"Alyssa!" I shouted, sighing in frustration when she ran across the garden with her father, both of them laughing. "You're supposed to be decorating!" I sit down and sigh, rubbing my belly.
Justin appeared in the doorway and grinned at me. "Sorry, love. She's hard to catch."
"I know that, I would run after her but I can't, not when I'm seven months pregnant."
I looked over Justin's shoulder to see Alyssa pouting with her arms crossed. "Why do I have to help Andrew? He's mean."
"He's your brother sweetie and he isn't mean."
"He is! He took my doll," she said, frowning and looking behind her at her twin, who was running towards us with a grin.
I look at my five year olds. "Andrew, why'd you take your sister's doll?"
Andrew paused in running to look at us. "It needed to go to space!"
"Come here you two." I pat my lap. They frowned at each other before walking over to me and waiting expectantly. I pick them each up and sit them on my lap. "Give your sister her doll back and say sorry."
Alyssa shook her head, making her pigtails hit her face. "I want to send dolly into space, but he said no."
"Andrew, don't say no to your sister. You come to me or daddy about it first."
"But I was already playing," he complained. "Why would I stop?"
"Don't argue with mommy." Andrew frowned and looked away, his little arms crossing over his chest. "Andrew." I say, making him look at me.
He looked up at me, and for a brief moment I was stumped at how much he looked like Justin.
"Andrew, you shouldn't be mean to your sister." Justin says.
"Why not?"
"Because she's your sister, and you love her," he told him, crouching down. "Don't be mean to her, okay?" Andrew nods. "Now, you see how Uncle Elliott and mommy act?" He nodded his head slowly, clearly unsure. "You know how mommy and Uncle Elliott get along?"
Andrew looked at me before frowning and looking down. "Sorry, Lissy."
"It’s okay." Alyssa hugs her brother.
I leaned back and smiled, watching my children with my heart thudding. Andrew kissed my cheek before running upstairs. Alyssa looked at me and smiled. "Thanks, mummy."
"Daddy helped."
"Thanks daddy." she hugs us both. "Mommy? Are we going to have a brother or sister?"
I smiled and pushed her hair away from her face. "I don't know yet, sweetie. Do you want another brother?" I asked, chuckling.
"No." she says.
Justin whispers in my ear, "Why did you insist we wait until the baby is born?"
"I want a surprise," I said, grinning up at him. He shakes his head smiling, then kisses my cheek. "Now get decorating," I ordered teasingly.
"I thought you didn't want me to do everything for you?" he asked, but laughed and got to work anyway.
Alyssa stays on my lap and talks with me. She's a big daddy's girl, but she has moments when she's a mommy's girl.
"Right, done," Justin said, breathing out and flopping down onto the floor near my feet. Alyssa goes and sits on his lap. I see Andrew come running and he climbs onto my lap.
"Hey, baby," I said, looking down at him. "Why is there chocolate around your mouth?"
"There isn't mommy."
