Callen got out of bed and went to the babies' room. He saw that it was Luka who was crying.
"Hey buddy, what's wrong?" Callen spoke softly so he wouldn't wake Maksim and Elena up. Callen saw that Luka had lost his pacifier. Callen picked it up and put it back in Luka's mouth. Luka immediately took the pacifier and happily started sucking again. "There, that's better."
Callen softly rubbed his tummy until he fell asleep again.
Not even an hour later they were woken up again. This time Zoya went out. It was Elena who was crying this time.
"Hey, it's okay Elena, mommy is here," Zoya spoke as she picked Elena up since it was her hungry cry. Zoya sat down on the rocking chair and breastfed Elena. "Yeah that's better huh."
As Zoya was feeding Elena, Maksim decided to wake up too. Callen picked him up and grabbed one of the bottles out of the fridge. They had put a fridge upstairs as well so they wouldn't need to go downstairs during the nights. Callen put the bottle in the bottle warmer and let Maksim suck on his finger until it was warm. He sat down on the other rocking chair and fed Maksim.
When Zoya was just done with feeding and burping Elena Luka woke up as well, he was hungry as well. Zoya placed Elena back in her crib and picked Luka up to feed him as well.
Once they were all fed and burped and sleeping again Callen and Zoya went back to bed as well.
"They are definitely hungry little babies," Callen spoke as they got back in bed.
"Oh yes they are. Sometimes I just feel like a walking milk machine."
"But a very beautiful one," Callen joked.
Zoya couldn't help but laugh at his remark. "Let's just get some sleep before they wake up again."
They didn't get much sleep that night. The babies were up a lot. When they woke up the next morning Callen went to grab them from their cribs and brought them to their bedroom. He held Maksim and Elena as Zoya fed Luka. He absolutely loved mornings like these. He never thought he would ever have this but here he was together with Zoya and their three little babies. He was so happy right now. He looked down at the little babies lying peacefully in his arms. They looked so cute. The boys were really the spitting image of Callen as a baby and Elena was the spitting image of Zoya as a baby. He would do his very best to be a good daddy to them. He had had some practice with Maya already but she wasn't a little baby. He hoped he would be alright with three little babies.
Zoya looked at Callen. She could see how lovingly he was looking down at the babies. She completely fell in love with this picture, her husband with two of their little babies. She grabbed her phone and took a picture of them. Callen heard the camera snap and he looked at Zoya.
"You look so sweet, I just had to take a picture."
Once Luka had been fed and burped Zoya took Elena from Callen and handed Luka to him. As Zoya was feeding Elena, Maksim started crying, he was hungry and didn't want to wait anymore. Callen placed Luka down next to Zoya on the bed and put some pillows around him as he went to the grab a bottle for Maksim. When Callen came back into the room Elena was done feeding and Zoya had placed her and Luka in between her legs on the bed and she was giving them belly kisses. Callen stopped in the doorway for a second to enjoy the view. He fell in love with his wife even more. Much time to enjoy it he didn't have cus Maksim was crying in his arms. Callen sat down on the bed and fed Maksim. As he was feeding Maksim he looked over to Zoya. Elena and Luka were smiling as Zoya played with them.
"You two are so cute, yes you are," Zoya softly spoke to them.
"Good morning Aunt Zoya, Uncle Grisha," Maya spoke as she walked into the room.
"Hey Maya, good morning," Zoya replied as Maya climbed onto the bed. "Be careful of Luka and Elena."
Maya lay at the foot end of the bed and tickled Luka and Elena. Zoya grabbed her phone and filmed Maya playing with Luka and Elena. Zoya loved mornings like this, just spending some quality time with her family. She was so happy to finally be a mother. Once Maksim had been fed and burped Callen placed him on the bed as well. Callen grabbed his phone and took a picture of his family. He was so in loved with this picture. Now that all the babies had been fed Callen went to get dressed. Once he was dressed he took Elena to her room to change her diaper and dress her. Zoya followed a little later with Maksim and Luka. She placed Luka in his crib so she could dress Maksim but Luka was having none of it.
"It's okay buddy. Mommy and daddy are just dressing your brother and sister," Zoya spoke.
Once Maksim and Elena were dressed Callen took them downstairs as Zoya went to get Luka dressed.
"Yeah, it's okay buddy," Zoya said as she picked Luka up.
