Some little family time for Bella's birthday! It's not about celebrating with her sister anymore since they are both married with families of their own now!

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Chapter 37

BPOV

I ground my teeth as I followed Edward's instructions he had left for me on the bed when I had climbed from my bath he had fixed for me to soak in. He and the kids were gone when I had gotten out of the tub and all that was left was a note on my pillow and in each crib, each numbered 1, 2, and 3 respectively.

Note 1

I know you don't like making a big deal out of your birthday, you never have from what I can recall but I wanted to use this opportunity to make this day memorable. I want us to take our first family portrait since Arianna was born before we spend the afternoon exploring downtown Savannah some more. I know you can never get enough of the history and culture that is downtown. I look forward to seeing you in just a little bit, my love. I have the kids with me so don't worry your beautiful little head over them. We will meet you at noon. Your first destination lays in Gavyn's room! I love you, Isabella Marie Masen. Happy Birthday, baby.

Note 2

Sissy and I just want to let you know that you are the best mama in the entire world and we love you! Please join us and daddy for lunch at Joe's at noon. Happy Birthday, Mama. Love, Gavyn.

Note 3

I know I was a surprise for you and daddy but you are the best momma in the world to both me and bubba and we love you. After you have lunch with me, bubba, daddy and a few surprise guests we need you to meet us at Forsyth Park Fountain for family photos! Happy Birthday, Mama. Love, Arianna.

I assumed I was supposed to wear the outfit that was laid out on the bed and had no problem with that because it was gorgeous and looked extremely comfortable. It was a lacy sleeveless sky blue dress that fell to about mid-thigh with a wide brown belt that would fasten right below my breasts. Laid beside it was a beautiful pair of brown tear drop earrings along with some brown bracelets. A new pair of boots that were dark brown to match my jewelry and belt and blue to match my dress was sitting on the floor beside the bed. "Alice." I said shaking my head as I picked up the dress and held it against myself as I turned to look in the mirror. "Always perfect." I said shaking my head while I headed for the dresser to get ready for my lunch date with my family.

I walked into Joe's just as the clock struck 12 and spotted not only my husband and children but Carlisle and Esme also waiting for me. I guess they were my surprise guests Arianna's not suggested to.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked them as I reached over to hug each of them before kissing the top of Gavyn's head as he sat in his Nanny's lap happily chewing away on a cracker. On my way to the vacant seat beside Edward I paused to bend down to kiss the top of Arianna's head as she sat swatting at her toys attached to her carrier that was still snapped into the double stroller.

"Edward invited us to come have lunch to celebrate your birthday. We just got here." Esme said as she wiped Gavyn's drooling chin.

"Please tell me that they are not wearing their picture taking clothes?" I asked Edward as I reached over to pull Arianna from her carrier. Edward looked amazing from what I could tell. He was wearing a blue polo shirt that matched the color of my dress perfectly along with a pair of tan cargo shorts. Arianna looked absolutely adorable in her little pillowcase dress that was covered in four leaf clovers with a big band of lime green and white polka dots along the bottom and that tied in a bow above her left shoulder, a big lacy white headband with a huge white flower that sat on the right side of her head, and little brown sandals. Gavyn was wearing a plaid lime green button up shirt over a white t-shirt, a pair of dark cargo pants, his little brown flip flops and a smile to match.

Edward nodded. "They are but I brought their bibs for lunch and a whole lot of baby wipes as well as another change of clothes." Edward said as he pointed to the diaper bag sitting on the floor beside him as Gavyn slapped the table in excitement as he babbled on.

"Good." I told Edward with a kiss to his cheek as I smiled at Gavyn causing him to giggle and slap at the table harder. "Can you say mama?" I asked him as I reached across the table to tickle his chin.

He shook his head as he giggled loudly. "Mamamamama." He chattered on to my delight.

"That's my monkey." I told him happily.

"Hi, my name is Candace, can I take your order?" The waitress said officially setting lunch into motion.

Lunch was delightful and enjoyable. Esme took care of feeding Gavyn who was sitting in his wooden high chair as Carlisle fed Arianna her bottle so Edward and I could eat with both hands free for a change. "Is your dad coming back with Alice and Jasper for the birthday dinner on Saturday?" Esme asked as she wiped Gavyn's chin again.

