Hey guys, guess what? Glee is on tonight!
Dancing Through Life
by-andthenIfound5dollars
A/N:Part 2 of the last chapter. We move inot he second half of baby Sophie's first year with a trip home to Ohio and her first birthday! I should warn for discussions on religion. I've always had very strong beliefs on how Blaine grew up and how he applies hi life then to his life now. If you'd like to talk about this at more length, message me:)
Eight Months-Her first trip
They decided on a week in Ohio that first summer. Three days with Lena, and four days with Burt and Carole.
The means by which they would travel was a much longer conversation.
"I'm just saying, two hours on a plane and it's over," Kurt laid out one night in early June.
Sophie was in bed. She was finally at a point where she semi regularly slept through the night. She would wake up occasionally for a bottle but, for the most part, she would go down around eight and sleep until about seven, sometimes seven thirty.
They had developed some semblance of a routine, and they stuck to it as much as possible. A week long trip would definitely be throwing a wrench into all their careful planning.
"Kurt, one of the biggest reasons we invested in the car was for trips home," Blaine argued.
They were sitting in the living room, enjoying a few hours of quiet and a bottle of wine.
"Plus, I feel like driving eliminates so many issues. We won't have to worry about what we are packing, we won't have to rent a car once we get there, we can stretch out the time she has to be cooped up...
It's a little over a nine hour drive. We could leave on Friday morning, spend the weekend with my mom, drive to Lima on Tuesday and spend the rest of the week with your folks. Her carseat is already installed, we don't have to worry about anyone taking time out to pick us up or take us anywhere."
Kurt groaned, he knew Blaine was making way too much sense to argue with.
"Planes taking off and landing with an eight month old does kind of sound like a nightmare," he reluctantly agreed.
Blaine nodded, downing his wine and setting the glass on the coffee table.
"Plus, I'm sure by the time we add everything up...it's much cheaper to drive," he added, finally convincing Kurt once and for all.
They decided on the week of the Fourth of July.
Kurt started planning and packing three weeks beforehand.
He and Blaine made lists. They took the car in for a service check, they carefully mapped out their route, making sure to add ideal places to stop with an almost toddler.
Blaine found her Fourth of July outfit in plenty of time. It was a little kitschy for Kurt's taste, but even he had to admit she looked adorable in it. Especially when they pinned back her dark brown hair with the matching bow and the bow themed little shoes.
The week before their trip found the two frantically packing and repacking, deciding what could stay and what had to go along with them.
"I still don't know how you talked me into this," Kurt grunted, strapping Sophie into her carseat on the morning of their departure. She hadn't slept much the night before. So Kurt, wanting to let Blaine sleep as he was driving first, hadn't gotten much sleep either.
It was a rainy and muggy morning in New York, and Blaine smiled sheepishly over at him as he finished stuffing her pack-n-play into the trunk.
"Okay, last double check," he called, closing the trunk and pulling the iPad from the top of the car where Kurt had set it.
"We have her portable crib and linens?" Kurt nodded and made a checkmark motion with his finger. "We have her stroller, three extra comfy blankets and her bunny, her stocked diaper bag, a box of diapers and wipes, her suitcase is full, and we have plenty of formula?"
Kurt nodded. "Her food is in the cooler along with our travel snacks and lunch. I threw in a few extra toys and books for the drive, but I'm sure we'll come home with much more than we are leaving with," he laughed, Blaine nodding beside him.
"Okay, I'm gonna go upstairs and do one last sweep and lock up."
Kurt climbed in the front seat and fiddled with his iPod, setting it to their classic Broadway playlist. He turned around and grinned at Sophie.
"You ready sweetheart?" he asked, adjusting the blanket he had laid across her legs in case she got too cold in the air conditioned car. "Are you excited to see Lola and Grampy and Grammy?"
She turned to the sound of his voice and reached her hand out.
"Ba!" she cried, like she had just noticed he was in the car with her.
"Alright!" Blaine called, sitting behind the wheel and turning the car on. "Let's hit the road."
Kurt smiled over at him and nodded.
"Do you need to grab a coffee on our way out of the city?" Kurt asked as Blaine started down the street.
"Nah, I'm pretty wired from the three cups I already had this morning."
Kurt cracked up, opening his iPad where their travel itinerary was saved.
"Uh oh Soph, looks like Daddy will probably need a bathroom break before you do".
Blaine giggled as Sophie called out. "DA!"
"That's right sweetie, Daddy!" Blaine called.
Kurt smiled as he set his hand on the inside of Blaine's thigh and leaned his head back against the headrest, watching the city pass by in his window.
xoxo
Sophie was fast asleep before they even made it out of the city, and napped the first three hours of their drive.
"Something about Lana Del Rey just makes me want to dance on a table," Blaine confessed as the iPod shuffled.
Kurt laughed, "I think you took care of that already."
"I danced on a table to Lana Del Rey? I don't remember that."
Kurt snorted another laugh, crossing his arms and looking over at his husband with a mischievous grin.
"Bits and pieces of our bachelor party have come back to me over the years."
Blaine burst into laughter, "Oh man, if I never remember that night it will be too soon."
