"It's a party day!" Colton shouted, pushing the bedroom door open and jumping onto the bed. "Wake up mama, it's almost time to go."
"It's not either. It's seven a.m.," she groaned, pointing at the clock. "And you kids stayed up late last night."
"You sayin' I gotta go back to bed? A'cuz I got the girls up already. They's eating Poptarts."
"How did you get Poptarts?"
"Me and Isa climb on the chair and I climb on the counter and I get the box and I give it to Isa and she give it to Sarah and then we climb down and I open the box and Isa use her teeth and open the wrapper and they eatin' Poptarts now."
"Well why do you need me to get up?"
"Because it's morning time."
"Why don't you wake daddy up instead?"
"Okay. Daddy!"
"Linds, I hate you," Adam grumbled.
"You went to bed two hours before I did."
"Fine."
He stretched and got out of bed, rubbing his eyes and dropping his pillow on Lindsay's head before following Colton out of the room.
"Mornin' girls. How was your sleep over?"
"I sleep under the bed," Sarah said, giving him a grin.
"Oooh, like the Batcave. Sweet," he said stealing a piece of Isa's Poptart.
"Hey Dum, that's mine!" she shouted, slapping his hand away playfully. He chuckled and stuck his tongue out at her while Sarah handed him half her Poptart.
"Here Adam. You share with Sarah."
"Aw, thanks squirt!"
"Daddy, I want oatmeal," Colton said, climbing up to the counter again. "Strawberry."
"You want me to make oatmeal?" Adam asked in theatrical shock.
"Yes please."
"Oh but I hate making oatmeal! I just hate it so much I could crumple up and die!"
The girls giggled and Colton sighed, one hand on his hip.
"Mama, daddy's being weird again."
"He's always weird," Lindsay replied from the bedroom.
"Him embarrassing."
"You think I'm embarrassing now? Just you wait bud."
Colton shook his head and climbed down from the counter, then joined the girls at the table.
"Sorry my daddy so strange."
"My daddy strange too," Isa offered. "That's what we always say."
"Yeah," Sarah agreed quietly.
"I think all daddies are strange," Lindsay said, yawning as she came into the room.
"A'mornin' Indy," Isa chirped, getting down from the table and wrapping her arms around Lindsay's legs.
"Mornin' little girl. You've got a Poptart sprinkle on your forehead."
Isa grinned and picked it off then popped it into her mouth.
"All gone. Time for the party now?"
"No, not for a few hours. We'll eat breakfast and take baths and change clothes and then we'll be ready," she answered, picking Isa up and kissing her cheek.
"Got time for cuddles?" Isa whispered with a quirk of her eyebrow.
"I always got time for cuddles with you."
Isa gave her a smile and wiggled back down to the floor.
"Coffee?" Adam asked, already filling the pot.
"The day has already been long, so yes please."
"I'll make extra."
"Thank you."
They were having a triple birthday for all the boys, with a huge train cake and lots of boy type decorations. Colton had asked for a few things for his birthday and Lindsay felt bad that he wouldn't have his own party, so she let him have the special treat of both the girls coming over to spend the night. He'd been so thrilled to have his best friends that he didn't seem to mind sharing his party with Ben and Junior. Of course they all wondered if it was bad that he thought it was normal for girls to spend the night with him, but he was still young so it didn't really matter.
"Auntie," Sarah said, tugging on Lindsay's hand.
"Yes angel face?"
"When daddy coming?"
"We're going to Jo's for the party in a few hours and he'll be there to take you home."
"Mommy too?"
"Yep, mommy too."
Sarah smiled and went back to her breakfast while Adam brought Ben into the room.
"Mama, hi!"
"Hi baby. Happy birthday."
He gave her a toothy grin and held his hands out for her, giggling when she blew a raspberry on his cheek.
"Do you know how old you are?"
He stretched his arms out as wide as he could, eyebrows raising happily.
"No Ben, that how big you are, not how old!" Colton admonished, shaking his head and standing up on his chair. "You is one years old. Just one. I four now and you is one."
