"Really Mama? A tie?" Jesus asked the next week as they were preparing for family court.

"Really. You look handsome when you wear it and this might be a good day for a family picture." Lena said continuing to work on Jesus's tie.

"Or it might be another wasted day that we should have been in school learning something." Brandon grumbled already figuring this adoption day would be like the others. Lena glared at him as a result and would have spoken if Jude hadn't burst into the room.

"Look it, Mama! I let Mari do my hair today! Do I look pretty?" Jude had little pig tails made all over his head. Brandon and Jesus immediately started snickering.

"That looks very interesting, Jude, but I am afraid that I am going to get to work on your hair this morning instead of your sister. Go take out all of those rubber bands, please." Jude looked disappointed, but left the room. "Boys, quit laughing at your baby brother. I told him to take it down…"

Once Lena was satisfied with Jesus and Brandon she sent them downstairs to watch TV. Stef had to go into work for a meeting and would be meeting them at the courthouse. This made the morning stressful, but at least the kids had been through this drill before.

"Mama! I think this dress is too little for me now!" Callie exclaimed from the girls' room. "Maybe I should just wear something else?"

Lena peeked in the room. "That looks like Mariana's. Look back in the closet and see if you can find a bigger one."

"No, this one was in my closet."

"Doesn't matter, Callie, look for the other one." She turned to shut the door back. "And please don't roll your eyes at me."

As Lena walked to her room, Jude emerged with noticeably odd hair. "I couldn't get the rubber bands out very well, so I used scissors. Are you ready to fix my hair now, Mama?"

"Oh, Jude. I am afraid it may take a little longer than I first thought. Take off your shirt and go sit on my bathroom counter, please. I think you need a slight haircut."

"Okay, Mama." Jude started unbuttoning his shirt as he made his way into his mothers' bathroom.

Lena knocked at the kids' bathroom door. "Are you getting ready, Mariana?"

"Yes, but my new dress wasn't in my closet."

"Callie has it. Go back in your room and get it from her. Also, if you could help her find the other dress it would be perfect."

Lena went back into her room to look at the damage to Jude's hair. She did most of the boys' haircuts herself, so at least she knew she could fix it. Lena liked to keep Jude's hair a little long usually. Now it was going to be cut more like Jesus and Brandon. "Well, you have a new big boy haircut. Mommy will be very surprised how much older her Little Man looks." Jude admired his new look in the mirror. "Jude, look at Mama. Cutting your own hair is not a good idea. When Mama asked you to take out the rubber bands, I meant with your hands, not scissors. We were able to fix it this time, but next time it might be harder. Never again."

"Never again, Mama." Jude repeated looking at all the hair that was cut off.

"Now, go get your shirt on and see if B will help you get your tie just right so that I can get ready."

"I just want to stay in here and watch you do your make up, Mama. Please?"

"Okay." Lena said giving into her youngest. "I am going to change clothes in the bathroom while you get your shirt on. I will open the door when I am working on my hair and makeup. Then we will fix your tie."

XXXX

Lena finally got everyone ready and into the car. "Now, we are going to go there and we are all going to have to sit still and quiet until it is our turn. Then, Mom and I have to go sit up front with Jesus and Mariana. You three are going to sit in the first row behind us. We have done this before and I know you can do even better than last time."

"Mama, I brought my unicorn book. I want to take it into the court is that okay?"

"No, Baby. I brought some books from home, but I don't want you to take in a book from the library. That way if it gets left it won't be a big deal."

"Did you bring my 3DS, Mama? I can be very quiet if I have that to play with." Jesus asked hoping it would be a yes even though he was still grounded from it.

"Yes, it is in the bag. I have a small surprise for each of you, too, but you aren't going to get them until we are there." Stef had suggested after the first time they did the whole court thing that perhaps if everyone had a little something new to do it would be a little easier. Family court had a tendency to be a lot of waiting.

The family arrived and unloaded. Stef had arrived first and already checked them in. She was shocked by Jude's haircut, but found the story to be rather funny. Bill was also already there. He pulled the mothers aside. "So, we still think that everything is going through today, well at least the termination. If it does, your adoption will be in another week or so."

"We sort of thought we could do it all at once…" Stef commented.

"No, if rights are terminated, we start on your paperwork. We don't like to do it ahead of time especially in cases like this one. It takes some time, but we could get it through fairly quickly."

"How quickly? The kids are all here and dressed for it today." Stef said getting elbowed by Lena a little.

"Not today, I am afraid. A week would be pretty quick actually. I know I don't really have to tell you ladies that this is a long process. I am sorry if I didn't communicate with you better about this. I thought with two previous adoptions you would know."

"The other two adoptions were easy. The parental rights were signed over before we even started." Lena explained.

"Well, it is almost go time. Look on the bright side, this will give you time to get your parents in town for the right court date." Bill said with a smile remembering the grandparents coming to the first two court dates in anticipation.

XXX

When the family was called Stef helped get the three not really involved settled on their row before going to sit up front with her wife, the other two, Bill, and the lawyer. The proceedings started much like all of the others. Stef had to keep Jesus quiet and as still as possible. At one point she put him on her lap. He was big, but it worked.