Kurt sighed as he finished laughing.
"We should probably stop soon, change her diaper and let her crawl around for a little while," Kurt finally said, breaking the easy silence that had settled over the car as Lana sang on.
"I'm getting hungry, so I'm sure she is as well."
Blaine nodded, "We're almost halfway through Pennsylvania, and I don't think it rained here much. We could get out for a while at the next family rest stop, eat and wear her out in the park area."
Kurt nodded, looking down at his ipad for the closest stop.
"The turnoff for Danville is coming up in about fifteen miles, there is a family rest stop right before that."
"Sounds like a plan."
xoxo
Kurt actually had to wake Sophie up. She looked so startled and shocked when he pulled her from her car seat, he and Blaine had to laugh.
"That may be the first time we have ever woken her up on purpose," Kurt laughed as Sophie buried her face into his neck and whined.
Blaine slung her diaper bag over his shoulder and followed Kurt into the men's room.
"Oh thank god," Blaine breathed when they saw the baby changing station on the wall. Not all men's rooms had them, especially the further midwest they drove.
Kurt turned around and held his hand out for the diaper bag.
"I'll change her, Mr. Coffee Britches," he teased.
Sophie was in a considerably better mood as the three of them walked back to the car. Blaine let her scoot around on a blanket in the grass for a few minutes while Kurt set up the lunch he had packed for them.
"Okay, she has a container of yogurt and some peaches...and for us, I have artichoke and prosciutto pasta salad and brownies." Kurt called. Blaine slung Sophie up in his arms and walked her back over to the picnic table.
Sophie didn't have much attention for her lunch. She wanted to get back down and whined until finally Blaine gave up and put her back down on the blanket, sitting down next to her to make sure she didn't get too far or stick anything interesting into her mouth.
They got a few curious looks as they walked over to the swing set.
"Oh, closer and closer to the red states," Kurt bit out sarcastically. "Joy."
Blaine made a sympathetic noise, but held Sophie above his head to make her giggle.
They pushed her around on the swings and the little slide for about an hour, until it looked like the storm had finally caught up with them.
Sophie did not want to get back in her carseat. She whined and cried and fought with everything in her. Kurt finally made her a bottle and fed her, strapping her back in her carseat once she had fallen back to sleep. By the time they got moving again, it was pouring rain and they were almost a whole hour behind schedule.
"The rain is going to slow us down even more," Kurt mused as he pulled back onto the highway, his turn to drive so Blaine could catch a few winks of sleep.
"Yeah, but she'll sleep better if it's kinda dark," Blaine decided, reaching back to adjust her blanket again.
"All of this sleeping today is gonna throw off her schedule tonight."
Blaine shook his head as he fiddled with the iPod to pick the new playlist.
"Well, I doubt she'll get much of a nap later on...and my mom can take her tonight, she owes us."
Kurt laughed, he wanted to disagree...but Blaine seemed pretty adamant, and who was he to deny a night of rest without interruption?
After another hour or so, Kurt was the only one awake in the car.
It had been so long since he had driven long stretches of time, he almost didn't know what to do with himself. His fingers itched to check his e-mail or fire off a text to Isabelle, or Tate, his assistant. He flipped through his ipod instead, looking for the perfect music to not only sing along with, but also keep everyone else in the car fast asleep.
He could get used to this everyone being quiet thing.
xoxo
"Hey sweetie, it's okay," Blaine cooed, trying to soothe her cries. He offered her floppy bunny to her. "You want your bun?"
"We're gonna have to stop," Kurt decided. "We're about an hour into Ohio and we should fill up anyway. We can stop, change her diaper and let her move around the car for a few minutes before we get going again."
"How's the charge on your iPad? " Blaine asked. "A few episodes of that bubble show she likes are saved on it, that might give us a little time."
Kurt nodded. "It should be fine. The charger is in the glove compartment though, just in case."
"And I can get in the back with her, keep her entertained the rest of the way," Blaine decided as Kurt pulled off the highway and into a well lit and not-so-scary-looking truck stop.
Kurt sighed as he put the car in park and reached behind the passenger seat to where they had stashed her diaper bag.
"Let's go in together first, then pump the gas," he said, looking around. "I don't trust these kind of places, especially this close to dusk."
Blaine nodded, taking Sophie's bag and squeezing Kurt's hand. "I'll get her."
Sophie was considerably quieter once they got her out of her car seat. She whined and tried to roll around while Blaine was changing her, but was content to let Kurt hold her as he walked around and waited for Blaine to finish in the bathroom.
Kurt paid for their two bottles of Diet Coke, while Blaine went out to fill up the car.
"What a cutie," the cashier commented, waving to Sophie.
Kurt nodded his head and smiled at Sophie on his hip, "Cute and sick of being in the car."
"Where ya'll headed?" she asked, motioning for Kurt to enter his PIN.
"Home to Lima," Kurt answered. "Our parents still live there, but we live in New York."
"Oh wow, that is quite a drive," she laughed, waving to Sophie again. "I can understand her not wanting to be in the car anymore."
Kurt nodded in what he hoped was polite way.
"Have a safe rest of your trip," she called, smiling as the man behind them stepped up.