I shook my head. "No, he said he is moving back to Chicago without our mother. Apparently this is some sort of trial separation. He says becoming a grandfather and missing out on so many important thingsin mine and Alice's life opened his eyes that our mother was keeping him from what he considered to be important moments in his life. Apparently he misses all of us but he's just unable to come back with them this weekend but we chatted the other day on the phone and the computer. It's nice to have him back in our lives like he used to be."

Esme just chuckled. "I bet. Was you always closer to your father than your mother?" She asked quietly as she spooned another spoonful of his mashed potatoes into Gavyn's eager mouth.

I nodded as I wiped my mouth with my napkin before answering. "Yeah, I have very few memories where my mom wanted to play with us or take us somewhere. The memories that I do have of her, she was always in the background while Dad was right there in the midst of the action. I had lost sight of that until he reminded us of how we used to be when we were little on our 18th birthday but after that it all came flooding back."

She smiled and nodded. "I bet he is immensely proud of you girls and the lives you have chosen to lead." She said as she wiped Gavyn's mouth.

I chuckled. "He says that these aren't the lives he would have chosen for us when we were babies but that as long as we are happy that is all that matters to him. Alice is flourishing in college but she married at 18 like our parents did. I am married, a mother of two, and soon to be a college dropout all by the age 19. But, being a wife, a mother, and eventually a teacher is all that I want and I will get all of those things in due time but my babies come first and foremost." I explained as I threaded my fingers through Edward's against his thigh.

Esme nodded in understanding. "These babies are gorgeous too, you guys have done a phenomenal job with them. I miss them now that you aren't going to classes anymore but I know that they need their mother with them more than they need their grandparents. You are a fabulous mother Bella and will be a fabulous teacher also when the time comes." She said as she pulled Gavyn from his high chair now that we were all done eating, including the babies.

"Thanks. I wouldn't be able to any of it without Edward there supporting me every step of the way." I told her as I leaned into Edward's kiss against the side of my head.

Carlisle chuckled at us as he rocked Arianna in his arms. "I always hoped there would be a woman out there that could handle Edward and make him into the man his parents wanted him to be, and that woman is you, Bella."

I smiled at his compliment. "Thanks, Carlisle. Alice always said that it would take a special kind of man to deal with my mood swings and love of bland colors and books along with my lack of enjoyment of things appropriate to my age." I told him as I took a wiggling Gavyn from Esme's arms. "Come to mama, monkey." I told him as I settled him on the edge of the table so he could look at me.

"Mama!" He said happily as he slapped at my cheeks while giggling.

"I guess you guys found that in each other. I personally think you guys complement each other perfectly." He said as he kissed Arianna's head around her huge headband. "What is the point of these things?" He asked as he fingered her headband.

I just laughed as Edward shrugged. "Don't ask me, Alice and Rose both said they make her look like a little girl and complete the outfits or some nonsense." I said as I played with Gavyn.

The entire table chuckled at my honestly. "Baby, I need to get going. I have some things to do before our scheduled meet at the fountain." Edward said as he reached for Arianna who was asleep in her Poppy's arms.

"We're not going together?" I asked him as he fastened Arianna into her carrier.

He laughed and shook his head. "Nope. Right now you and Ma have a pedicure and manicure appointment to keep." He told me as he kissed the top of my head.

I looked at him with a quirked eyebrow. "Oh really? And just what are you and our babies going to be doing while I am getting pampered?" I asked him as I wiped off Gavyn's face, chin, neck, and hands one last time before placing kisses all over his face and neck.

"That's a secret, baby, but you will find out all my secrets this afternoon." He told me as he reached for Gavyn to fasten him into the front of the stroller.

"Come on sweetheart, lets the boys and babies go do their secretive stuff while we get pampered." Esme said as she kissed Carlisle gently on the lips before standing and hooking her arm through mine.

I pouted momentarily before smiling broadly. "Okay, you keep your secrets mister but I expect all to be revealed on Saturday." I told Edward before kissing him lightly as he unlocked the wheels on the stroller. "Love you."

He smiled as he kissed me again. "Love you too. Now scoot before you miss your appointment." He said as he swatted me lightly on the butt causing me to laugh playfully.

"Bye babies, mama loves you." I called to Gavyn and Arianna as we left the small café.

Once outside I dug through my purse looking for my keys when Esme put her hand on my arm. "Let's walk, sweetheart. It's just a few blocks over and it is so pretty out today."

I stopped digging and sighed. "Okay. I swear I spend half of my time digging in this monstrosity for something or other." I told her as I put the strap back on my shoulder and started down the sidewalk.