"Is there anything else I need to hear before I make my decision?" The judge asked almost informally.

Jesus squirmed a way and stood up. "Yes, sir. You haven't asked me anything yet."

"And I guess you have should have an opinion. This is really all about you and your sister after all. Go ahead."

"I want to live with my moms forever. Ana was my madre, but she hasn't been that for a long time now. I just want everything to be official so that I can be an Adams Foster like my family." Jesus said with confidence before sitting back down.

"Well, I cannot make everything official today, young man, but I can say that as of right now, you are adoptable. I am ruling in favor of the California Department of Social Services and terminating Ms. Ana Gutierrez's parental rights. I hope to see your whole family back in court right away to finish your request."

Ana gave a wave to both of her kids before being escorted out of the courtroom. "So now all that is left is starting your paperwork which should be fairly easy. How about you take the kids out for ice cream or something and I will drop everything off at your house in a couple of hours. That should give me the time to get my part finished."

XXX

"I just cannot believe that no one told us we would have to do the whole court thing again for the adoption. Really, we should not have taken any of the other kids to any of these court dates. I just thought it would be done." Stef said as the lay in bed that night.

"We both did. Like Bill said, this does give us time to invite our parents. They really wanted to be there for the real thing anyway. So we will do this whole thing again, minus the morning haircut, in another week or so."

Stef laughed a little. "Jude cut is hair… I really thought we had made it with all five kids without a haircutting incident…."

"Callie and Mariana also cut his hair once." Lena reminded her wife. "You swatted both of them and took their scissors away. Jude got away with just promising not to do it again."

"That's right, I forgot. It was actually only the second time that I ever swatted Mariana. Jude is easier. Seriously, since his newborn days he has been the easiest kid in the world. Everyone naturally loves Jude. He isn't sneaky and rarely complains about anything. If all the kids could be a little more like Jude…"

"We would have like twelve. That would be too many, so we should be thankful the others are themselves." Lena said rolling over to kiss her wife.

"Indeed. The kids are all asleep, right, Love?"

"They were when I checked. Jude isn't due in here for another several hours and I have already locked the door. Are you thinking what I am thinking?"

"I hope so." Stef said rolling Lena over on her back and starting to kiss her a little more passionately. "I love you Lena Adams Foster."

XXXXX

The weather promised to be perfect the day of the field trip. Lena packed the four lunches they would take in a small ice chest along with extra water and snacks. Then she packed lunches for the other three kids.

"Mama, do we have any real cookies that you could put in my lunch today?" Mariana asked as she watched from a stool.

"I put in an oatmeal cranberry cookie that you helped make last night, Baby. Aren't those your favorites?"

"Sometimes, but today I really wanted an Oreo or chocolate chip. Do we have any of those?" She asked again.

"I don't think so. I really only make chocolate chip for holidays or birthdays. They aren't very good for you. The oatmeal cranberry ones are healthy as well as tasty. Maybe when we celebrate your birthday at school we can get Oreos this year."

"Maybe. Could you pack an extra juice? Sometimes I get thirsty and one isn't enough."

"Not an extra juice, but I can put in a bottle of water. That would give you more to drink."

"How about the water and the juice? Then I could have some of each." Mariana suggested.

"I can do that. Any other requests?"

"Can today be a string cheese day?"

"Sure. Mariana, are you concerned about Mom and I both being on the field trip today or is something going on?"

"I don't know. I just wanted something special for today, that's all."

"Well, I we can do something a little special. I don't want to hear, though, that you gave away any parts of your lunch. I am aware you all do some trading, but giving away your lunch is not the way to make friends."

"I know, Mama. May I have an oatmeal cranberry cookie with my breakfast?"

"Sure, Sweet Pea. Come help yourself while I go check on the others."

Mariana walked over to the cookies, but didn't take one. Instead she opened the refrigerator and took out three juice boxes. She quickly took them to her backpack and stuffed them in before returning to her stool.

Stef came downstairs next. "Good morning, Miss Thing! I am shocked to see you are the first one ready this morning." Stef came over to her and gave her a hug and kiss.

"Good morning to you, too, Mommy. I am not actually all the way ready. Mama was packing lunches. Do you think that since you are both going to be gone all day with Callie and Brandon that I could have something a little special?" Mariana asked knowing Stef and Callie had a secret stash somewhere.

"Maybe. What are you thinking?"

"I would like a couple of Oreos for my lunch, please." She requested.

"I could handle that. First, though, you need to leave the room so you can't find my spot… I will put them in a baggy in your pink lunch bag."

"Thanks, Mommy." Mariana said leaving the room and heading back upstairs to finish getting ready.

Stef easily got the cookies from their hiding place at the back of a cabinet and got enough for all three kids left behind. Every now and then a kid would request something from the stash, but for the most part they knew it was off limits. Callie even limited herself to only share with Stef.

Then Stef put water in the electric kettle to heat so the kids could have oatmeal for breakfast. She knew there wasn't time for pancakes, but oatmeal would be more filling than cereal. "Babies, the water is heating for oatmeal, let's go!" She called at the bottom of the stairs.

