Chapter 18

Note: I hope none of you mind if I jump forward in time just a little bit.

Exactly 12 months later....February 18th, 2013

Time had flown by, and just like that, Joshua was 1 year old. It was hard to believe. It seemed like just yesterday that he

had been born.

Later that morning, Margaret was in the kitchen cleaning up after breakfast, and Andrew was in the livingroom with Joshua,

just watching him play on the floor. He looked up at Margaret.

"Come on, honey. Quit working, and come over here and spend some time with us" he said, turning his attention back to

their son.

"Allright--finished" she said, walking out of the kitchen, and going over and sitting next to Andrew on the floor. Then, just

as if Joshua had somehow been waiting for parents to both be in the same room, he managed to push himself up, and stood

up.

"Honey, look at that!" Margaret exclaimed. Andrew eyes widened at what he saw. "Oh my gosh, it's happening. Quick, go get

the camcorder so we can record this"

She disappeared quickly, and then came back into the room. Just as she turned the camcorder on and starting recording, Joshua

walked for the first time. At this point, Andrew was now in front of him--just a couple steps away. He squatted down on the floor, and as

soon as their son had taken those last couple steps over to his father, Andrew picked up him, and then stood back up himself.

"That was amazing. I can't believe it" he said, turning to face Margaret, who had, by this point, turned off the camcorder.

"I know--I can't believe it either" she replied.

Andrew then looked back at Joshua--"You did it, buddy!" he said, giving him a kiss on the forehead. As he did that, their son smiled

the most amazing little smile, which then caused Andrew and Margaret to smile as well.

Andrew switched Joshua over to his right side, before wrapping his left arm around Margaret, and pulling her close to him. He gave

her a short, but sweet, kiss on the lips. What could possibly be as, if not more, amazing than what they had just seen? They would

soon find out--very, very soon.

1 month later....in the evening

Andrew and Margaret were still very thrilled about seeing little Joshua take his first steps. They now both had a feeling that it wouldn't

be too long before he would say his first word. As for what each of them thought, or rather hoped, it would be--well, I think we all know.

They were all sitting in the livingroom, watching tv. Margaret was snuggled up to Andrew, and Joshua was sitting on Andrew's lap. He,

up to this point at least, was definitely a daddy's boy.

They finished watching tv, and were getting ready to put Joshua to bed. They walked quietly up to the nursery, and over to the crib.

Margaret gently layed him down on his back, and covered him up.

"Goodnight, Joshua. Mommy loves you very much" she said, leaning down a giving him a little kiss.

"Goodnight, buddy, Daddy loves you very much, too" Andrew said, leaning down and also giving him a little kiss.

Andrew then wrapped his right arm around Margaret's waist, and they walked out of the nursery, turning on the light as they did. They

were just about to close the door, when they heard a noise that sounded like someone getting up. They turned around, and saw Joshua

standing up in his crib, holding onto to the railing with both hands.

"Hey, what are you doing there, Josh?" Andrew asked, as he walked back over. As soon as he got there, Joshua lifted up both hands and

held them out to him. "Dada" he said, now motioning with his hands to be picked up.

Andrew picked him up, and then turned to face Margaret. "Did you hear that, honey? He just said his first word!"

"Yeah, that's wonderful! He's growing up so fast"she said, leaning over a giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Well, why don't you go on up to bed, and I'll be up as soon I get him to sleep" Andrew said, as he started rocking Joshua back and forth

in his arms.

"Allright--goodnight Josh" she said, leaning over and giving him one last goodnight kiss. She then looked back up at Andrew--"don't keep me

waiting too long" she said,smiling and winking at him, before leaning in for, and receiving, a kiss on the lips before walking out of the room.

Andrew looked back down at Joshua--his eyes were drooping, and you could tell that he was almost totally asleep. He walked around for a

couple more minutes, before again looking down at him. Seeing that he was now completely asleep, he carefully laid him back down in the crib,

leaned down, and kissed him again. "Goodnight, buddy" he said, as he quietly walked out of the room and closed the door.

A couple minutes later, he walked back into his and Margaret's room. "Well, it took a few minutes, but he's now safe in his crib, and sleeping

peacefully"

"That's good" she replied. "

"So, you ready to go to sleep, too?" he asked.

"I've got an even better idea" she said slyly, moving closer and closer to him, kissing him over and over.

"Ah, I like the way you think" he replied, grinning, before quickly following suit. However, before they knew it, they had gone from just

little kisses to making mad, passionate love--which they did for the rest of the night.

To them, it was just a time to be together physically, as man and wife--enjoying this wonderful aspect of life as a married couple. And they

were enjoying it--so much so that the thought about the possible outcome of it didn't enter their minds at all.

They were definitely in for a surprise--a very big surprise.