She laughed and nodded. "I say the same exact thing but for some reason I can't seem to get rid of it. How are your classes going with the babies being sick the past week or so?"

I chuckled. "They are going pretty good, I'm only taking two right now at the moment. I have all A's at the moment and all my work is caught up as of the other day. I usually do my homework when they are napping. Gavyn only takes one nap a day now but he sleeps almost four hours while Arianna sleeps probably two to three, three times a day. That is enough for me to get most of my work done." I told her honestly.

"That's great, sweetheart. Carlisle and I were wandering how you were doing with both babies being sick." She said as we crossed the street to the next block. "They looked like they were feeling better today though." She said with a smile.

I nodded. "Yeah we have been staying cooped up in the house for a few days to get over the last of it while everybody else is gone for the week. Our house should rival a hospital with how much cleaning I have been doing for the past week." I told her lightly.

"At least everybody is happy and healthy for today." She said as we continued down the street taking our time enjoying the day and chat.

"Yeah, just think if we were still in Chicago we would be bundled up scurrying from place to place instead of enjoying a lunchtime stroll and taking outdoor pictures." I told her.

She chuckled. "Yeah that is one thing I don't miss at all." She said happily.

"Do you still miss it? You know when we first moved here you guys said you wasn't going to follow us down here." I reminded her lightly.

She laughed joyously. "I know but then we found out Rose was pregnant too and we consider her a daughter also and we just couldn't fathom being away from Gavyn and another grandchild for months at a time while we were in Chicago and you guys were here." She explained.

I nodded in understanding. "We are eternally grateful that you guys moved here because you made going to school with Gavyn being such a young baby so much easier knowing I was leaving him with his grandparents instead of a daycare." I told her as she grabbed my elbow to slow me to a stop.

"This is the place Edward made our appointments at." She said motioning to the nail salon we were stopped in front of.

"Okay, I haven't had my nails done since Alice's wedding on New Years'." I told Esme as we walked to the counter.

A perky young girl that I instantly recognized bounced to the counter. "Bella! Oh my goodness." Cheyenne said as she smiled broadly at me. Esme looked at me with a raised eyebrow and I just smiled a tight lipped smile at her and slightly shook my head.

"Hi Cheyenne. I believe my husband made appointments for me and my mother in law." I told the red headed girl that had tried to come between Edward and myself when we first started classes as SSU.

She smiled as she flipped through what I assumed was the appointment book. "Yep, got it right here. Your appointments are with Amanda and Rachel. Follow me and we will pick out designs and colors." She said pointing to the wall where rows upon rows of fingernail polish sat.

"Okay." I told her as Esme laid a hand on my shoulder easing my tensions immediately because I did not want to be rude but I also didn't want to give Cheyenne the impression that I wanted to be friends of any sort.

She left us alone at the wall of colors. "Rachel and Amanda will be out shortly to get you."

I nodded as she walked back to the counter. "You want to explain, sweetheart?" Esme asked quietly.

I sighed and nodded before quietly delving into the situations Cheyenne had caused. The rest of our appointment was spent just chatting about the kids and other nonsense but was relaxing as intended.

I strolled down the tree lined brick pathway to my family that was standing in front of the huge fountain in Forsythe park with a woman I didn't know. "Monkey!" I called to Gavyn who was standing holding onto the fence that surrounded the fountain.

He spun to see me and fell on his bottom instantly sticking out his bottom lip. "Mama!" He called just as a big fat tear slipped out of his eye to settle against his cheek. I rushed to him scooping him up in my arms.

"I didn't mean to make you fall, monkey." I told him soothingly as I placed kisses all over his little head and face causing him to smile and wrap his arms around my neck. "You silly boy."

"Hi Casanova." I told Edward as I leaned over to kiss him lightly before peeking into the stroller to see a peacefully sleeping Arianna.

"Hi, baby. This is Erin and she has so graciously offered to take our pictures today." Edward said introducing me to the woman that was watching me curiously with my kids. "Erin this is my wife Bella." He said quietly just as Gavyn let out a loud sigh and settled against my shoulder.

"Hi, it's a pleasure to meet you." I told her sticking my free hand out for her to shake which she did.

"The pleasure is all mine. Your babies are absolutely beautiful. I told your husband that they photograph perfectly." She said and I looked at Edward with a quirked eyebrow because I didn't know she had photographed the kids before but I had a feeling she just gave away part of his birthday surprise.