Zoya dressed him and took him downstairs. Maksim and Elena were already lying in their bouncy chairs so Zoya placed Luka in his bouncy chair as well. The three babies look happily at the things dangling above them. Callen made some breakfast for him, Zoya and Maya. They took the bouncy chairs outside and sat at the table outside to eat breakfast. After breakfast Maya went down to the yard to play.
Now that Maya was playing and the babies were lying contently in their bouncy chairs Callen went to get some housework done. Zoya still couldn't do most of the housework after her c-section. Callen brough the hamper with cleans towels over to Zoya and Zoya folded them at the table.
"Sorry I can't help much around the house," Zoya told Callen.
"Don't worry about it honey," Callen replied and gave her a soft kiss.
When Zoya was done folding the laundry Elena started crying. Zoya picked her up and breastfed her. After Elena had burped Zoya placed her in her playpen and turned the music mobile on. Just as Zoya was finished Maksim and Luka started crying too.
"Can I help feed them?" Maya asked as she walked up the steps.
"Yeah sure no problem."
Zoya went to warm up one bottle and handed it to Maya once it was warm. Maya fed Maksim in his bouncy chair as Zoya fed Luka. Once the boys had been fed and burped Zoya placed them in their playpens as well.
"Can I go swimming Aunt Zoya?"
"Sure, go put your swimsuit on."
Maya went upstairs to put her swimsuit on. Before going swimming Zoya rubbed some sunscreen on Maya and put her floaties on. Maya was taking swimming lessons already but at home Zoya and Callen still put the floaties on her.
"We're out by the pool Grisha. The babies are sleeping in their play pens," Zoya called upstairs.
"Alright," Callen replied from upstairs.
Zoya took the baby monitor with her and she took Maya to the swimming pool. There was a fence in front of it which Maya couldn't open by herself. Zoya rubbed some sunscreen on herself as well and lay down on one of the deck chairs as Maya jumped into the pool.
A little later Callen was done with the housework and he had changed into his swim shorts.
"Will you come swim with me Uncle Grisha?" Maya asked from the pool.
"Absolutely."
Callen took a little run up to the pool and splashed into the pool. Callen and Maya swam around the pool and Callen played basketball with Maya. Zoya took some pictures and videos of them playing.
Around lunch time the babies woke up again. Zoya went inside to get them and placed them in their jumper chairs on the porch. She went back inside and grabbed lunch as she set the table outside.
"Lunch is ready," Zoya called into the yard.
Callen and Maya came out of the pool and enjoyed lunch. After lunch Callen installed the turtle sprinkler on the yard and Maya ran through the beams. Zoya took the babies inside and put them down underneath their baby gyms. They lay peacefully on their mats as they enjoyed the things around them.
"You three are such cuties, yes you are," Zoya spoke to them as she tickled their tummies. "Mommy loves you."
Callen came inside and just fell in love with the picture. He grabbed his phone and took a picture of Zoya and their three babies.
When dinner time came around Callen prepared dinner and once it was done the family sat outside to eat. After dinner they took the babies upstairs for bath. Callen bathed the babies together with Maya. Callen held the babies in the water as Maya splashed some water over them. Zoya took some pictures and videos. Callen bathed the babies one by one and when the first one was done he handed the baby over to Zoya for feeding.
About an hour later all babies had been fed and burped. They placed the babies in their cribs and before they even left the room they were already asleep. Callen went to put Maya in bath and Zoya went downstairs and relaxed on the couch.
…
Before they knew it the first week with the babies at home was already over. Callen and Zoya had settled into a good rhythm with them, taking turns going out at night. Callen tried to do most since Zoya was still recovering from her c-section. But she was getting better. The incision hardly hurt anymore, but she still needed to take it easy with lifting and heavy exercise and such. Maya was just the sweetest big cousin to them. She loved helping with feeding and bathing and playing with them.
Today they were going to the LA Zoo. Callen loaded the stroller and the pull-along wagon into the car as Zoya got the kids settled in their car seats. Callen drove them to the zoo and parked the car. He got the stroller and pull-along wagon out of the car as Zoya got the kids out. The triplets were placed in their stroller and Maya sat in the pull-along wagon. The wagon was big enough so their bags could go in their as well. Zoya pushed the stroller as Callen pushed the pull-along wagon. The wagon both had a handle bar to pull it and a handle bar to push it. They bought tickets before they could enter the park.
Immediately when they walked in they saw seals and sea lions.
"They are so loud," Maya laughed.
The sea lions were making a lot of noise.
