☀️She's Extraordinary ☀️

Happy New Year!

Saturday, December 31st (Halsey Path) (Leia's Perspective)
It's New Year's Eve and I'm excited to stay up till next year. Well...maybe. Mommy and Daddy never let me do it, but I'm gonna make them let me this year.
"Mommy? Daddy?"
"We're in here!" I went over to our living room.
"How was the movie?"
"Good! Can I ask you guys a question?" Daddy was hanging up a big sign for our party.
"What's that?"
"Can I stay up till midnight?"
"Can you?" Mommy joked.
"Hey! I can. I'm a big kid now. I'm gonna be 8."
"Well then let's see." Score!
"Can you even make it to midnight?" Eli asked.
"Yeah, I know how I'll do it!"
"How?"
"I'll drink lots and lots of Coke!"
"Well, that sure is a plan!"
"I'm gonna stay up and see the ball drop. I'm telling you!"
"You said that last time."
"I mean it this time, I promise." I played with Ryan and Ace.
"Fetch!" They both ran to catch the tennis ball.
"You boys are silly. Only one can catch the ball!"
"Woof!" I gave them both a scratch. Ace looked a bit sad.
"What's wrong?" He started to whine.
"What is it, boy?" I looked up. There was a balloon with an alligator that had a party hat on.
"Are you scared of the alligator?" I pulled it down and he backed away.
"Oh no, is Acey scared of the alligator balloon?"
"Leia, stop tormenting our dog." Bella said.
"I dunno what that even means!"
"Are you okay, did meanie Leia scare you? It's okay Ace. Let's go upstairs."
"Hey!"
"Bell."
"I'm joking, god." She left the room.
"Don't say his name in vain young lady!"
"You gotta love teenage girl attitude. Especially from a 14-year-old. I feel like it's amplified since her birthday." Mommy said.
"I heard that!" I covered my mouth so Bella wouldn't hear me laugh.
*******************
My "Room" (Bella's Perspective)
"That's so fucking gross."
"Okay, and you would do it too."
"No, I would not!" I clarified. Clara came over a bit early, I asked her to come and help us decorate, but in actuality, I just wanted a friend around.
"Okay, but I succeeded and got my man at the end of the day."
"Which I'm like 95% sure you could've done without having to dig through the trash."
"Look, I was in 5th grade. He was one of my first crushes and I didn't quite get what I was feeling. I just knew that I liked him way more than anyone else, and would do anything for him."
"What about you, Bell? Is Jake your first crush?"
"Nope. The first person I ever had a crush on was named Brayden."
"Ooo..."
"I saw him on the first day of 6th grade, he was so cute... I loved his accent. Literally, he sat next to me and I started sweating bullets."
"Ever did anything stupid?"
"Hmmm, not that I can remember. I had more sense than you." She whacked me with a pillow.
"Ow!" I couldn't help but die of laughter.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
The Kitchen
"So, you guys have a house in Manhattan and a house here?" I nodded.
"And you claim you're not rich."
"I'm not. My mom bought this house from her friend a long time ago. It was rundown and she renovated it." I told Nathan.
"Bell?" I turned around. It was my Aunt Tia. I haven't seen her since...last year? Which is horrible but I swear it isn't intentional. Her Mom just gives me the creeps. (I know that's my grandmother. I don't care. I'm still skeptical of my Dad's side of the family.)
"Oh...hi!" I hugged her.
"You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend." She said while pointing at Nate.
"No...he isn't my boyfriend. This is my friend, Nathan. And these are my other friends." They all waved.
"Mhm...Nice to meet y'all."
"You never told Ms.Hinds that you're dating Jake?" Paisley asked.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Bella's relationship with her bio family is complicated. That's why." Hannah told them. Auntie Amanda clinked her glasses.
"Everyone, it's 11 PM! The countdown is on. Grab your party hats!"
"Julie, are you yawning?"
"I'm not. I was stretching."
"I can't believe you're tired. Come, let's go to the basement!"
*******************
The New Year's Party (11:54 PM) (Leia's Perspective)
I'm so close! It's almost midnight! I'm gonna stay up till next year.
"Leia, we need more of the champagne." Jesse said.
"My Daddy said it's not champagne, it's sparkling apple juice!"
"Well, it looks like it." We took some and drank it slowly like the adults.
"It's almost midnight, Jesse. Do you have a resolution?"
"To get my two front teeth." I giggled.
"Why?"
"Because it's kinda hard to eat without them! I can't even eat apples anymore."
"Ouch, that probably hurts a little."
"It does a lot."
"Girls, it's almost time." I went to go sit by my family. I sat in Noah's lap and I put my party hat on!
"5, 4, 3, 2, 1! HAPPY NEW YEAR!" Mommy and Daddy kissed and Noah covered my eyes.
"Yeah, I'm not letting you see that."
"2024 baby!" Aunty Amanda said. I stayed up this time! I'm a warrior!

Dear Diary,
I stayed up all night! It's 2024 now! I'm excited! I'm
Gonna make a New Years' resolution. I just don't know what it is yet. All I know is that I'm excited to get bigger. I wanna be big like Bella and Noah. Bella told me that when you're 8 you're officially a big kid. I can't wait to be 8! Wait, I think I know my resolution! I'm gonna write in you every day.
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Leia's "Room" (Olivia's Perspective)
"I want Ryan."
"Woof." He hopped onto the bed and laid down.
"There he is." Leia cuddled him.
"Time for bed, it is way past your bedtime."
"But I'm not tired." She whined.
"Only tired children whine."
"Nu-uh." I tucked her in.
"Good night, my pumpkin. I'll see you in the morning. I love you."
"I love you too, Mommy. Mommy wait."
"Yes?"
"I wanna talk to you in the morning. In private." That's an unusual request.
"Okay, honey. We can talk. Just Mommy and Leia." I kissed her and left her room. She's getting bigger. I went downstairs to see my family talking to one another and cleaning up from our party.
"I wish that I could get a New Years' kiss."
"Bella, what do you even know about that?" Noah asked.
"The woman on tv got one. Dad kissed Mom."
"You and Jake kiss?" Elliot asked while putting the dishes away.
"Yes? Is that a crime?"
"Very much so." Bella hit him with a towel playfully. This is it. Family. I'm so blessed to have such a crazy, chaotic, hilarious, loving family unit. I couldn't have asked for better.
"Mom, you're here. Please tell me you're not on Dad's side. He says that I can't kiss my boyfriend."
"Hmmm, Noah. Did I ever say you could kiss Morgan?"
"No, you like supervised us to make sure nothing happened 24/7."
"Well, then I agree with Dad. Why would you ever do such a thing? There's no need." I joked.
"As if you didn't kiss Dad the second the ball dropped. How about you keep your paws off of him?"
"Yeah, we'd all love it." Noah joked. I rolled my eyes. Well, here's to another year together! If there's already this much love and laughter flowing through our halls, I can only imagine what it'll be like with the new addition. I can't wait for them to get here.