"This is too much," Allison whispered to Asher as she pushed the stroller through Heathrow Airport.
"We're in London," Asher replied.
"Rental cars," Owen called, "mom, Josh and I are driving. They want all drivers to be 21. Car one, mom, Allison, Asher, Everly. Group two, Josh, Annie, Henry, Heather. Group three, me, Leo, Ellie and Matt."
"We're together," Asher assured, rubbing his hands down Allison's arms.
"Walk," Everly asked from the stroller.
"Not here," Allison said, "I can carry you but it's too busy to walk now."
"Walk," Everly sobbed and began thrashing.
"No Ev," Allison said, "it's not safe. You have to stay in the stroller."
"Up," Everly tried.
"Once we're out of the airport," Allison tried.
"No," Everly continued having a tantrum.
"Strong," Teddy whispered, "don't give in."
"Everly you need to stay there," Asher repeated, "you are in the stroller until we get to the car."
"No," Everly sobbed, "no sit."
"Not much longer," Allison soothed.
"Owwie." Everly complained
"Allie," Asher said, giving her a look.
"What hurts," Allison asked.
"Owwie," Everly said.
"Let's reposition her legs," Allison offered.
"Do you want to lay down," Asher asked Everly.
"Out," Everly whined.
"If I carried her and put my backpack in the stroller," Allison suggested.
"Ev does something hurt," Asher asked.
"Owwie," Everly kept whining.
"Okay what if mommy carries you," Allison suggested.
"Mommy up," Everly whined.
Allison un buckled Everly and lifted the little girl to her hip.
"She's pretty stiff," Allison said repositioning her daughter.
"We haven't been able to do her physio," Asher said.
"Where's her tylenol," Allison asked.
"You backpack," Asher replied.
"Just get out of here first," Teddy said, "get through customs."
They made their way through customs and found their rental cars.
"No," Everly screamed being strapped into the car seat.
"Do you want your monkey," Allison offered the stuffed toy.
"No," everly said swatting the toy away.
"Sleepy time," Allison suggested, "let's nap."
"No," everly sobbed.
Everly Whined and complained for the whole hour and a half drive to where they were staying in Epson.
After a couple days exploring the little city they made their way back into central London on the train.
"Choo choo," Everly yelled as the train pulled into the station.
"Yes a train," Owen said.
"Where are we going," Henry asked.
"London," Annie answered, "we're going to go see a few things today then some of us go back tomorrow and others go on a different adventure."
"Where are we going," Ellie asked as they got on the train.
"We're going to split into groups and see different things," Annie replied, "the six of us are going to the Tower of London."
"Grandma," Matt asked.
"No," Teddy said, "we've both been there we're going to go walk along the river."
"I'm coming with you," Leo said.
"We're going to the London Eye," Allison said, "it's more accessible for Ev."
"Accessible," Matt asked.
"We're trying to do things that are safe for her to walk holding our hands where she can be independent," Allison said, "she's not a normal kid. What we do has to be accessible and safe for her to be independent."
"But you have her in a stroller or the carrier," Ellie said.
"But we don't want to have to rely on the carrier for ever," Allison said, "at 2 the stroller is okay."
"Will she need a wheel chair," Matt asked.
"Hopefully not," Allison said, "but we're not there yet. She might when she's bigger if walking long distances or school is hard physically. She can walk and theres hope to be independent at home and for short periods but right now it looks like he mobility out will be limited not because she's not capable or doesn't want to but because of crowds bumping her and uneven surfaces."
"She's getting a lot stronger," Asher said, "she's leaps and bounds a head of a year ago."
"Mommy stand," Everly asked.
"No kids have to sit on the train," Allison said, "see Heather and Henry and Matt are sitting."
"Out," Everly tried.
"Matt can you hod Ev so she can look out the window," Allison asked.
"Sure," Matt said.
Asher unbuckled Everly and passed her to Matt. Everly sat on Matt's lap.
"What are those Ev," Matt asked.
"Sheep," Everly smiled, "baaaaa"
"Baa is right," Matt said, "do you like our adventure?"
"Popsicles," Everly said.
"Yes you like all the different popsicles," Ellie agreed.
"Mine," Everly said.
"We won't take your popsicles," Matt said.
"You can share," Heather suggested to her cousin.
"No," Everly shook her head.
"I need to control to popsicle consumption," Allison said.
"The heat wave she had what 12," Teddy asked.
"In one day," Allison said, "it's all dad!"