Blaine had filled the car with gas, then drove off to the side of the parking lot, so Kurt headed that way. It had just started to sprinkle again, so having Sophie crawl around on the grass wasn't an option.
They spent a good thirty minutes letting her move around the back seat on Blaine's lap, then up to Kurt's in the front. It was pushing four by the time Blaine finally strapped her in and started her bubble show.
"Actually, if we can keep her awake the rest of the two hour drive...it won't be that different from her nap schedule," Kurt mused, pulling back onto the highway.
Blaine nodded from the backseat where he was holding the iPad where Sophie could see it, trying to get it settled on the seat in front of her.
xoxo
It was well past six when they finally pulled into the driveway of Blaine's childhood home.
Lena was running from the front door before either of them had even climbed out of the car.
Blaine laughed as she launched her tiny body into his arms. "Hi Mama!"
"Hello, darling," she cried into his neck, only pulling from the hug long enough to pull Kurt in for one as well. "How was the drive, how is my sweets?"
Kurt laughed as Lena finally let him go.
"She is ready to be out of her car seat and down where she can crawl around," he joked, as Blaine pulled Sophie from the car and over to Lena's arms.
"Oh hello mahal ko!" Lena cooed. "How is my Sophia?"
"I'll just get her diaper bag, we can get the rest of our stuff later," Blaine told Kurt as they followed Lena inside.
They walked through the foyer and into the sitting room. Lena promptly sat on the floor and let Sophie down to play with the toys she had pulled from storage.
Kurt glanced nervously around the room, looking for possible danger zones, but it looked like Lena had baby proofed the rooms as best she could. All the breakables were up higher than Sophie could reach, even as she had just started to stand with their help, and every single outlet had a cover over it. The sliding doors to the study were closed and locked, and Lena had even bought a few cheap gates to keep Sophie in one room or another and away from the stairs in the foyer.
Kurt smiled when he looked up at the mantel. All three of them were all over the frames, but he had to admit that Sophie took precedence in most of them. Next to their wedding photo, was the latest photo Blaine had sent. They had taken her in for a professional shoot right after her seven month. The photographer had dressed her and, although it wouldn't have been the first thing Kurt would have picked out, even he had to admit she looked adorable.
"Dinner should be ready in about half an hour, I'm sure everyone is very hungry," Lena announced, laughing as Sophie sat and looked around, curious of her new surroundings. "Kurt, your parents should be here soon. I invited them over for dinner as well."
"Lena, that was so nice. Thank you," Kurt grinned, sitting down on the floor as well so Sophie didn't get too overwhelmed.
"It was my pleasure. They were so sweet to invite me over for their BBQ on Wednesday, I figured we could all be together as a family your first night back home."
Blaine walked back in from the bathroom in the hallway and picked up the diaper bag.
"Come on sweetie, let's get your diaper changed," he called, motioning to Kurt that the bathroom was free.
Lena stood up and headed for the kitchen, telling Blaine to follow her when he was done.
"I guess the floor's as good a place as any," Blaine cooed, laying Sophie down on the changing pad. "It's not like there is a changing table hiding somewhere," he joked, tickling her tummy as he lifted her dress and pulled off the matching diaper cover.
xoxo
That night, after dinner and dessert, after Burt and Carole headed home with the promise to see them on Tuesday morning, and all the dishes from dinner had been washed. After Kurt and Blaine had unloaded the car and carried everything up to Blaine's old bedroom, and Kurt had taken Sophie upstairs to give her a bath and start winding down for bed. After everything, Blaine sat with his mom at the kitchen table and shared a cup of tea with her.
"Your brother's flight gets in at ten tomorrow morning. Would you like me to pick him up, or would you rather do it?" Lena asked.
"I can do it, Mama. I don't mind."
"Thank you, my love."
A few moments of silence passed between them before Lena spoke up again.
"Are you going to take Sophie to see your father?" she asked, taking a sip from her cup.
Blaine exhaled, shaking his head.
"I feel like I should," he agreed. "But I haven't decided. Cooper would go with me if I asked, I'm just not sure."
Lena nodded, content to not bother him too much about it. He would make the right decision.
"She is a doll baby, love," Lena praised, reaching over to squeeze his hand. "You and Kurt are doing a fine job. I can tell how much you both love her."
"Thank you, Mama," Blaine responded, smiling as he thought of his daughter and husband. "We do love her, very much."
Another few moments of heavy silence passed, before Lena spoke up again.
"I'd like to take Sophie to Mass with me on Sunday," she proposed, not a question exactly...but still asking his permission.
Blaine nodded. "That should be fine, I'll talk to Kurt to make sure, but I don't think he'll have a problem if you want to take her."
"I'd like it if you came with us," she confessed.
Blaine sighed and shook his head.
"Mama, you know I don't do that anymore. I respect that you want to take your granddaughter, and I have no problem with allowing it this time as long as Kurt's okay with it as well; but it's not something I'm going to be doing."
"Blaine, don't you remember going with me all those years? You and Cooper, accompanying your mama to church?"
Blaine pulled his hand back and crossed his arms.
