"Edward! Edward, come out this instant!"

"No!"

"Edward Anthony, you will come out from under that bed and get into that tub or so help me!"

"No!"

"I'm counting to three…" Defiant green eyes glared back at me. "One…" A small pink tongue poked out of pouty baby lips at me. "Two…" Chubby arms crossed over a miniature chest. "Three…"

"NO!"

I reached under the bed, grabbing the little trouble maker by his leg and tried to pull him out.

"No, no, no, no! Mean! You mean!"

"Oh yes, I'm the meanest daddy in the land. How horrible I am for wanting to clean a sticky three year-old."

Edward continued to squirm in my arms as I carried him to the tub.

"Alright, in you go." Just then I felt a small pressure on my hand. "Edward, are you biting me?"

This is just a glimpse of what living with Edward Cullen is like. When I first brought him home he was like a dead man walking. I thought he would never recover from his mother's death. Or at least that he would stay a little more stoic for a while longer. Instead he unleashed his toddler fury.

Everything was a tantrum. He didn't like what he was eating, he didn't want to go to bed, he didn't want a bath. The boy was a bloody terror!

Don't get me wrong, he isn't always a demon from hell. He is still the sweet little boy I helped give birth to, just a little more vocal.

"NO! No want baf! No baf!"

"Edward please stop fussing, you're getting water everywhere."

And whenever he doesn't get his way, he is a little melodramatic about it.

"Ahhhh! Eye! 'ting eye! Bad! Bad dada! Dada 'ate Edward!"

"Young man stop it this instant! If you had listened to dada and closed your eyes you wouldn't have gotten soap on them, now would you. And dada could never hate Edward. No matter how terrible he acts." I muttered the end bit. "Sowwy."

"What was that?"

"I sowwy dada. I no mean ta be bad." His sad green eyes melted any and all anger I had. "It's alright little one. Dada was a little short tempered with you. I'm sorry too."

"Baf done yet?" I smile gently at him. "Almost. Now close your eyes so I can get the soap out of your hair."

Soon he was completely rinsed and dried. I just hoped the tiny terror wouldn't make a reappearance for bedtime. "Alright little one off to bed with you."

"No!" Oh honestly. "Edward, we are not starting that again. Now its already late so off to bed."

Shaking his head furiously, he looked up at me pleadingly. "Pwease dada. Want ta stay wif you." He quickly latched himself onto my right leg. "Pwease?" This boy will be the death of me. Sighing I gave in. "Oh, alright." The smile that spread across my boy's face could have out shown the sun. "Fank you dada! Fank you!" I hoisted him into my arms and kissed him lightly on the nose.

Edward hated to be left alone these days. When his mother was still alive, it wasn't unusual to find him off on his own, dreaming up some grand adventure. Now I could barely step out of the room without him clinging to me. I've had to take a leave of absence from the hospital because the poor thing can't stand to have me away for more than a few minutes. Nor does he want to set foot in the hospital. I had become accustomed to Edward sleeping with me at night. Well, him sleeping while I did paper work or read. As long as I was close he was happy.

I lay next to Edward and watched as he drifted off to sleep. I was happy too. I lost Elizabeth but I gained the one thing I was sure I could never have. A son. I smiled at the thought. "Edward Anthony Mason Cullen, I like it." I looked forward to every moment I would spend with my child.

Suddenly two very wide awake green eyes where staring at me. "What's wrong Edward?"

"You forgot."

"Forgot what?" He pushed his tongue on the inside of his cheek making it stick out before tapping it with his finger. "Oh, I see." I leaned over and gave him the goodnight kiss I had so thoughtlessly forgot. "Goodnight little one." Edward sat up and planted a wet kiss on my own cheek. "Night dada."

Yes I was ready for it all. For the good and the bad. Every tantrum, boo boo, and sleepless night. Every hug, kiss, and cuddle. I was ready to raise my son, no matter what.