"She's one," Annie smiled, getting out of bed. Ellie would be awake any second and want to nurse. Annie was planning on bringing her to bed to feed and cuddle for a while. Just to enjoy her little girl.
"I know," Josh agreed.
"This year's gone really fast," Annie said, "a year ago we were at the hospital."
Josh glanced at the clock, "a year ago she wasn't here yet."
"Close," Annie said.
"I still don't know how you did that you were so tired," Josh said, "you had been crying for hours and in so much pain."
"I don't really remember that part," Annie said, "I remember being really tired and it being hard work but then she cried and you put her in my arms and all I could see was Ellie. She's one."
"We have a one year old," Josh said, "and her party is today."
"I know," Annie smiled, "family and friends. Jenna may not stay long. She's 10 days from her due date and so uncomfortable. She just wants to stay home."
"Are they okay," Josh asked.
"C proposed and she said yes," Annie replied, "they're working it all out their way. He's really nervous about the actual delivery."
"I'll talk with him," Josh said, "we did it a year ago. He just needs to be calm."
"We should have stayed home longer," Annie said, "that's my one regret going when we did. I was calmer here."
"How would we know it would be another 15 hours," Josh said, "I was getting anxious but couldn't show you."
"That first few weeks was hard," Annie admitted, "I had no clue what I was doing and was scared to tell anyone."
"I knew you were all up in your head but I couldnt get it out of you," Josh said.
"I wasn't ready," Annie said.
"Mama," Ellie called.
"I'll get her," Annie smiled, "then the three of us can cuddle like when she first came home."
"Feeding her," Josh asked.
"In our bed," Annie said, "she's still our baby."
"She is," Josh agreed.
Annie walked into the nursery to find Ellie standing in her crib.
"Happy Birthday Ellie Bug," Annie greeted.
"Mama up," Ellie said.
"Let's get a clean diaper then we'll go have some milk," Annie said scooping the baby out of her crib.
She laid Ellie on the changing table singing to the little girl in french like she did every morning. This time she left Ellie in her pajamas.
"Milk," Ellie asked.
"Let's go sit with daddy first," Annie said settling Ellie against her shoulder and walking to her bedroom.
"Dada," Ellie waved.
"Happy birthday baby bug," Josh smiled.
Annie snuggled back into bed with Josh and Ellie ready to feed the baby.
"Your so big," Annie smiled at the top of her daughter's head.
Josh glanced at the clock and counted down, "ten, nine, eight, seven, six , five , four, three, two one."
"5:37 am," Annie said, "she's one."
"Officially one," Josh agreed, "why are we always up at 5:30?"
"Lingering effects of residency," Annie groaned, "and Ellie is an early bird."
"What if we put her to bed later," Josh asked, "had more time with her at night."
"We can try," Annie agreed, "she's growing too fast. Not many mornings like this left."
"She'll still want to come and cuddle in our bed with us," Josh said, "you bring her to cuddle any morning you're off."
"I like the time and baby cuddles," Annie said, "I love teaching her to talk."
"She's getting verbal," Josh agreed.
"Still one word for things," Annie said, "verb or noun."
Finished her breakfast Ellie crawled towards Josh. He pulled her into his lap and held out one arm for Anne to snuggle with him. The three of them spent a while cuddling they all enjoyed quiet mornings together.
Annie grabbed a book off her nightstand and read it to Ellie before getting up. The little girl loved storytime with her mom.
"Time for me to shower," Annie said, "Josh can you do her breakfast?"
"What do you want," Josh asked.
"Surprise me," Annie said, "nothing huge I'm not super hungry."
"Eggs," Josh suggested, "I'll make breakfast, you clean it up?"
"Sure," Annie replied.
"Lets go make breakfast," Josh said, scooping Ellie up and placing her on his hip.
"Daddy," Ellie said.
"Yes Ellie bug," Josh said, "do you want some puffs while I make breakfast?"
"Puffs," Ellie echoed.
Josh carried her to the kitchen and put her in the highchair. He poured a few puffs onto the tray and gave her a sippy cup of water.
"Your one today," Josh said, "you and mommy are the best things to ever happen to me. My Ellie bug. We're going to have a party for you today. You're not our tiny baby anymore. You were so sweet and tiny. Your head fit in my hand and your feet touched my elbow. You were so tiny."
Josh put some turkey bacon in a pan and scrambled a few eggs.
Annie joined them in the kitchen just as breakfast was finished. Her blonde curls tumbling loose over her shoulders a change from her usual braid or bun on work days.
They pulled the high chair up to the island between their stools and took turns helping Ellie with her breakfast as they ate.
"Should we go for a walk," Annie suggested.
"Do we have time," Josh asked.
"It's 7:30 no one is coming until 4:30," Annie said.
"How many McKellars," Josh asked.
"Dan, grandmere and papa," Annie said, "I'm okay to have them down for Chris and Jenna's little guy but I'm still anxious with them. And we go to the reunion in July, they can see Ellie again then."
"My mom is coming," Josh said.