"Of course I do, Mom. I remember everything just fine. I also remember what it felt like when I fully realized and accepted who I was...feeling the judgemental eyes on me the second I walked in, the feeling of not belonging somewhere I always felt like I had belonged. I'm not going back. I need you to respect that."
"Blaine-"
"No, Mom. This isn't up for discussion. I've made peace with who I am and how I believe. Please let it go," he pleaded.
Lena backed off, raising her hands in surrender.
"Okay, I won't bring it up again. Please make sure Kurt is okay with Sophie coming with me on Sunday, and I'll see you in the morning."
Blaine took a deep breath as he stood up. He walked his empty cup over to the sink and picked up the bottle he had made for Sophie that he had left warming in a cup of warm water. He walked over and kissed his mother's cheek on his way out.
"Goodnight, Mama. Love you."
"Goodnight, my love. I love you as well."
Kurt was just getting Sophie into her pajamas when Blaine walked into his old bedroom.
"Is it weird that I think of our old bedrooms as ours now that we're married?" Blaine asked, walking over to kiss the top of Sophie's still damp hair and set her bottle on the bedside table.
Kurt laughed softly as he shook his head. "No, I've thought of both of them as ours since before we were even married," he admitted.
Blaine walked into his en suite bathroom to splash some water on his face. Kurt looked over at him curiously.
"You okay, honey?" he asked, leaning back against the headboard with Sophie on his chest patting her back rhythmically. "You seem kind of upset."
Blaine walked back into the bedroom, his mouth open to answer his husband, when there was a knock at the door and Lena poked her head in.
"Just came to say goodnight," she announced carefully.
Kurt smiled brightly, motioning for her to come in.
Lena smiled as Kurt lifted Sophie up and she took her in her arms.
"Goodnight my little darling girl," Lena cooed, Sophie grinning against her cheek.
"I meant to tell you guys earlier, if you wanted to go out for a little while tomorrow or Sunday night, I would be more than happy to stay home with her for the evening. Give you guys a couple of hours together."
"That would be great Lena, thank you so much. We might just take you up on that," Kurt assured her as Lena laid the baby back in his arms. She was yawning and ready to settle down before she got too cranky to sleep.
"Yes Mama, that would be very nice. Thank you," Blaine responded, nodding to his mother. He went back into the bathroom and closed the door as she finished.
"It would be my pleasure."
Kurt bid her goodnight again and glanced curiously at the bathroom door before Sophie demanded his attention and her bottle.
xoxo
Kurt walked down to breakfast the next morning just after 8:30am, Sophie dressed and ready for the day on his hip. Blaine had left a little while before, saying he had to run a quick errand before he picked Cooper up from the airport.
Lena was sitting at the kitchen table on her computer and sipping a cup of coffee.
"Good morning," he called, bouncing his daughter a bit to make her smile.
Lena looked up, her face breaking into a huge grin.
"I swear, it's like baby Blaine is back in my kitchen again," she cried, standing up to pull him into a hug. "Only this time he's wearing an adorable bow to wrangle those crazy curls!"
Kurt laughed as he returned the hug and passed Sophie over to Lena.
Lena laughed as she bounced Sophie on her hip and kissed her cheek. "How did you guys sleep? Was she difficult being in a new place?"
Kurt shrugged as he poured himself a cup of coffee.
"She woke up a few more times than normal, but I think that's because of all the sleeping she did in the car yesterday. Otherwise, she was fine."
"Good, I was worried," Lena confessed, slipping Sophie into the portable seat assist her dads had brought for her.
"I have everything ready for pancakes and eggs if you're hungry." Lena announced, waiting for Kurt to come back to the table with a bowl of yogurt for Sophie. "I'm assuming Blaine already left, since there was coffee made and your car is gone."
Kurt looked up from pinning Sophie's bib on and nodded.
"Yeah, he had to run an errand before picking up Cooper."
Lena nodded as she started the griddle and sighed. "He's still not very happy with me, is he?"
Kurt looked up from giving Sophie her first bite and sighed, not sure how involved he wanted to get in this argument. He had no problem with Lena wanting to take Sophie on Sunday, but he wasn't sure how he felt about his daughter being exposed to a group of people who could potentially think the way she was being raised was sinful.
Kurt had made his peace with higher power long ago, in that there wasn't one. He believed in the good of his husband, the faith of kind words and helpful people, and the humanity the human race was capable of, but didn't always show.
He didn't believe in an almighty creator, sent down to allow his people to judge and criticize others for the way they believe and who they love. He couldn't condone blind faith and being good only in so far as what you would get out of it.
Blaine believed in God, but didn't believe in the institution of church...and he hadn't for a long time, since before he and Kurt even met. Blaine believed you found grace through being a good person, doing what you know in your heart to be right, and by not judging others for wanting to find their own path in life.
It wasn't a subject that came up in their day to day life. They discussed it occasionally, agreed it was something they both disagreed on, and agreed on, but were content to leave it at that.
Kurt had agreed last night, that this was important to Lena, and Sophie was young enough not to really understand what anyone was saying. Lena wanted to show her off, and Kurt could understand that.
"I say, let's let her take her." Kurt had said to Blaine the night before.
