Where We Belong

Chapter 37

~~~

Evan's POV—

"Careful, Jax. You need to actually steer it too," I try telling Jaxon as I stop him from crashing into Rebecca's car that's parked in the driveway.

"Steer," is all Jaxon says as I check to make sure he didn't hit anything.

I turn the drivable electric car around, aiming it back in the center of the sidewalk and try to show Jaxon how to steer the car. He immediately hits the "gas" pedal, and jerks the steering wheel left and right.

"No, steer it in the direction you want to go," I then try saying as I stumble along next to him, trying to redirect the car as it moves.

And now I'm second guessing why I thought it would be a good idea to get a two year old a drivable car. Especially when said two year old clearly doesn't understand the concept of steering yet.

It's Jaxon's 2nd birthday, the first birthday I get to spend with him.

Obviously, I wanted to spoil him a little, and got him a few gifts. One of those drivable electric toy cars, an inflatable pool he can use in the summer, some bubbles, and a water table.

And I got him a cool new outfit too.

"Steer!" is all Jaxon says, trying to jerk the steering wheel out of my hand.

And then he just gives up and sits there, his foot still on the "gas" pedal.

"Why'd you think this would be a good idea again?" Rebecca asks me as we slowly move past her. She laughs as she watches me nearly trip over myself while trying to make sure Jaxon doesn't run into anything.

"I don't know—don't ask me such difficult questions," I tell her as I straighten up, stretching my back out because I've been hunched over for the past few minutes. "Dang my back hurts."

"Oh please. You're starting to sound old, Evan," Ashley says, humor in her tone.

I glance towards her, finding her sitting on the porch steps, pointing towards the direction Jaxon went.

When I look in that direction, I find him heading right for the street, going down Ashley's neighbor's driveway.

"No, stay out of the street!" I panic as I rush over to him. A few moments later and he's back on the sidewalk, me speed walking next to him to make sure he doesn't crash into anything. "Yeah...I'm not gonna let you drive until you're at least 20."

Jaxon just happily goes on, ignoring and not understanding what I just said.

Eventually, I convince him to move onto something else.

Moving into the backyard, Landon, my dad and I work to get his water table set up. While we do that, Jaxon and his aunt and uncles blow some bubbles, Jaxon and Nate running around trying to pop all of them.

Ashley invited the whole family for his birthday. My dad, Amelia, both my step-sisters, Nate, Mathew, Roxy, Zachary, Rebecca, Kyle, and Landon.

We had dinner outside with the weather being nice, having to combine two folding tables together to fit everyone.

Jaxon obviously loved being the center of attention, smiling, giggling, and babbling pretty much throughout the entire dinner.

And then making an absolute mess out of his food and cupcake.

Meanwhile, I couldn't remove the smile from my face throughout it all.

Sure, Jaxon only turned 2, something not that big on the scale of things...but it's my first birthday celebration with him. And realizing that he's getting older, even if he's only turning 2, just amazes me.