Buck's Baby (By Accident)

Delighted

So far, March was shaping out to be a complicated month for Buck. Aidan had decided to beat every parenting book in terms of his development and was perfectly content to wobble around the house on his own without falling anymore. His affinity for climbing was getting him into a world of trouble, especially when he climbed onto one of the dining chairs but hadn't quite worked out how to get back down again. He'd screamed the house down until Eddie had rescued him and deposited him in his playpen (Buck wondered how long it would be until he'd be climbing out of that too). On a more positive note, in early March, just after he'd turned 11 months, a switch had flicked in Aidan's brain, and he'd suddenly started sleeping through the night. The first night this had happened, Buck had woken up at 7am, after putting Aidan to sleep around 7:30 the previous night, and had immediately flown into a panic, thinking Aidan had died in his sleep. He'd gone barraging into the nursery, Eddie hot on his heels, only to discover Aidan fast asleep in his crib and none too pleased about the abrupt awakening.

March had also marked the beginning of planning for Aidan's first birthday. Realising he had no idea how to plan a birthday party, Buck had turned to all his friends for advice. Hen had suggested keeping it low key, her reasoning being that Aidan wouldn't remember it in the future anyway, but Buck had shot that down immediately. The party wouldn't be outrageously over the top, but he also wanted it to be memorable. Eddie was on his side with that one. Buck had somewhat thoughtlessly asked Eddie what he'd done for Christopher's first birthday, completely forgetting Eddie had been away in the army and had celebrated it over the phone and had immediately felt terrible when Eddie gently reminded him of this. He'd had a similar situation when he'd asked Bobby for advice. The captain's eyes had misted over as he thought back to Brooke and Robert Jr.'s birthdays, which he regaled to Buck in full detail before telling Buck never to take any day with Aidan for granted as he'd never know when it was his last. Buck had sat with Bobby for ages, listening to his stories about the kids, and had left hours later feeling depressed and still none the wiser on what to do for his son.

It had been an act of pure desperation to ask Maddie and Chimney for advice. Maddie was one for throwing massive parties, which Buck was clear he didn't want, but he had to admit she had some good ideas. It was with a reasonable amount of trepidation that Buck went to their house one Sunday afternoon after his and Chim's shift.

"So, I hear you need help planning Aidan's birthday" Maddie said without preamble.

Buck flopped onto their couch, beer in hand. "Sure do, I have no idea how to throw a party. Or even where to begin with planning one" he sighed, taking a long draught from the bottle.

Maddie rested her hands on the kitchen counter as she regarded him. "Do you have an idea for the theme?" she asked, expecting the answer no.

"It needs a theme?" Buck asked, heart sinking. "I hadn't even considered that".

"It doesn't need to be super out there, just like, pirates or something" Maddie suggested.

Buck wrinkled his nose at that. "Don't like pirates, they're mean."

Maddie arched an eyebrow and Buck squirmed under her gaze. "What, they are! They steal stuff and I don't want Aidan to think that's acceptable."

"He's turning one, Buck, I doubt having a pirate themed birthday is going to be setting him up for a life of crime" Maddie responded in amusement. "But you're getting hung up on details. Just, pick a theme, buy a whole bunch of decorations that match it, bake a cake, and you're good to go."

"That sounds like a lot of planning" Buck huffed. "What themes does one even do for a first birthday? Other than pirates"

Maddie looked thoughtful for a second. "Well, you could do something like space, dinosaurs, cars, ocean, the list goes on really."