"Have you talked to your team," Owen asked.
"We have," Allison replied.
"They said if they were the natural ones and low sugar it was okay," Asher said, "we check in with the nutritionist and feeding specialist but Ev's never had a problem eating. She likes to eat her favorite things. She's picky."
"So was Allison at that age," Teddy said, "Heather is still picky."
"Uncle Dan mentioned a psych ed test," Allison said.
"She's too young," Annie chimed in, "when she starts grade 1. Her cognitive skills seem on par with my kids at her age. She can use sentences when she wants to. She communicates clearly. She can count to 5 correctly."
"I'm more concerned physically," Allison admitted, "I know she's smart she always has been."
"She is," Annie agreed, "your first over seas trip what do you think?"
"It's a lot," Allison admitted, "I love it but it's a lot changing time zones."
"Traveling like this with kids is different," Annie agreed, "I would come see mama in germany but just me it was easy. One suitcase, one backpack and my purse."
"It's a lot of stuff," Allison said.
"Your stroller you 100% need but it's extra stuff," Annie agreed.
"Her walker, braces all of it adds stuff we had to bring a fourth bag," Allison said.
"You need it," Annie agreed, "getting everyone down to one bag and a backpack was hard."
"You," Allison teased, "the queen of over packing."
"I have things in Josh's bag," Annie admitted, "you must."
"No," Allison said, "we have Ev's stuff."
"They have diapers here," Asher said, "you didn't need to pack them."
"We'll have to buy some tomorrow," Allison replied, "we brought a few days worth not the whole trip. I'm a little worried about France."
"Buy a box and we'll spit them between all the bags," Owen suggested.
"I have room in my suitcase," Leo said, "stuff them in mine."
"Thank you," Allison smiled.
"Diapers solved," Teddy answered.
"You could potty train her," Ellie suggested.
"We'll try when we get home," Allison said, "we're thinking when she's closer to 3."
They got off the train and went their separate ways for their own adventures.
Teddy and Owen grabbed coffee and walked through the tourist area and along the river hand in hand.
"Ev," Allison pointed, "look."
"Pretty," Everly smiled looking out the window seeing the city spread out around them.
"Wow," Asher beamed.
Allison stood on tip toe and leaned across the stroller to kiss Asher.
"This was a good idea," Asher agreed, kissing her.
"Babysitting," a woman asked.
"No," Allison said, "Everly is our daughter."
"First trip," the woman asked.
"It is," Asher confirmed.
"Would you like me to take a picture," the woman offered.
"Yes please," Allison agreed, passing the woman her phone.
The woman snapped a picture of the family.
Allison thanked her then quickly posted it to social media.
Annie and Josh's family made their way through the Tower of London.
"Wow," Matt said, "look at the sword. Can I wear the armor?"
"No," Josh laughed, "you can not wear the armor."
"But dad," Henry said, "how can we be knights?"
"Not by wearing Henry the VII's armor," Josh laughed, "you can not wear the armor."
"But my name is Henry," Henry said.
"It's not yours," Josh replied.
"Was I named after that Henry," Henry asked.
"No,' Annie replied, "you were named for my first step dad and for Grandude. Your middle name is Daniel which is Grandude's name. And Nathan for Uncle Nathan."
"Mom's Henry," Leo asked.
"Yes," Annie said, "he was an incredible person. He taught Mama and I a lot. He loved us just for being us and never questioned that I existed."
"Why would he have questioned," Leo asked.
"Mama was 40 and had a 19 year old," Annie said, "but he embraced me. He came with Mama to help me settle in and unpack in Boston when I started med school. He texted me the first morning of classes to wish me luck. That first Thanksgiving break he picked me up at the airport and we stopped for chinese take out because Mama was in surgery and Henry and I played board games until she got home. It was Henry that taught me to throw a baseball and swing a bat."
"You're good mom," Matt said.
"Henry the first Henry taught me," Annie smiled, "he played professionally."
That afternoon the whole group of 12 met up at Westminster Abbey for a tour.
"Everly walk," Everly asked.
"If you hold my hand and daddy's," Allison said.
"It's a stone floor," Annie said.
"Hold my hand and daddy's," Allison said unstrapping Everly and setting her on her feet.
"I've got the stroller," Owen said.
Allison and Asher each held one of Everly's hands and slowly guided her, allowing Everly to take her slow deliberate and unbalanced steps.
Teddy smiled at the young family.
"They're okay," Owen said.
"They are," Teddy agreed, "they're doing it together."