"I know," Annie said, "is that okay?"
"She sounded sober," Josh said.
They put Ellie into the stroller and headed out the door enjoying a walk through the neighbourhood. They ran into an elderly couple they had passed many times over the years.
"Your daughter is adorable," the old woman said.
"Thank you," Annie beamed.
"We've seen you around here for years. We live three houses down from you but have never had a chance to say hello," the man said.
"I'm Josh," Josh introduced, "this is my wife Grace and our daughter Ellie."
"It's nice to finally meet you," the woman said, "I'm Lorraine and this is Bill."
"It's nice to meet some of the neighbors," Annie agreed.
"How old is your daughter," Lorraine asked.
"She's one today," Josh said.
"We watched the two of you move in when you first got married," Bill said.
"We were dating then," Josh admitted, "We've been married three years."
"What do you do for work," Bill asked.
"We're both surgeons at Grey Sloan," Annie replied, "Josh is trauma and I'm peds cardio."
"You must be busy," Lorraine said.
"We are," Josh said, "we met in med school we don't know calm."
"How long have you been together," Lorraine asked.
"Almost ten years," Josh said.
"What did you do before you retired," Annie asked.
"I taught ballet," Lorraine replied, "and Bill was a police officer."
"Its a couple years yet but we will need the name of a good studio for Ellie," Annie said, "I grew up in Vancouver BC and danced there."
"Where did you dance," Lorraine asked.
"Cloverdale Dance Academy," Annie said, "then for the UBC team."
They chatted with the older couple before Ellie decided she was ready to get out of the stroller and go for a walk.
They walked Ellie back to the house, Annie holding her hand and Josh pushing the stroller. Now that she was walking Ellie wanted to go everywhere on her own.
They spent the rest of the morning setting up for Ellie's party turning the backyard into an undersea paradise.
Around 3:30 Owen and Teddy arrived with their kids. Teddy brought the cake she had baked and decorated. It had become a family tradition that she always made the kid's birthday cakes and Annie's cakes were a disaster.
"How can we help," Teddy asked.
"Ellie is almost up and will want her snack," Annie said.
"What can I do," Teddy asked.
"The back yard is ready, we just need to finish the food," Josh said.
"What's on the menu," Owen asked.
"Kid or adult," Annie asked.
"Separate," Teddy asked.
"Some things," Annie said, "adults don't want goldfish crackers or blue jello with sweedish fish. "
"Maybe I do," Owen laughed.
"Help yourself," Annie smiled.
"Is there cake," Leo asked.
"There is," Annie promised, "the first time Ellie gets cake."
"How many people," Teddy asked.
"About 40," Annie replied, "mama how is she one already?"
"It goes fast doesn't it," Teddy replied, "the day she was born she was barely an hour old and I had just scrubbed out and came up to see you. You were sitting in the bed totally worn out with her in your arms and Josh holding both of you. I had to stop and collect myself. I was in tears seeing that."
"There were a ton of tears those first couple weeks," Annie said.
"You've settled into being mom now," Teddy said.
"It took a few weeks to get our rhythm," Annie said, "she's walking and talking now."
"Are you happy," Teddy asked.
"I really am," Annie smiled, "this is what I want mama."
"I know it is," Teddy replied.
"We have another year and a half on my fellowship and a year on Josh's," Annie said, "then I don't know what we're going to do."
"Kepner is leaving," Teddy said, "I'm not going to fill it right away and then invite the trauma fellows to apply. And my plan has always been to keep you to fill the peds hole in our cardio department. But if you and Josh want to try looking elsewhere you can. You have Christina as a reference you can go anywhere and Josh trained by Owen and Meghan people will want him."
"We haven't got there yet," Annie said, "we've always talked about staying in seattle. But we're going to put our applications out locally. Josh did as a backup on fellowships. I put all my eggs in one basket because fellowship applications were the last thing on my mind last spring."
"You knew you were staying," Teddy said.
"Perk of being the chief daughter," Annie laughed, "but you can't keep me as an attending because I'm your daughter."
"I know I'm really working on not coddling you," Teddy said.
"You've gotten a lot better this year," Annie agreed, "do you want our help tomorrow?"
"With the pool," Teddy said.
"We can come help," Annie said.
"You're coming to hang out and chase Ellie in my yard," Teddy teased.
"You won't get rid of us," Annie said.
"I didn't think we would," Teddy said.
"Why aren't you just getting someone to install it," Annie asked.
"We're getting the backyard level," Teddy said, "the actual pool installers come Monday and Tuesday we should be able to run it next weekend."
"Okay," Annie said.
"Mama," Ellie said hugging Annie's leg.
"Are you going with mama now," Teddy asked.
"I don't know," Annie said, "we're still trying mom but she's stuck on mama."
"It'll come," Teddy said, "Ellie do you want to come see grandma?"
"Ma," Ellie said.
"Come see grandma," Teddy smiled scooping Ellie up.