"But from now on, we try to stay with my parents on weekends, and away from Lena on Sunday mornings."
Blaine had laughed. He knew Kurt was kidding around, but both of them knew it wouldn't be that easy.
Shaking his head from the memory of his conversation last night, Kurt fed Sophie her next bite and nodded his head.
"It's fine if you want to take Soph on Sunday, Lena," he told her, looking up when she offered him a smile. "I'm just not sure if he and I want to make this a regular thing. We need to talk about it a little more before we make a decision."
Lena seemed to accept that answer and knew not to push the issue any further. She asked if Sophie would like some fruit as well and the conversation moved on from there.
After breakfast, Lena and Kurt took Sophie outside for her to crawl around on the deck in the fresh air. Kurt mostly sat back, letting Lena have this time with her granddaughter, watching and smiling from the sidelines. Sophie would look around for him every once in a while, and he would smile and nod over at her, but for the most part, she just laughed and played with the toys Lena put in front of her.
Cooper and Blaine came barreling out the door right after eleven. Cooper scooped Sophie up in his arms, and gave his mom a big smacking kiss on the cheek, both of them laughing at him. Kurt had to laugh at his enthusiasm, also at the way Blaine lit up when he was around.
Blaine and his brother had a complicated relationship, but it was never devoid of love...and Blaine looked up to Cooper like any younger brother looked up to his big brother.
Once Cooper showed up, the rest of the weekend seemed to pass in a whirlwind of activity and laughter.
The four of them stayed in with Sophie on Saturday night, sprawled around the den watching movies. But they did take Lena up on her offer to watch Sophie on Sunday night. Thad called, seeing a Facebook post that they were in town, and invited them to dinner to meet his new wife.
Sophie was fast asleep when they got back that night. Lena told them she had been good as gold before bidding them a good night and heading to bed. Cooper was in the kitchen raiding the fridge after an evening out with a few of his friends, so Kurt told them he was gonna head up and left the two of them to clean out Lena's ice cream stash.
"So, lunch with Pops tomorrow, huh?" Cooper asked, pushing Blaine's spoon away from the double chocolate cookie dough.
Blaine sighed, digging into the carton of mint chocolate chip and taking a big bite.
"Yeah, he wants to see Sophie...says he has a gift for her."
Cooper nodded, taking in Blaine's trepidation.
"Has he even met her?"
Blaine nodded again. "He was in New York when she was about four months old. He came over for about an hour," Blaine shrugged. "He puts money into her college fund every month, and always tells me to give her his love in his e-mails."
Cooper snorted. "Sounds about right, although he signs my e-mails 'L-Dad'."
"The thing is," Blaine paused, not sure if he was really ready to unload something like this on someone who wasn't Kurt. "I'm scared he only took an interest in her after we sent out her four month picture and everyone could see she looked everything like me and nothing like Kurt."
Cooper shook his head. "I don't think that's the case, squirt. He told me he was excited for a grandbaby before she was even born. I think he just has trouble expressing his emotions to anyone, especially himself."
Blaine shook his head.
"And you never know, Blaine." Cooper went on. "You and Mel look similar, she could still be Kurt's. Her nose is nothing like your's and Mom's."
Blaine scoffed.
"Well, first of all...it doesn't matter. She's ours no matter who is the biological donor. But Coop, it's me," he assured his brother. "We've always known that. We just didn't tell anyone because we didn't want anyone to make assumptions about her 'real' parents."
"Well," Cooper paused, throwing his spoon in the empty carton and sighing. "Do you think maybe you're projecting just a bit? Giving him the reaction you assume he'll have, rather than letting him have the reaction he would have naturally."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Blaine snapped.
"Whoa, hold on there sassy britches." Cooper laughed, only pissing off Blaine even more. "Look, I'm the first one to admit that dad is a hard man, and that makes having a relationship with him difficult. But you have this habit of predicting what someone is going to do or say, before they have the chance to show you."
Blaine opened his mouth to argue.
"I'm not saying that it's altogether a bad thing," Cooper interrupted, causing Blaine to close his mouth. "I think part of it's a defense mechanism that you learned to deal with our parent's divorce and then coming out...like you psyched yourself out at what everyone was going to think, then unfortunately they lived up to your expectations. But that isn't always how it goes.
"And, I think it's gotten much better as you've gotten older and grown into a husband and father. But there is just something about Dad that you and I both need to deal with a little better."
Blaine shrugged again, but looked up at Cooper and raised his eyebrows.
"Look Blaine, dad is just a man. He is old and set in his ways and not likely to change. But I don't doubt that he loves us...he just doesn't always know how to show it."
"Did you like, go see a shrink or something?" Blaine asked, Cooper threw his head back and laughed. "I've never heard you so 'On team dad' before."
"Well, come to think about it...I did sleep with a peer counselor in college," Cooper joked, waggling his own eyebrows at his baby brother and tossing the dish towel that was sitting on the table at him.
"He's never going to be Burt Hummel, Blaine," Cooper finally said. "Once we accept that, we can just appreciate him for who he is and let that be enough."
With one final nod, Cooper stood up and moved to ruffle Blaine's gelled hair before laughing and heading upstairs to bed.
