"So I'll be home around three I hope," Adam said, sliding his coat on. "If I'm going to be late I'll call you."

"Alright. Just don't be too late because I have to work at four."

"I'll do my best. Colton?"

"What daddy?"

"Are you going to be a big boy and use the bathroom today?"

"Yeah."

"You're in charge of your own potty today, okay?"

"I in charge," he nodded seriously. "No messy."

"No messy. You be good for mama and when I get home we'll set up your train tracks."

"Okay. I love daddy."

"I love you too. I'll see you later."

Colton scampered into the other room while Adam pulled Lindsay into his arms.

"I'll call you later. Drink some more ginger ale and feel better okay?"

"I will. I wish this morning sickness would go away. It's been two weeks."

"I know. Hopefully it won't be too much longer."

"It's worth it."

"That it is, I just wish you didn't have to deal with it."

"Me neither."

"Call me if you need anything today."

"I will. I love you."

"I love you too."

He gave her one last kiss and left the apartment while she made her way to the couch, sitting down and pulling a throw pillow under her head.

"Mama, go outside?"

"It's a little cold right now, but maybe later."

"What we do?"

"I'm not sure. Do you want to try that puzzle again?"

"Yeah puzzle!" he shouted, finding the box and dumping the pieces on the coffee table.

"Mama help?"

"Sure. Do you have to go potty first?"

"Nope, I in charge."

"Alright," she said, running her hand over his hair. He was talking more and more everyday, getting taller and smarter and she couldn't believe how old he was already. The best thing in her life so far had been watching him grow up and she couldn't imagine a better adventure.

They worked on the puzzle until it was done, then Colton tore the whole thing apart and started over, doing most of it himself this time. He finished and looked at her proudly, pointing down at the completed puzzle.

"Lookit mama, I do!"

"I know! What a smart boy."

"Nother one?"

"Sure, just put this one away first. Want to share some crackers with me?"

"Okay mama."

She went into the kitchen for the box of crackers and was just sitting down on the couch again when the front door opened.

"Au'tin! Isa! Sa'ah!" Colton shouted, jumping up from the floor and running towards them. Isa let out a gleeful shriek and they threw their arms around each other, having been apart for three weeks.

"Play with me," Colton said, dragging her over to his tub of Legos. "We make."

Isa grinned and sat down with him, pulling pieces out of the tub and snapping them together.

"It good," Colton said, nodding his head in approval. "It be big?"

Isa shook her head and snapped the last piece on the top, then kicked the whole thing over.

"Yah!" she shouted, her hands on her hips. Colton stared at her for a second, then erupted into laughter, kicking his own building over and clapping when all the pieces came apart.

"Well that should keep them entertained," Austin muttered, putting the diaper bag on the chair and sitting down on the couch.

"She's grown like a whole inch," Lindsay commented as she watched the kids play.

"She totally bypassed a whole shoe size. But she now owns two pairs of Chucks and leather boots."

"She's so cool."

"She knows."

"And what about this one?" Lindsay said, taking Sarah from her. "She's getting so old and chubby. Wasn't she just born yesterday?"

"Feels like it. Did I tell you she's been sleeping through the night?"

"Lucky."

"Isa still doesn't do that."

"Well okay, not so lucky."

Sarah cooed and Lindsay kissed her round cheek, brushing back the blonde hair.

"She can't be almost eight months old. It's just not right."

"You're telling me."

"So guess what?" Lindsay started, knowing she couldn't hold it in any longer.

"No way," Austin replied, knowing exactly what she was getting at. "You're pregnant?"

"Yep."

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this!" she said excitedly. "How far along?"

"Nine weeks. We haven't told anyone yet, but we wanted you guys to know first. Why are you giggling so hard?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"I think it might be my own hormones."

"NO WAY!"

"Guilty as charged. I feel like an Easybake oven for babies."

"Maybe you're just easy."

Austin smacked her shoulder.

"Look who's talkin'!"

They looked at each other and erupted into giggles.

"How far along are you?"

"About seven weeks. Oh, the guys are gonna hate this."

"I can't believe you're having three kids in two and a half years."

"Oh man, when you say it like that."

"You're like inhumanly super fertile."

"Thanks a lot."

"I'm just amused. You're getting all your baby growing out of the way while I have far enough between the kids that I am going to have to get used to no sleep again."

"You'll do it. You guys want a boy or a girl?"

"We don't care. A girl would be nice, but Colton's surrounded by girls, so it might be good for him to have a brother. You?"

"Danny wants a boy really bad. I just want one like Sarah, that doesn't cry or scream or spit up or do anything that makes me put forth pretty much any effort because Isa is crazy."

"At least she's cute crazy."

"Yeah, pretty much. She told Danny she loved him the other day."

"Oh yeah?"

"Don't tell him I told you, but he cried."

"I think it's a daddy thing. Adam teared up the first time."

"Our men are big softies."

"Or just good daddies."

"We'll go with that. How did we not notice that the kids tore open the box of crackers?"

"Because we don't mind."

"Oh yeah. So did you get a due date?"

"Last week in November. You?"