They finished setting things out for the party and the guests began to arrive. Ellie toddled around the back yard with a parent or grandparent right with her. Annie giggled watching Ellie play with Catrina and a couple of the other kids in their daycare group. They had a baby pool on the grass and the five babies were playing in the water in their diapers.
"I finally get a chance to talk to you," Annie said, finding Jenna.
"Will we be doing this in a year," Jenna asked.
"You will," Annie said, "ten days."
"Ten days," Jenna said, "they can't go fast enough."
"When he's ready," Annie smiled.
"How did you just wait," Jenna asked.
"It was hard," Annie said, "she's already a year."
"You'll be there," Jenna asked.
"As much as you want me," Annie said, "you and C can do this."
"Are you sure Dan is cool with it," Jenna asked.
"I think so," Annie said.
Teddy came by with Ellie, "do you want me to change and put her dress back on then she can have her cake?"
"Her first taste of cake," Annie laughed, "I'll dress her can you get her cake?"
"I can," Teddy replied, they walked back to the house and Annie turned into Ellie's room and put her in a dry diaper and her party dress.
Josh carried the highchair into the backyard.
"Cake time," Annie called.
The friends and family gathered around the highchair and sang. They put the cupcake with pink icing and a candle in front of Ellie. Annie and Josh helped Ellie blow out the candle. Annie dipped her finger in the icing and touched it to Ellie's lips, tasing the sweetness Ellie grabbed at the cupcake and put handfuls in her mouth getting icing all over herself and in her hair.
After the party Teddy and Owen's family stayed to spend more time with Annie, Josh and Ellie. The three kids splashed in the baby pool until the sun set.
"Let's light the firepit," Annie suggested.
"Smores," Leo asked.
"I don't have the stuff tonight," Annie said, "it's the first one of the summer."
"Is there a story today," Allison asked.
"There is," Annie said, "should I put Ellie in her jammies and go get it?"
"Can you read to us," Leo asked.
"I will always read to you," Annie promised.
Annie held Ellie in her lap with her siblings on either side to read to them. The seven of them gathered around the fire pit chatting and telling stories. Soon Ellie was asleep in Annie's lap, Annie knew she should put Ellie in her crib but she loved snuggling her baby while she slept and this happened so rarely now and would only get less frequent.
"Annie," Leo asked, "can you tell the star stories?"
"Just a couple," Annie said, seeing Allison yawn.
Annie told a couple of the star stories she had been taught as a little girl. Allison had crawled into Teddy's lap and was asleep on Teddy. Leo was half asleep in Owen's lap.
"We should get these two to bed," Teddy said stroking Allison's hair.
"You don't have to go," Annie said, "I'm happy to hold her and keep talking."
"I can take her if she's getting heavy," Josh offered.
"I don't want to wake her," Annie said.
"Did you feed her," Josh asked.
"When I put her jammies on," Annie said.
"I'll take her," Josh said gently lifting Ellie from Annie's arms.
The baby stretched and curled into her dad.
"So a year as parents," Owen said, "what do you think?"
"I like it," Josh said.
"This is what makes me happy," Annie smiled.
"Josh," Owen asked, "a year of being dad. What do you think? Can you help Chris out?"
"I have been," Josh said, "Ellie is the best thing we've done."
"Allison and Leo are the best thing we've done," Owen agreed. He looked over at Teddy who had her eyes closed and her chin on top of Allison's head where it rested on Teddy's shoulder.
"Three asleep," Owen said.
"Five," Josh replied, he could tell Annie had fallen asleep on his shoulder.
"I should wake Teddy and we'll go home," Owen said.
"You wake Teddy," Josh said, "I'll wake Annie."
"Lets see if we can get the three kids to bed with out waking them up," Owen said, "what time is it?"
Josh checked his watch, "ten."
"Way past bedtime," Owen said.
"We may be late tomorrow," Josh replied.
"We'll have a slow start," Owen agreed, "waffles when you three get there."
"Sounds good," Annie yawned.
"Were you awake babe." Josh asked.
"Half," Annie said, "we should put Ellie to bed. I'll take her Josh."
Annie lifted Ellie from Josh's arms cradling her like a newborn.
"Do you want me to take Leo," Josh asked.
"Please," Owen agreed.
When Josh went to pick up he woke up and clung to Owen.
"Daddy," Leo yawned.
"I'm just going to stand up then we'll go home," Owen said, "I need to wake up mama."
"Leo can I carry you so your dad can wake up your mama," Josh asked.
Leo nodded as Josh reached for him.
"Teds," Owen whispered in Teddy's ear, "wake up love."
"Owen," Teddy yawned.
"You fell asleep at Annie and Josh's," Owen said, "I'll take Allison and you stand up."
Owen took Allison from Teddy so Teddy could get up.
Annie and Josh walked them out and they all said goodnight in the driveway.
After putting Ellie down Annie and Josh got ready for bed.
"That was a good day," Annie yawned as she crawled into bed.
"It was," Josh agreed.
"I love you," Annie said snuggling into Josh.
"I love you too," Josh said before giving Annie a kiss.