On the other side were the crocodiles. They walked further towards the children's petting zoo. After Maya petted the goats they walked back and went right. They saw meerkats and flamingos. They first took the right side of the zoo. They went around the bend and walked up to the viewing post and they saw otters. They walked further through the rainforest where they saw tapirs, alligators, pacas, birds and jaguars. They walked further and saw foxes and monkeys. Next they came across the snow leopard exhibit.
"Look, they are playing," Maya stated and she pointed at them.
"Yeah they are."
Two snow leopards were playing with each other and another one was playing with some toys that lay around in the exhibit.
Across the snow leopard exhibit there was a lookout of the big elephant exhibit. One elephant was taking a bath in the pond and was spraying himself with water.
"Haha, the elephant is taking a shower," Maya joked.
They sat down on one of the benches and had something to drink and to eat.
"Are you doing okay?" Callen asked Zoya. "It's not too much for you?"
"No, it's fine. I'm okay. Pushing the stroller gives me some support so I'm good."
"Alright, just let me know if you need to sit down."
"I will. But I'm fine. Don't worry."
Callen went to one of the restaurants nearby to ask if they could warm up the bottles of milk for the babies. A little later Callen returned with three warm bottles of milk. Zoya fed Maksim, Callen fed Luka and Elena stayed in her stroller and Maya fed her. Once the babies had been fed and burped Zoya took them to change their diapers before they continued. They walked over the bridge passed the tiger exhibit. They walked further and saw some monkeys. Maya loved watching the monkeys play.
They sat down at the birds of prey exhibit to enjoy a show. At one point one of the keepers picked Callen out of the audience and Callen stood up front with a protective glove on his hand.
"Just hold your arm out straight like that," the keeper told Callen.
Callen held his arm out and the keeper called for a falcon from another keeper up on the hill. The falcon flew and flew directly on the Callen's hand. The bird was heavier than Callen expected.
"Okay, now we're gonna send the bird. Turn this way and when the bird wants to fly away gently move your arm in that direction to push it off," the keeper said. Another keeper called the bird over and a second later the bird flew off of Callen's arm. "Well done sir. Ladies and gentlemen and applause for this gentleman."
The crowd applauded as Callen took his seat back with Zoya and the kids. Zoya had taken some pictures.
"That was awesome Uncle Grisha."
After the show was over you could get your picture taken with a small bird. Maya wanted to so Zoya went with her in line as Callen stayed with the triplets. When it was their turn Maya got a glove.
"Alright, hold your other hand underneath you arm for support sweetie," the keeper told Maya. Zoya held Maya's arm as well. "Alright, here she comes. This is Dita, she's a sparrow hawk," the keeper spoke as she placed Dita on Maya's hand. "Now, look over there in the camera and smile."
Zoya momentarily stepped out of the frame for the picture. Once the picture was taken the keeper took Dita back and placed her back on her perch.
"Well done sweetie," the keeper spoke and she gave Maya a high five.
Maya and Zoya went back to Callen.
"Well done Maya," Callen said.
"That was really awesome. She was pretty heavy."
They walked further and stopped to watch the chimpanzees play. After that they saw the giraffes.
"They are so big," Maya stated.
"Yeah they really are," Zoya said.
At the Mahale café they sat down for some lunch. They had some pizza and enjoyed the view of the giraffe savannah. The triplets lay peacefully in their stroller seats. They were either sleeping or enjoying the toys above them. After they had finished their meals they saw some more monkeys, ocelots and okapis. They walked passed the other side of the giraffe enclosure and came to the kangaroo and wallaby enclosure.
"Look at that kangaroo Maya," Zoya spoke as she pointed to the one of the kangaroos.
"She has a baby kangaroo," Maya replied excited.
"Yeah a little joey."
They walked further passed the bongos towards the elephant exhibit to view it from this side. They walked back over the bridge of the gorilla enclosure and came to the kangaroo exhibit again. They walked further to the zebra enclosure to the front of the gorilla exhibit. Maya had a bit of a scare when a gorilla started making a lot of noise and running after another gorilla.
Next they saw the koalas. A keeper was just feeding them.
"They have it pretty nice," Callen joked. "Just sitting in the tree all day eating some eucalyptus."
Next they walked passed some more crocodilian species and went into the reptile house. Inside here they saw all kinds of snakes and lizards and such.
"Why is it so dark in here?" Maya asked.