Ben frowned and looked hard at the finger Colton was holding up.
"Whu?" he asked, sticking one finger up and wrinkling his forehead at Lindsay.
"That's right, one."
"One. One. One. Daddy, one."
"I know. Ask mama how many fingers she should hold up."
"Adam why are you pickin' on me?"
"Easy target."
"You'll pay buddy. And just remember you have to hold up four more fingers than I do."
"Why do you always remind me of that?"
"And they say boys are always waiting for girls," Lindsay said, shaking her head and watching the girls dance around the room while Adam tried to get the boys ready in the other room.
"You could help me you know."
"No way. I got the girls ready and cleaned up the kitchen. You can dress your sons."
He grunted and she flopped down on the couch, kicking her feet up onto the coffee table and wondering how late they were going to be. Isa climbed up with her and settled into her lap, sighing gently.
"It almost time to go?"
"Yeah, if uncle Adam can ever get his act together."
Isa giggled and opened the locket Lindsay wore.
"Indy?"
"Yeah?"
"A'member when I say you mean?"
"I remember."
"I sorry," she whispered, bowing her head. "You not mean. You my Indy. I sorry, sorry."
"I know, Isa. It's okay. You were upset and tired."
"My mama say I not talk like that a'cuz you love me."
"I do love you."
"Even when I naughty?"
"Even when you're naughty, little girl. Always."
"What 'bout when I yellin'?"
"Even then."
"When I cryin'?"
"Then too. I will always love you, Isa. No matter what."
"What if I be a bad guy and go to jail?"
"Always, Isabeth. No matter what I will always, always love you."
"Okay. I always love you too Indy."
"Good."
Isa smiled and tucked herself under Lindsay's chin, snuggling in as close as she could and being quiet and still just for a moment.
"Okay, we're dressed and ready to go and you're just in here bein' lazy on the couch," Adam huffed, coming out of the bedroom with the boys.
"I not lazy," Sarah said softly, holding up her book. "Readin'."
"Yeah, we's ready Dum, we's just waitin' for you gettin' your act together."
"You sound like you've been listening to your aunt Lindsay."
"Yup!"
He rolled his eyes and they got the kids into their coats, then out the door and buckled into the car in just a few minutes.
"Imagine if we had four kids for real."
"Adam, don't curse us."
"What? I thought you wanted a lot."
"I do, but I don't want them all now. Too much lifting."
"Plus they're loud," he said, turning the heat on while Colton and Isa chatted excitedly in the back.
"Yeah, pretty loud."
"This is madness!" Flack announced holding his plate of food up higher so he wouldn't spill it as the kids ran by, chasing Mac and begging him to give them airplane rides. Colton and Isa were neck and neck with Sarah just a step behind, while Ben and Junior toddled after them, trying so hard to keep up.
"Just wait until yours joins the mess," Austin chuckled. "That's when it's going to get crazy."
"My kid ain't hanging out with yours, Grace. No way, no how."
"You think my kids are so horrible? Bad influences?"
"No, I think you are."
She scoffed and chucked a birthday candle at him.
"You think Austin's the bad influence, dear?" Jess asked, raising an incredulous eyebrow. "I beg to differ."
"That's just your hormones talking."
He received four very feminine glares for that remark, and raised his hands in surrender, backing out of the room.
"Geez dude, you gotta train him better," Lindsay said with a lift of her eyebrow.
"I'm trying, I swear! He's just so stuck in his male ways. How in the world do you ever truly break a man?"
"The age old question springs up again," Jo chuckled, putting the finishing touches on the boys train cake. "It takes a lot of patience."
"And a lot of sex," Lindsay and Austin added in unison. Jess dropped her face to her hands and shook her head.
"I was just thinking that I would be lost without you, but then I had one of those moments where I just don't want to know."
"You'll come back around, Jess. You would be lost without us. Me and Lindsay already talked about all the stuff we need to tell you before you have this kid so you don't end up covered in pee or something."
"That really happens?"
"More than you would think. Especially with girls."