Blaine sat at the table for a few more minutes, letting his brother's words wash over him as he thought.
Kurt was fast asleep when Blaine crawled into bed that night, but it didn't take long for him to sigh and turn over, searching for Blaine's hand under the covers while Blaine laid in bed awake for hours, petting his thumb back and forth over Kurt's hand.
xoxo
After lunch the next day Kurt and Blaine dropped Cooper off at the airport, then headed back to Lena's. They needed to pack up and get ready to go to Kurt's parents the next day.
Sophie fell asleep in the car, so Kurt carried her upstairs while Blaine went outside where his mom was working in her garden.
"Hi love, how was your father?" Lena asked, sitting back on her heels when she saw Blaine coming around the corner.
Blaine shrugged as he handed his mom the bottle of water he had grabbed from the fridge on his way out the back door.
"About the same. He seemed happy to see Sophie again."
"Thank you," Lena told him, gratefully taking a sip. "My lilies are really coming along this year, don't you think? Seemed to have survived the heat."
Blaine nodded as he sat down on the blanket she had spread out to catch the trimmings she dropped.
"I wanted to prune a little before I have to leave for London again on Thursday, maybe take an arrangement to Carole on Wednesday for the BBQ."
"She'll like that," Blaine agreed.
Lena nodded with a smile. "I think so."
Lena dropped the last clip of weed onto the blanket and sat back again, taking another sip from her water and smiling at her son.
"I'm so happy I've gotten to spend this time with you this weekend panga. And I'm glad your father did as well, really."
Blaine reached over and took his mom's hand.
"Me too, Mama," he said, smiling softly as Lena leaned over and pressed her lips against his forehead.
"We can only do our best, Blaine. That's all we can ever ask of anyone, or ourselves."
xoxo
Kurt texted his dad that they were on their way just as Blaine gave his mom one last wave and pulled away from the driveway.
"Babababa dababa," Sophie babbled from her car seat.
Kurt smiled and reached back to take her hand.
"You talkin to me, honey?" he asked. She turned her head to his voice and grinned. "Hi smiley face," Kurt cooed. Sophie kicked her feet against the back of the seat.
"I know she doesn't weigh enough yet, but she is getting too long for the rear facing set up," Kurt mused to Blaine, adjusting her blanket again. "Her feet are touching the seat behind her."
"And she's only just eight months!" Blaine agreed, grinning.
"We should talk to her pediatrician about it, see what she says is a good time for her to switch to the new one. It would be nice not to have to lug this thing around."
Blaine nodded his agreement as they merged onto the highway and drove toward Lima proper.
"She's grown a lot in the last few months. Some of her 9-12 months clothes are already starting to fit her."
"I know," Kurt cried. "It's such a confusing feeling to want her to grow up, but still be a baby forever." He laughed.
Blaine giggled but nodded his agreement.
"It really is, I'm so ready for her to start walking and talking...but man, I'll miss these baby days. Even if I feel like we'll start to get more sleep."
Kurt hummed as he reached over and took his husband's hand over the center console.
"I will not miss her disgusting smelling formula," he said, Blaine sighing out a chuckle as Sophie barked out childish laughter behind them.
Twelve months-Her first birthday
Blaine laughed as he held Sophie's hands while they walked slowly down the hallway toward the kitchen.
"Come on baby, let's go see Papa!" he sang.
Kurt turned around and smiled as he twisted the top on Sophie's cup of juice.
"Come on you two," he called, grabbing a bottle of sparkling water from the fridge. "Let's eat some dinner."
"She's going to be doing it any day now," Blaine sang excitedly, sweeping Sophie up in his arms to set her down in her highchair.
Kurt hummed and nodded as he slipped Sophie's scarf off so he could snap her bib on.
"No matter how many bricks I set on her head to keep her a baby forever," he mused as Blaine ladled the butternut squash with cheese ravioli soup into their bowls.
"Say, 'I'm not a baby, Papa! I'm gonna be one year old in a few weeks'!" Blaine cooed, blowing on a spoonful of soup before carefully feeding it to her.
Kurt chuckled as he cut some bread and dropped it on Sophie's tray.
"That reminds me, your mom e-mailed me today to ask what we were doing for her first birthday. We should probably start planning something."
Blaine groaned, taking a bite of his own soup and wiping his mouth on his napkin.
"Is it bad that I want it to just be the three of us?" he asked, watching carefully as Sophie gnawed on a chunk of bread and opened her mouth for another bite of soup from Kurt.
Kurt laughed and shook his head.
"Bad? No," he admitted. "But do you really wanna be the one to tell our parents that? Or Mel, or Rachel and Sam? They would go crazy."
"Nope," Blaine said, shaking his head at Sophie to make her grin.
Kurt stood up to check if the strawberries he had set out were thawed enough to mix with her bowl of yogurt. He grabbed his phone from the counter on the way back to the table.
"I just don't want to plan something big, and have the whole day ruined because she is feeling overwhelmed and over excited by so many people around," Blaine admitted.
"We could do the weekend after her birthday, give us the day with just her, invite Mel over too...then do a big thing on Saturday for everyone?" Kurt offered, checking the calendar on his phone. "Her birthday is on a Thursday?"
