Chapter 15: Angels
Family and friends were beaming at the identical Angel boys. Penny was adamant that she wanted to breastfeed her sons and Max hired a part-time nanny/domestic helper to assist Penny with household chores and the boys every now and then.
Two weeks after their birth, Max and his dad shared a quiet moment with the babies while Penny was napping. Max was holding a sleeping Payton and his dad was holding a sleeping Wyatt and Jayden. The boys were the image of the Angel men. It has yet to be seen but they may have Penny's green eyes. The Angels were extremely handsome boys.
"Son you have a beautiful wife and family. Our ancestor's, like your father, are grinning from ear to ear with pride at these boys. I am proud of the man you have become and know you will do your best as a father, I love you son."
"I never made it a secret, I always wanted to be a father. You were and always will be my hero and the template I will use to raise my sons. I love you, dad."
Penny, Meemaw, Mrs. Cooper and Mrs. Angel were talking as she was breastfeeding the boys who were an impatient lot. It was like they could smell supper. Even though Penny was a little apprehensive. The boys were gaining weight and soiling their diapers so she new she was doing it right. The mothers were trying to identify any differences among the boys including personality. They were identical and it frustrated them that they could not tell them apart. Penny could tell them apart by looking at them and/or by their cry.
The gang offered to babysit at Max and Penny's home one night a week for a year so that Max and Penny could recharge. The boys' nursery was located on the upper level across the hall from the master suite. The nursery was nine hundred square feet containing three cribs, rockers, and dressers. The walls were painted using whimsical shapes and primary colors.
First to babysit were Phallon and Taylor. The aunts dove in and had the time of their life. The boys were good-natured and playful. When Max and Penny returned from their date they found the aunts snoring on the daybed in the nursery. The boys were in their respective bassinet. They decided to leave the aunts for the night and covered them with a blanket.
Amy and Sheldon, who are the boys Godparents, babysat next. Sheldon was faced with a conundrum. He stared at the boys for over forty-five minutes trying to identify them. He left Amy to babysit the four babies and stomped off to Max's office. He created an app to identify the boys by scanning their fingerprints using an iPhone and/or Apple Watch.
He held his Apple Watch over each baby's finger and instantly information on each baby made them identifiable. Satisfied he put together a wooden kids train set on the floor.
Max and Penny came home to the most adorable Kodak moment. Amy and Marie were snuggled on the daybed, mouths open, asleep. Sheldon was sitting on the floor and the boys were in their "Sit-Me-Up" floor seats. Sheldon put baby engineer caps on their heads and was teaching them about trains. Penny pulled out her phone to capture the moment.
Max was surprised at how attentive the three babies were. The boys appeared to understand Sheldon's lecture.
Raj and Yvette bought a puppy to entertain the boys. They laughed hysterically when the puppy licked their leg or they felt his fur. It was a joy to watch. The boys were on their best behavior. Raj swore that they had serious "macking" skills. Yvette fell in love with the tykes.
Alex and Zack babysat next. Alex was shocked Zack was a baby whisperer. The boys loved him and Zack was a pro with the boys. He taught Alex how to change diapers and stand out the way so she wouldn't get hit by a pee stream. He schooled her on how to burp them. the proper hold if they are colicky and the best way to fed them. Zack was going to be an awesome dad. They went to Vegas and got married last weekend. They wanted to tell their friends at the same time which will be next weekend at Penny's dinner party.
Penny was a little leery having Howard babysit. She did not want to see her boys jaded by his perverted nature.
Surprisingly Bernadette and Howard were model babysitters. Max and Penny checked all over the house for signs of Howard's perv or clown personality. As they were removing the boy's clothes in preparation of their baths, Penny noticed Wyatt had a Cornhusker onesie and smiled, Payton had a Hawkeye onesie, and Jayden had a Buckeye onesie.
Max and Penny lost their minds. Howard received voicemails from both threatening his manhood and his life. Howard so enjoyed a good prank.
Leonard and Stephanie babysitting experience was eye opening. There is no way to sugar coat it the boys hated Leonard. He had the triple initiation, Jayden threw up on him, Payton urinated on him, and Wyatt crapped on him.
No matter which one he held they would scream the house down until he passed them off to Stephanie. Leonard was in tears and inconsolable by the time Max and Penny arrived home.
Max assessed the situation and told Leonard to go take a shower. While Leonard was in the shower Max washed his clothes. Stephanie and Penny were fascinated and wondered what Max was doing. While his clothes dried Max gave Leonard a robe to wear. He placed the boys in Leonard's lap. They smiled pulled on his glasses and were a delight.
Leonard raised his eyebrow in question. "It was your cologne and hair products." The fragrance overwhelmed the boys' sensitive noses. Stephanie slapped herself upside the head. "I should have thought of that." Leonard was so happy he stayed longer to play and bond with his nephews.
Penny and Stephanie went into the media room to catch up on some reality TV. Stephanie told Penny that Leonard asked her to marry him and she accepted. Penny squealed happy for her friends. "Give me the details."
"He proposed in Phallon's conservatory after yesterday's therapy session. It was just after sunset, candles were placed throughout providing a soft glow. Mellow jazz was playing and a table with two plates with cloche covers sat in the center of the room. He held out my chair for me to sit. When he sat he lifted up his cover and said it was the wrong one. My food is gluten free and his is dairy free. We switched plates. Then he told me he loved me and wanted to do something special to show me how much he cares."
"He said let's eat. I lifted my plate cover and in the center of the plate was a gorgeous princess cut 2-karat engagement ring. He asked on bended knee, and I said yes."
"Why aren't you wearing your engagement ring?"
"It is getting sized." Hugging Stephanie she whispered, "I am so happy for you and Leonard."