"What? No it doesn't."
"She knows what she's talking about," Lindsay said with a shrug. "Boys are easier to deflect because you're expecting it. Girls… they do it on purpose. Or maybe just Austin's girls do it on purpose."
"Very funny. But you're probably right. Don't worry, we'll teach you everything you need to know."
"You promise not to leave anything out?"
"Swear. Now if we were telling Flack, we'd leave a lot out. But we like you."
"Well I'm going to need all the help I can get."
"She says with such trepidation. Are you already freaking yourself out Jess?"
"I should be freaking out! And it's not… I mean, not just…" she stuttered, looking around warily. "It's not even one, it's two."
"Excuse me?" Jo asked, letting the spatula drop to the counter.
"We found out yesterday and we were going to wait to tell anyone but it's wiggin' me out guys."
"No. You're joking."
"I am not! Why would I joke about something like this? I'm going to be gigantic! And can you imagine the screaming and crying and tantrums and I'm just talking about Don."
They all just sat there in shock for a moment, not quite sure if this was real. Suddenly Austin burst into almost giddy laughter, covering her mouth and shaking her head.
"Oh Jess. You're so in for it."
"I'm done for is more like it."
"No you're not. You'll be fine. Once you have them it will all fall into place."
"You promise? Cuz I'm kind of scared to death."
"I promise. We all promise right?"
"Absolutely."
She let out almost a sigh of relief at that, letting her hand drop to her barely there baby bump.
"Jess, it's going to be the most fun you've ever had in your life," Jo assured, patting her hand. "Scary, yeah. But fun. I promise."
"Thanks guys."
Colton wandered into the room and silently climbed into Lindsay's lap, wrapping his arms around her neck and resting his head on her shoulder.
"What's the matter buddy?"
"Well I was thinkin' somethin'."
"What were you thinking?"
"Well um, on birthdays people always singin' that song. And I don't think I like that. It make me overwhelmed and my tummy sick."
"Do you want us to not sing?"
"If you singin', I hidin' under the table, 'kay?"
"What if we said you couldn't have cake unless we get to sing?" she teased.
"Then I don't want no cake mama. No cake at all."
"Okay, we won't sing."
He nodded and twirled her hair around his finger.
"Is we gonna have candles on the cake? A'cuz I don't think the little boys could blow them out. So maybe just I can have candles?"
"They'll have candles, but I think Austin and I will help them blow them out."
He nodded then sat up and looked at her, his eyes clouded with worry.
"Mama, I think maybe I not wanna be four."
"What? Why not?"
"Bein' four is too big to sit in your lap. I don't wanna be too big for that. I like it."
"You can always sit in my lap, buddy."
"But someday, I be big like daddy and then I not fit in your lap no more."
"Well that might be the case but I don't think you'll want to sit in your old mama's lap anymore."
"Yeah I will, mama."
"We'll see. But you don't worry about turning four, okay? You're still my baby boy."
"Okay mama. Time for cake now?"
"It is definitely time for cake," Jo said. "Can you go tell everyone to come into the kitchen?"
"Yep, I can do that," he said proudly sliding off of Lindsay's lap. "I a big man now a'course."
He ran into the other room happily, then stood still, his hands on his hips.
"Hey peoples! Time for cake!"
He returned a few moments later, dragging Ben and Junior who were grumpy at being taken hostage, but didn't really mind too much as they were headed for food anyway. Isa and Sarah followed behind them, walking on their tiptoes to see the cake, then whispering to each other about which piece they wanted. Lindsay and Austin picked up the boys who both squealed in delight and air swam for the cake, mostly because it was bright and smelled good.
"We'd better do this fast, the natives are restless," Austin said as Colton stood between them, silently counting the candles on his portion of the cake. He watched carefully as Mac leaned over to light the candles, then held his hands up suddenly.
"Wait, wait!" he said, trying not to get nervous as all eyes turned to him. "We not 'posed to light fires inside the house!"
"But we're going to blow it out," Lindsay explained, fighting Ben's kicking legs.