She heard several responses as well as feet on the stairs. "Mom, I want the brown sugar kind do we have any of that?" Brandon asked arriving first.

"I think so." She got in the cabinet and got out the oatmeal selection.

"I can't find my shoes." Jesus said coming down the stairs next.

"Did you look by the door? That's where they were last night when I told you to take them upstairs."

"Yes, but they aren't there. I can't go to school without them."

"I will go check by the door for them, Bud. If I find them you will be grounded tonight for not being responsible for your things. Understand?"

"I'll go check again, Mom." Jesus went back towards the door. His shoes, backpack, and other school articles were a constant problem in the mornings. As a result his mothers had set up places where each thing went. If they had to help him look other places, he was grounded for the evening.

"Good plan. What kind of oatmeal?"

"Apples and cinnamon. Found them!"

"Great. Your oatmeal is ready and I put your pill next to the bowl. Come over and eat, please."

Brandon and Jesus were eating now and Stef got her oatmeal ready as well. "Where are we going today, B?"

"An art museum. It might be kind of boring, but we get to eat at a park near a playground. That part will be fun."

"It might not be boring. Mama knows a lot about art and I am sure she can make it more interesting. The park will be fun, though, you are right."

Brandon brightened a little. "You are right! I am going to be with Mama all day and she knows everything about art and stuff! I bet she can even make boring paintings a little better."

"There you go. Jesus, if you are finished go see what is keeping the others, please."

Jesus yelled from the bottom of the stairs. "Come on guys! Breakfast is ready and you are gonna be late!"

Lena finished coming down the stairs. "We don't yell in the house, Jesus. Go up the stairs if Mom asked you to get the others."

Jesus shrugged. "That's what Mom did and it worked." The others came running. "And did this time, too."

"Next time go find them." She said to him again. "Okay, Babies, go eat. Right now. We need to be at the school in twenty minutes."

"Mommy, I want whatever kind Jesus had, please." Jude said as he sat down. Stef smiled and handed him a bowl of Apples and Cinnamon. Jude idolized all of his siblings, but particularly Jesus.

"I would like Brown Sugar, please." Callie requested sitting down next to Brandon who was almost finished.

"Guess what, Bug. Mama is going to be with me today and she knows a lot about the paintings and she is going to tell me. I will be an art expert by the end of the day."

"No, Mom knows stuff, too." She protested sticking her chin out much like she did when she was four. "Besides, my teacher gave us a paper telling us what to look for. Mom and I are going to be really good at getting that paper done first…."

"Quit arguing and eat." Stef said grabbing Brandon's empty bowl to rinse in the sink. "You will both a have a great day. See, you are both happy that Mama and I are going."

Even though they had tried to block their mothers from coming, both Brandon and Callie were relieved their plans fell through. When they told their classmates their moms were coming, most were jealous. A few even made comments about wishing their parent could also come.

Jude dawdled a bit over the last of breakfast, but soon they were all in the car. Stef and Lena said their good byes to Mariana and Jesus in parking lot, but Jude insisted that he needed both of them to take him to his classroom.

"Do you remember being that little?" Callie asked as the trio walked away holding hands.

"Kind of. I remember feeling really special when I got time with just Mama or just Mom."

"Me too. So, why did we not want them to come with us today?"

"Because we thought we were too big. Because you didn't want Mom to see Trevor. Because the other kids are jealous that we have moms who love us."

"I like having time with just Mom, but if you want we can all walk around together at the museum. Then we can both have some time with both of them."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Callie smiled at Brandon and they made their way across the parking lot to their classrooms. "You can help me distract Mom from Trevor…"

XXXX

"So, you can't have my shoes still, but I did bring you Oreos, Jordyn. Is that good enough?"

Jordyn took the cookies. "Your sister made my nose bleed. It is going to take more than that to get back on my good side. What else do you have?"

"You could have juice or string cheese." Mariana said opening her lunch.

"I will have both of those also. Now I guess you can come to my sleepover it is next week. You better bring good snacks or the shoes. What kind of sleeping bag do you have?"

"I have a Hello Kitty sleeping bag…" Mariana said hesitantly.

"You can't bring something that babyish to my house. I guess you will need to buy a new one. Next you will probably say your pajamas are also Hello Kitty. You are such a baby. Just like your weird little brother." Jordyn said glancing to the table where the first graders were eating.

Jude was the only first grade boy to have a My Little Pony lunch bag. Stef insisted if he picked those characters it had to be blue (much to Lena's annoyance as it should be his choice). He was happily eating one of his cookies and giving the others to the kids sitting around him. He wasn't forced to give up any cookies, he was just sharing with this friends. It seemed so much easier for him.

"Jude isn't weird. He is just little."

"Hmmm…. And what is up with his new haircut? He used to look a bit like a girl, but now he looks weirder. Did your mom cut his hair or something?"

"No, my mama did. It is cut like Brandon's and Jesus's." Mariana stated, but kept looking at Jude. He felt her staring and waved with a smile.

"Well, the party is next week. Make sure you have snacks and a new sleeping bag. Got it."

"Got it." Now Mariana had a week and a half to figure out how to accomplish her new tasks.