Blaine nodded his head as he offered her another bite of soup with just a little bit of ravioli on it for her to chew around on.
"Yeah, that sounds okay. We could take the day and just spend it doing things with her. Go to the park, maybe to the baby gym so she can crawl around and get some energy out. Take a nap and do the whole messy first cake thing in our own home where we can give her a bath right afterwards."
Kurt shuddered as he took a sip of his water. "Or we could skip the whole 'messy cake' thing and just give her some fruit or something."
Blaine laughed and shook his head at his husband. "No way!" he cried. "We have to give her the first birthday cake! It's tradition. When have we ever let her have that much sugar? It will be hilarious!"
"Hilarious?" Kurt scoffed. "When she's up all night on a sugar high?"
Blaine laughed again and shrugged.
"It's tradition. We have to do it, Kurt," he insisted. "Besides, she'll crash eventually."
Kurt bit back a laugh as he tried to keep the stern look on his face. "You will be the one getting up with her all night if she doesn't, just so we're clear."
"Deal," Blaine agreed, Sophie banging her fist on her tray so they would look back over at her.
xoxo
Kurt sighed as he double checked the counter where he had laid out all the food for the party that day. He looked over to where Sophie was playing quietly on the rug in front of the TV. One of her favorite, and really only, shows was on so he could get a few minutes of quiet. There would soon be almost twenty people in their small loft. This had the potential to be a very frustrating day for all of them.
Today was supposed to be low-key. Just family and a few friends over for some food, fun, and baby time. It had quickly escalated and now Kurt was worried there wouldn't be enough space in their loft for the number of people scheduled to come over. He seriously contemplated moving the whole thing upstairs to the roof room, but when he called the super he was informed it was already booked for the day. They would just have to make do and hopefully nobody would linger too long.
He hoped he had enough food. He had ordered a spread from one of their favorite delis, as well as an assortment of cupcakes from Magnolia bakery. Sophie's special gluten free, and made with honey and no sugar, cupcake safely tucked away with the candle shaped like a number 'one' already plopped on top. They had learned their lesson two days ago that Sophie and refined sugar did not mix. Blaine had been up most of the night with a crabby baby that just would not settle down.
Kurt and Rachel had decorated that morning, Rachel getting to spend a little time with the birthday girl since she had to work that afternoon and couldn't come to the party. They lined the walls with gray and hot pink streamers to match the birthday girl's outfit.
Blaine had made a banner in the same colors that read "Happy Birthday Sophia!" and they hung that across the windows. He was also picking up the six balloons they had ordered while he was out picking up his mom from the airport. It wasn't up to usual Anderson-Hummel party standards, but for their baby girl's first birthday, it would do just fine.
Sophie crawled over to where Kurt was standing and attempted to pull herself up by his pant leg so he would pick her up.
"Hi sweetie." he cooed, leaning down and plopping her on his hip. He adjusted her headband and kissed her cheek. "You ready for today?" he asked.
She laid her head on his shoulder and patted her little hand on his face.
"Uh oh," he laughed nervously. "Don't get sleepy on me now. I need one of those, 'My name is Sophia and I don't need no naps' days from you, could you give your Papa one of those?" he asked, kissing her forehead again as someone knocked on the door.
Sophie started to perk up as more and more people walked through the door. In fact, neither Blaine nor Kurt held her much the rest of the day. She was either being held by someone who hadn't seen her in months, or playing on the floor with Lily, Tina's little girl, and Brittany, who was desperately trying to convince Santana that it was time for them to have a baby.
After the food had been served, Mel stood laughing with Sophie on her hip and talking to Carole and Lena, telling them about the evening of "Sophia meets Refined Sugar."
"It was hilarious!" she told them. "Kurt stood behind her fretting, and her eyes just glazed over with a sugar high." All three women laughed.
"Blaine and I just laughed as her whole little body vibrated, and Kurt kept saying over and over 'you won't be laughing when you are up all night with her!'."
Kurt was standing in the kitchen with Mercedes and Isabelle, laughing and talking about one of Mercedes' latest red carpet looks, when Blaine came around the corner.
He looked over at Kurt, his eyes huge.
"My dad's here," he whispered, Andrew Anderson walking up behind him.
Kurt quickly covered the surprise on his face with a smile and held his hand out.
"Andrew, it's so great to see you again. We're so glad you could come," he said evenly, trying to hide the shock and add some warmth to his voice. The man was trying. You could tell he wanted to try, and Kurt was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Andrew gratefully took Kurt's hand and gave it a firm shake.
"I have a business meeting in Toronto. I left a day early so I could swing by for her party. I hope that's-"
"Of course it's okay!" Kurt rushed to interrupt. The party around them had quieted down just a touch and Kurt was desperate for people to get back to having fun and stop making such a big deal out of this. "You are always welcome to come see Sophie and spend time with us, anytime."
Andrew visibly relaxed after Kurt's words and handed the pink and yellow gift bag over to his son with a small smile. Kurt scanned the room and sighed with relief when he saw his dad walk over with Sophie on his hip.