"That doesn't mean you can light a fire in the house and say you're going to blow it out," Adam added for good measure. "Speaking from experience, it doesn't work that way."
"Okay, we blow them out now a'fore the smoke detective goes! One, two, three, four!"
They blew all the candles out while Sarah and Isa stood next to them, chanting for cake. Mac made quick work of cutting the cake while Jo plated up the smaller pieces for the kids and moved them over to the card table. Ben and Junior dug into their own slices of cake making a mess rather than eating.
"I should have remembered this part and worn different clothes," Austin said, moving to rescue her pants from smashed cake.
"I was just thinking the same thing," Lindsay agreed, right before Ben turned around and patted her mouth with his frosting covered hand. She grimaced and found a napkin to clean up with while he giggled and slapped his hand back into the dessert.
It was several hours later, after everyone had eaten lunch and the kids were playing quietly on the floor while the dads helped Jo to clean up the party mess that the sugar finally wore off and two tired little boys completely crashed. They curled up against their mothers and were out for the count hopefully not to wake for a few hours until dinner time.
"I can't believe it's been a year already," Lindsay mused, inspecting Ben's hair for curls.
"I know. Or four years already for that matter."
"You know, I think it was exactly four years ago that you came to see Colton in the NICU. It was the day before we took him home."
"It seems like it was-"
"Yesterday," they said together, grinning.
"A year from now we're going to be talking about starting kindergarten."
"Don't remind me."
"Isa's been asking when she can go."
"Colton too. Why do they want to grow up?"
"I don't know. I certainly don't want them to. At least not all the time."
"I'm glad we're doing this together. It'd be awful without you."
"I agree. I don't dare think what it would be like if I was doing this on my own."
"I think I would be curled up in a ball somewhere."
"Thanks for bein' there, Linds. Not just for me, but for the kids. I don't know what it's going to be like as they get older, but I know they're going to need more than just me and Danny sometimes. And I'm glad they'll always have you and Adam."
"I'm glad my kids will always have you. You're the only two people in the world we trust completely and I'm including blood family in that."
"That means a lot."
"I know."
They smiled and were both about to say more, but were interrupted by the bigger kids climbing up on the couch between them.
"Read, please," Sarah requested, burrowing into Austin's side and smiling.
"I hold the book," Colton announced. "Isa you turn the page, and mama and Austin read it. Okay? Here we go."
They read a few pages normally, then started to do voices for all the characters, causing the kids to break into giggles and requests for "more please mama, so funny!"
"We need a picture of this for Stella," Jo said, coming into the room with her camera. She'd been snapping pictures for Stella all day long and probably had over fifty to send to New Orleans.
"For Gramma, for gramma!" Isa said, bouncing up and down. "Smile good for gramma!"
Jo chuckled and snapped the picture, then let Isa look at it on the screen.
"We look pretty good," she decided with a nod. "Gramma be happy 'bout it."
"We ready to go?" Danny asked as he and Adam came in the room, obviously tired from the clean up.
"Wait, don't move. You two sit down."
"What?"
"I said sit," Jo repeated, pointing to the ends of the couch. Danny and Adam gave each other long suffering looks and obeyed, sitting down next to their wives so the entire family was piled on the couch together. Jo snapped several pictures until the kids became restless and Danny begged her to stop.
"Okay fine, but you'll thank me someday."
"Yeah, yeah. Sentimental," Danny teased. Jo gave him a glare and he grinned back at her.
"He's trouble, I know," Austin said as they wrestled the kids into their coats. "I'm super close to breaking him of that."
"Remember what we said about breaking a man before."
"I don't need none of the second one I'm sure. Just a lot of the first."
The girls snorted in laughter while the guys shook their heads. It was no use fighting it anymore.
"Thanks for letting us have the party here, Jo."
"Easier this way. Plus I got to make Mac decorate. That was payment enough."
In a few minutes they were all out the door and into the night air, headed to their cars.
"Dinner on Wednesday?"
"We'll be there."
There were hugs and kisses exchanged between the kids before the families went their separate ways.