"First week in December."

"We could pull a Father of the Bride and go into labor at the same time."

"We'll take a shot of castor oil one night."

"With a black cohosh chaser."

"Excellent."

Sarah crawled out of Lindsay's arms then slid off the couch, standing there and holding onto the cushions, bouncing happily and drooling out the side of her mouth.

"She's very proud of her standing abilities," Austin explained. "Still can't let go of stuff, but she'll stand there and dance until she tires out."

"We can't go this long without seeing each other again. Colton had no less than three temper tantrums begging to play with Isa."

"They look pretty happy now," Austin chuckled.

The kids were sitting on the floor side by side, sharing crackers and giggling. Colton had his arm around Isa protectively while last nights sports highlights played out on the screen in front of them.

"They remind me of me and Danny."

"Oh no."

"Colton is going to be sane though and he won't let Isa get away with too much. They'll be fine. And if not, you can do the punishing."

"Oh I can?"

"You'll be better at it. I'll totally back you up."

"So I get to be the mean one and you're the cool mom?"

"Yeah."

"That's fair."

"I think so too."

Lindsay rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"You want to know the truth Linds?"

"What?"

"I'm kind of afraid that one day she's going to do something and I'm going to lose it. I just won't be able to-"

"Austin, you're not your father."

"I know."

"Are you sure?"

"Sometimes."

"Well you're not. Not even close. I've seen you with her, you have the patience of a saint. You're not him and you never will be. Case closed."

"Just like that?"

"If I thought any different, Colton would never be with you guys. You're not your father, Aust."

"Thank you."

"And I don't think you hear this enough, but you are a really good mother."

"Really?"

"Yes. And I'm not drawing on best friend bias here. You really are good at it, like you've been preparing for it your whole life. I know you worried if you would be good enough and I know you still worry, and that's okay. I worry about me too. But I can tell you that there aren't many people in this world suited to be a mother as much as you are."

"Are you kidding me?"

"I'm as serious as I ever have been with you. Most people are just normal moms. Average. I'm one of those. You on the other hand… you have something special that no one else has. I still don't know what it is, but it's there."

"That means a lot coming from you."

"Why?"

"Because those are the same things I think about you. I've been watching you since day one and if it weren't for that, I would be completely lost."

"No you wouldn't."

"Maybe not, but you make it a lot easier."

"Well I guess then for the sake of the kids we have to be friends forever."

"Such a sacrifice we're making."

"And how."

"Mama!" Colton shouted, jumping up from the floor. "Potty!"

"Well go ahead and go."

"No come with me!" he requested, racing into the bathroom and slamming the door.

"He's shy about his bathroom time," Lindsay explained at Austin's raised eyebrow. "We'll know in about ten seconds whether or not he made it."

"Does he give you an announcement or something?"

"I win, I win!" Colton hollered.

"Yes he does."

"I am guessing, just taking a flyer here, that quite possibly Adam has been taking the reigns on the potty training thing."

"Yeah. Which is nice because I'm not having to explain aiming to him."

"Danny's going to balk when it comes to potty training."

"Adam's just sick of diapers and he crunched the numbers on pull-ups and underwear versus diapers and there was a clear winner, so we haven't used diapers in a week."

"That must be nice."

"I gotta start over again soon."

"So you're going to be buying diapers and pull-ups anyway."

"Hopefully by that time Colton will be done with them and we can move on with life."

"Mama, I did! I go potty!"

"I know. Should we put a sticker on your chart?"

"Yes!"

She got up from the couch and put a sticker on his chart on the wall.

"Only three more and you get to go have ice-cream with daddy."

"Three more potties?"

"Yep."

"Isa, I have i-cream with daddy!"

"Yay!" Isa shouted clapping her hands. She had no idea what was going on, but if he was happy about it, so was she.

"It does not take much to please that child."

"I gave him celery with peanut butter on it last night. You would have thought he died and went to heaven."

"He is definitely Adam's child."

"Oh yes. While Isa is a tornado of you and Danny with a smile and a tutu."

"I still can't believe she has that girly side."

"She'll grow out of it if you're any indication. She might have your wild parts but she's got the heart parts too. Of both of you."

"She's a little crazy sometimes."

"That's what we all love most about her."

"It is?"

"She wouldn't be Isa if she didn't scream like a banshee sometimes. Besides, who wants a boring kid?"

"Not I."

"Well there ya go."

"I never realized it before, but watching the kids grow up together is kind of… amazing I guess."

"It kind of is. I hope they stay this close forever."

"Me too. Everyone needs that."

"Hi Indy," Isa chirped, holding her hands out to Lindsay.

"Hi little miss. What's going on?"

"Mine," she replied, pointing over at Sarah, who was still standing by the couch, bouncing up and down.

"Did you teach her those dance moves?"

"Uh-huh," she replied absently, crawling down from Lindsay's lap and standing next to Sarah. They giggled together and bounced in rhythm while Colton wandered over to investigate. He stood on the other side of Sarah and all three kids wiggled around happily, grinning at each other.

"Just think, a year from now, we'll have a combined brood of five."

"I can't wait."