"Well that's because a lot of these species are nocturnal, meaning they live in the night so they don't need such bright lights," Zoya explained.
At last they walked back to the main entrance where they got on board on the shuttle. The shuttle would take them through the park and to some places as well that they hadn't walked. A part of the route was a service road which you couldn't walk but only travel by shuttle. They went round the entire park and got back out and the entrance. Before leaving they bought some souvenirs. Maya wanted a stuffed elephant.
"Can I get these for my little cousins?" Maya said as she held up a little koala.
"Sure, I'm sure they'll love them," Zoya replied.
With everything they went to stand in line and paid for the items and they also bought the photo the photographer had taken of Maya with the hawk. They went back to the car. Callen loaded their stuff in the car as Zoya got the kids settled. On the way home they stopped at McDonalds to get some food which they would eat at home.
Maya was dead tired from the day so Callen took her up to bed not soon after dinner while Zoya started feeding the triplets.
"She's already asleep," Callen stated as he walked back down a little later.
"Yeah, she was tired from the day."
"Yes she was but she had a very lovely day."
"Oh yes she did."
"And how about you? Was it not too much for you?" Callen asked as he went to warm up a bottle of milk.
"No it was fine. I took it easy. Pushing the stroller gave me some support."
"Good."
Once the babies had been fed Callen and Zoya took them upstairs for bed. They enjoyed a nice relaxing evening in front of the TV before going to bed as well.
….
Sadly before Callen knew it his vacation was up and he had to go back to work. He hated leaving. He wanted to stay at home with Maksim, Luka and Elena. They were just so cute. Callen would miss them so much. Luckily now that his vacation was over Esme would come around again so she could help Zoya around the house.
"You stay in bed a little longer okay," Callen told Zoya. "I'll get the kids and Esme will be here shortly too."
"Alright, thank you," Zoya replied half asleep.
Callen gave her a soft kiss on her cheek before going to the nursery. He got Elena out first and dressed her and brought her downstairs and placed her in her playpen. He did the same with Maksim and Luka. When Callen was feeding Elena Esme walked into the house.
"Good morning," Esme spoke as she walked into the house.
"Good morning," Callen replied. "Did you have a nice vacation?"
"Yeah it was nice. Spent a couple days in Santa Barbara in a cottage near the sea."
"Sounds lovely."
"Yeah it was and the view was very nice. How about you guys?"
"We just had some fun around the house and we went the LA Zoo."
"Bet Maya loved that."
"Oh yeah she did."
"You need some help feeding the babies?"
"Oh yeah sure that's fine. If you don't mind."
"No, not a problem at all."
Esme grabbed a bottle out of the fridge and warmed it up before she fed Maksim. Once Callen was done feeding Elena he fed Luka.
"Alright, I'm off to work. Zoya and Maya are still asleep. If you need anything you can always call me."
"Alright, yeah I will, but I think we've got it covered."
Callen gave his babies a kiss before he left. "Bye my little babies, daddy will miss you."
Callen looked at them for a little bit before he left, he didn't want to leave but he had to go back to work.
When Callen arrived at work Deeks and Kensi were already in the bullpen.
"Morning," Callen said.
"Morning," Deeks and Kensi replied.
"How are the babies?" Kensi asked.
"They are doing very well. They are so cute."
"Getting any sleep?" Deeks wondered.
"A little but not much. Mostly they each wake up a few times at night."
"How's Zoya doing?" Kensi asked.
"She's doing alright. The incision is healing nicely and she can do some things already just not everything. So it was nice to have vacation right now so I could help her around the house and now that I'm back at work Esme is there as well to help out."
"That's good. And how's Maya with the babies?"
"Oh she absolutely loves them. She loves helping us with feeding and bathing and such. She's just like a big sister to them."
"Aww that sounds so sweet."
Luckily the morning started slow so they could catch up with some paperwork.
..
Zoya woke up around 10am and she went downstairs. Maya was already downstairs.
"Good morning," Zoya spoke.
"Good morning," Esme replied.
"Thanks for letting me get some sleep."
"No problem, you need to rest."
Zoya walked over to the playpens where the babies were. They were sleeping peacefully. She just relaxed around the house as Esme took Maya outside to play.
About halfway through the afternoon Zoya received a call from Callen.
"Hey honey," Zoya answered the phone.
"Hey honey, how are you?"
"I'm good. Taking it easy. How about you?"
"Good too. Something has come up at work and I have to go away, undercover. Could be a few days."