Leonard and Stephanie left with promises of a celebration dinner this weekend.
The boys were great babies however when they hit the terrible two's they were human energizer bunnies, their Halloween costumes. Max and Penny are hands on parents but they required additional help with their active boys. Max hired the nanny/domestic helper full-time.
Penny noticed that the boys had a language of their own and seemed extremely smart and sneaky. They all articulated very well for two-year old and spoke using full sentences. The boys could read and preferred advanced books rather than age appropriate reading.
Penny is the first to suspect that her boys are little geniuses. While discussing the boys with Max she mumbles,
"What kind of whack Karma is at work?"
Payton is the engineer. He loves to take stuff apart and create. He would enlist the other boys for help. They destroyed / took apart, their cribs under Payton's leadership. Penny and the nanny marveled at their ingenuity while watching the camera monitor in their room. Payton created a bathroom caddy on wheels using certain toys for parts. At bath time the boys would load up their various toys and wheel it into the bathroom.
Jayden is the techie. He loves to play with computers and electronics. He carries an iPad mini, a present from uncle Raj, around with him at all times. Everyone was stumped by how his device could turn on lights, TV, laptops, remote control cars and more. It was suspected that Howard programmed his device. Howard pretended to be stupefied as a prank.
Wyatt is the thinker / spokesman. Wyatt will solve all kinds of puzzles. His uncles provide him with all sorts of 3-D puzzles.
Sheldon and Amy were the next to notice the boy's intellect and interactions. Marie was a very smart little girl but the boys were at a different level.
Their parents had to establish parameters for their aunts and uncles.
1. Amy could not hook them up to electrodes or test their brains.
2. Oral or written tests, requires prior approval by parents.
3. Sheldon could journal the boys' progress.
4. Only pre-approved drugs could be administered to the boys. (Make sure Bernadette understands)
5. Pets require prior approval from parents. (Make sure Raj and Yvette understands)
6. Games and gizmo's require prior approval from parents. (Make sure Howard understands)
7. Thanks to Howard Jayden has a preference for Ohio State spirit wear and MUST HAVE PRIOR APPROVAL FROM PARENTS BEFORE PURCHASE.
It is very important to Max and Penny that their boys' personalities develop fully as individuals. They were dressed differently and encouraged to pick out there own clothes. They established a Mommy-Daddy time in which Penny and Max would each spend one on one time with a triplet. They would go on outings or spend time together without their brothers. Their aunts and uncles would do the same ever so often.
The individual activity that the boys and Penny were not fond of was vaccinations. Max had to prep and establish procedures for his staff prior and during the boys visit. They were his last appointment of the day.
Penny would be escorted to his office and given noise cancelling headphones, chamomile tea and access to his exercise bike to prevent an anxiety attack.
The boys would be put into separate rooms, never together. His assistant would administer shots only when he was present.
Wyatt would hold still and stare at everyone in the room with pure menace in his eyes, a duplicate of his mother's stare before she goes Junior Rodeo. It has frightened his assistants many times.
Payton would run, but would hold still when caught.
Jayden would talk smack and it was usually hilarious to hear while holding still.
Max took his time soothing his sons with words of encouragement and a hug.
Penny is notified that the exams are over and would observe with a melting heart Max consoling his sons after their trauma. She is the envy of many staff members who see how devoted Max is as a father and husband.
The family would leave the office to go to a restaurant of the boys choosing. While exiting Wyatt would subject all but his parents to his Junior Rodeo stare, Payton would run to the door, and Jayden would talk smack leaving everyone laughing hysterically.
Max and Penny were strict parents establishing routines for the boys with a little chaos thrown in every now and then to provide balance. They both wanted the boys to have a normal upbringing with every opportunity to just enjoy their childhood filled with love, nurturing, discovery and protection.
The boys are very sociable and would talk freely individually. However, when the boys encounter trouble or are confused Payton and Jayden would remain quiet and let Wyatt do their talking. One such instance, that is a favorite around the Angel's household;
While in Texas visiting, Meemaw and Grandma Mary decided to take the boys and Marie on a stroll around the neighborhood on a gorgeous fall afternoon. It was the weekend and many of their neighbors were outside working on their yards. The boys observed a neighbor, burning bushes in the ditch in front of their house.
The boys stopped and stared transfixed at the fire. The Grandmothers stared at the boys thinking, The boys are either traumatized by the fire or future pyromaniacs.
When the Grandmothers tried to get them to continue with the walk they did not move. Meemaw and Mary looked at each other totally confused and worried. After what seemed to be thirty minutes but was actually five minutes, Wyatt walked up to the neighbor and asked.
"What did he say?"
The grandmother's were frowning totally confused. The neighbor looked at the Grandmother's responded.
"What did who say?"
"God! Right Grammy? We listened but didn't hear anything."
Wyatt noticed the confused look on the adults' faces he elaborated.
"That is a burning bush?"
The adults looked at each other and the boys and laughed until their sides hurt. The grandmothers were still laughing along with everyone who heard the story.
Later that night, Wyatt approached his Uncle Shell with a serious expression on his face.
"Uncle Shell, no one answered our question. What did God say?"
After visiting the grandmothers in Texas the Angels next stop was to visit the grandparents in Iowa.
Max sat on his parent's porch thanking God for his many blessings. A wife who loved him and was happy considering the tragedy she endured. The blessing of enjoying a beautiful fall afternoon watching Penny and his sons raking leaves into a huge pile with so much joy. Once the pile reached Penny's approval rakes where placed out of the way and they gleefully jumped in the piles of leaves.
The screams and laughter was so loud everyone came out to see what was happening. Phallon ran to set up her tripod and camera to capture the scene. Soon after Max joined his family, then grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. A family portrait of that day graced every home.