"Hey Andrew," Burt called, walking up to them and holding Sophie out to him. "It's great to see you again, but I'm sure you just came to spend time with this little doll. It's the main reason I come too," Burt joked, earning a mock look of hurt from Kurt.
Andrew laughed, shook his head like he wanted to argue, but gratefully accepted the armful of baby Burt was offering.
Sophie was starting to get a little overwhelmed by all the people, but she grinned when Andrew talked softly to her and allowed him to hold her close to his chest for a few minutes.
Burt backed away slightly and went over to stand where Carole and Lena were.
"Dad, can I get you something to drink?" Blaine asked. "We don't really have anything hard, but we have wine and sparkling water or..."
"Wine would be fine, Blaine. Thank you," Andrew answered, grateful to just stand and hold Sophie for a few minutes.
"There's also tons of food," Kurt added, motioning to the counter where everything had been laid out. "Help yourself to anything, and let me know if I can get anything else for you."
"Thank you, Kurt," Andrew answered, looking back at Sophie with a soft grin on his face.
Kurt walked over and set his hand on the small of his husband's back, leaning into him slightly.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
Blaine looked over at him, obviously trying to contain himself.
"Yeah," he nodded, pouring his dad a glass of red wine. "I'm just really surprised. It's a good surprised, but it's still..."
Kurt nodded. He didn't need Blaine to finish his thought, he understood completely.
They both turned around and saw Lena walk over and cup her hand around the back of Sophie's head. The room had picked up in noise level a little so they couldn't really hear what was being said, but both of them were smiling.
"'A tiny human is a balm to most wounds'," Blaine quoted Kurt's words back to him as they both smiled and nodded.
After a little while, Sophie started to look like she was really losing steam. They called everyone over to the table and Blaine held Sophie while Kurt held out her cupcake and lit the candle, everyone singing "Happy Birthday" to her.
They had been working with her to get her to 'blow' on her candle, but she still didn't really get the concept. Kurt blew it out and everyone cheered. He then told everyone else to help themselves to the rest of the cupcakes on the stand.
They fed Sophie a few bites from her cupcake, but she was starting to whine and fuss, wanting her nap. When it looked like the birthday girl was calling it quits, everyone else decided to head out as well.
The guys stood at the door, Kurt holding Sophie against his chest as they said goodbye to all her guests. When it was just their parents and Mel still in the kitchen, Andrew walked up to them, his coat over his arm.
"I should probably get going too, my flight is in a couple of hours," he told them.
"Do you wanna hold her one last time? Say a quick goodbye?" Kurt offered, but Andrew shook his head. He set his hand gently on her small back and smiled.
"No, that is the face of one little baby who needs her daddies and a nap. I don't want to upset her any more than she already is."
Kurt nodded, looking over at Blaine. He tried to ask with his eyes if Blaine wanted them to walk away, but didn't get the chance as Andrew started talking again.
"I got her a gift of course, but there is also an envelop in there for you guys," he started, pulling on his coat. "Use it for whatever. But this is an accomplishment for you as well, so spend it on yourselves."
"Dad," Blaine smiled. "You didn't have to do that, thank you so much."
"You are very welcome, son," Andrew promised. "I also transferred the last monthly sum into her trust fund. After this, I'll add the amount on her birthday until she's twenty five, or finishes college, just like I did with you and your brother."
"That is so generous of you, Andrew," Kurt thanked him. "Really, it's a huge weight off of our shoulders to know that she's taken care of like that, so thank you so much."
"Yeah, thank you so much Dad," Blaine agreed. "And thank you for coming today. It was so great to see you."
Andrew nodded again, waving his hand like it was no problem that he was setting her up for college and helping them out so much.
He hesitated on his way out the door, and turned back around.
"I'll be back in the city in January. I'd like to see her again, if that's okay. Maybe take the two of you out to dinner?
"That would be wonderful," Blaine agreed, looking over to Kurt and nodding. "Just let us know when and we'll plan on it."
"Great," Andrew said again, looking over and smiling when he saw Sophie was about to fall asleep against Kurt's shoulder. "Happy Birthday, little one."
He gave the guys one more nod and headed down the hallway toward the elevator.
Blaine closed the door behind him and turned around to face Kurt.
"So that was a thing that happened," he said, closing his eyes.
Kurt walked over to him and kissed him softly.
"I'm gonna get her down," Kurt told him, but Blaine put his hand out to stop him.
"Actually, do you mind if I take her?" Blaine asked. "She needs to be changed anyway, and I'd like to rock with her for a few minutes."
Kurt carefully transferred Sophie into his arms, kissing the top of her head and putting his hand on Blaine's shoulder.
"Of course, just come on out when you're done."
Blaine nodded as he walked down the hallway and pushed Sophie's bedroom door shut behind them.
That night, after everyone had gone home and Sophie had woken up from her nap, Kurt dressed her in her birthday outfit again and set her in front of the massive pile of gifts everyone had brought. Blaine turned on the camera and they filmed her opening each one.
Over the next few weeks, Blaine went through and edited every second of that video. He sent each giver an email, thanking them, with an attached clip of Sophie opening their gift. Everyone agreed it was the best thank you card they had ever received.