"Oh really?" I asked her looking between my husband and the photographer.

Her eyes got huge as she slapped her hands over her mouth. "Oh no, I wasn't supposed to say anything." She said quietly.

Edward just chuckled. "It's okay, I think Gavyn gave it away when he settled on her shoulder to go to sleep." Edward said stroking our sons head gently.

I nodded and smiled. "My boy refuses to take an evening nap anymore so it was obvious he hadn't had his nap yet which is usually right after lunch." I told her as I laid him in his half of the stroller so he could finish out his nap while we took our pictures. "How long has Arianna been asleep?" I asked Edward as I felt her legs to see if they were cool before tugging the light blanket over them.

"About an hour now, she should be waking up soon." Edward said pointedly.

"Well, okay then, let's get some pictures of just the two of you first then while the babies are sleeping." Erin said as she bent down to grab her huge camera bag that was set at her feet.

"Okay, just tell us how to pose and where." I told her excitedly.

She nodded and the photo session was in full swing. We took several pictures of just the two of us in various poses. One was of us facing the fountain with my arm around his waist and his around mine, each resting on the others hip and our head bent together and my legs crossed at the ankles. One was of us walking hand in hand towards Erin while looking at each other with huge smiles on our faces. One was of me sitting propped against a tree with Edward's head in my lap and my fingers in his hair as we gazed at each other lovingly, he had his one leg bent across the knee of his other one that was bent and planted firmly on the ground.

The next picture pose brought me back to our beginning because of the way we were positioned. It was of Edward sitting stretched out in the grass with his right hand planted firmly on the ground behind him as I sat in his lap, stretching my legs along his, our left hands joining together in my lap as he whispered quietly in my ear. "I love you, Isabella." He whispered quietly in my ear as Erin snapped away.

I could feel the loving smile spread across my face as I turned in his lap so that I was sitting sideways as I cupped his smiling face in my hands gently. "I love you so very much, Edward Anthony." I whispered before I kissed his lips gently.

"That is perfect!" Erin said happily as she walked around us snapping pictures at various angles.

I chuckled as she went picture snapping crazy. "This brings back memories, huh?" Edward asked as he helped me to stand up.

I smiled and nodded. "It does. You do realize that I got tomorrow for my six week check-up, right?" I reminded him with a devious smile as we followed Erin with Edward pushing the stroller that contained our sleeping babies.

He smiled and nodded. "I do, which is why Ma and Pop will be keeping the kids tonight. They are meeting us at the fountain in a little bit to take them so we can go back with Erin to take a few pictures at her studio." He said with a silly smile on his face.

I laughed and shook my head. "Thought of everything didn't you, handsome."

He got a goofy grin on his face as he nodded. "I did."

"Okay, Bella, I want you to hop up on that broken tree trunk right there." Erin said getting us back into the photo session.

That pose was sure to turn out beautiful with the sun shining through the branches behind me as I wrapped my arms and legs around Edward as he stood in front of me until my head was almost even with his. Then she had him turn around and face me as I cupped his face in my hands and told him I loved him. The last pose of just the two of us was with Edward sitting in the tree and me standing in front of him gazing up at him as I stroked his thighs. Just as she finished snapping a few pictures I heard Arianna and Gavyn both whine from the stroller.

"Oh this is perfect. You call the little guy monkey, right?" She asked as I went to get Gavyn from the stroller.

"Yeah. Why?" I asked as I plucked him from the stroller stroking his hair gently before going to hand him to Edward who was still sitting on the broken tree.

"I think it would be fitting to get some pictures of father and son and the whole family in various positions on this tree." Erin said excitedly as I pulled Arianna from her carrier.

I nodded as I spread Arianna's portable changing pad out on the grass to change her diaper. "Okay, let me get her changed while you do Edward and Gavyn then we can swap." I told her as I quickly went about changing her diaper before she got fussy.

"Okay." Erin said as she snapped away while instructing Edward how to situate himself and Gavyn.

The rest of the pictures at the park included all of us as a family. I think my favorite was of Edward and I both sitting on the ground with Arianna held in the crook of his arm while the other was around my waist and Gavyn was sat on my bent knees with me holding his hands. I took several photos of just myself with each of the kids separately and together before we headed for Erin's studio for some indoor shots with me and the kids. The kids were sufficiently exhausted and cranky by the time Carlisle and Esme walked into Erin's studio a little bit later to collect the kids.