapped his arm around Josh's shoulders and said:

"C'mon Joshy. Remember what I told you. Try again." And so Josh fixed his eyes on the candle, took in a deep breath, and blew with all his might. And this time, the flame went out. Everyone cheered and clapped, but the biggest cheer definitely came from Joshy himself, who clapped his own hands and called us, "Dadaaa! Abaaaa!" with the widest smile on his face. Mark wrapped his arms warmly around his little frame and whispered:

"You can do anything you set your mind to, Joshy. All you have to do is try." I wrapped my arms tightly around Mark and Josh and kissed both of them. But we got a little too caught up in our family moment to realise that Lea somehow got out of Joanne's grasp and shoved her hand right into Josh's cake, then proceeded to lick the chocolate off her hand.

"Lea! That's not your cake!" scolded Joanne and she picked Lea up again, despite her little protests to stick her hand in it again, which sent us into giggles. But fortunately Josh was too happy to care that his cake got messed up, so with a little help from me, he cut his cake with more applause from everybody. And then we all tucked into the food; pizza, garlic bread and chicken nuggets. Mark was struggling to feed Josh as he ran around crazily trying to open his presents.

"Yeshula, not now! Please eat first," pleaded Mark as he tried to shove little pieces of chicken into Josh's mouth, which he was happy to eat as long as he got to open his presents. He opened up Collins' first, which was a collection of children's books to read. I raised my eyebrow when I saw that they were for a 4-year-old, but Collins just laughed saying, "Hey don't worry, Rog. The kid's a prodigy. He'll be reading them in no time!" I smiled at him. Yes, our son was indeed very gifted. Next he opened Mimi's, which was a tiny leather Jacket with fake-metal studs in them. Josh giggled with delight as he put it on, with her help, and went to model himself in the mirror. I grinned. He looks like a rock star already. Then came Maureen's and Joanne's, which was an Etch-and-Sketch board. "That'll keep him busy for hours!" said Maureen. I dunno about that, but I guess Josh'll have plenty of fun just playing with the knobs anyway. Then finally Mark and I gave him our present. Josh's eyes grew as big as melons as he saw what he got him: a tiny red scooter fit for his size. He ran to us and hugged us so tightly. We just giggled and hugged him back, kissing his little face. I cupped his cheek in my hand and said:

"Happy birthday Josh. Daddy loves you so much." He just smiled and hugged me again. Mark scooped him up in his arms and whispered, 'Happy birthday Joshy. Aba loves you, more than you'll ever know." The three of us just smiled at each other. Deep in our hearts, we just knew that this special guy was gonna make us so proud.

Um yeah, as you can see, this chapter is a few years later. Sorry, this is getting boring. I'll try to spice things up a bit more now.