'Hey come on now, enough fighting'.
'Enough, guys, please, we can't wake up mommy'.
'Theodore! Madeline! I said that's enough!', Travis sighs, finally losing his cool as he crosses the kitchen in three steps to separate the 7 and 5 year olds, both currently attempting to land a punch on the other.
'But he looked at me funny, daddy!', comes Madeline's whiny response, and Travis knows that unless he can persuade the girl to go back to bed for a little while, they're all in for a very, very long day.
'I did not! I was just sitting here, dad, I swear!'
'You did T, you did!'
'I said that's ENOUGH!', Travis shocks them both back into the room, his raised voice echoing around the kitchen tiles. Poppy looks up from her high chair after his outburst, her little lip trembling, Isaac oblivious beside her, chewing on his toast. Plucking Poppy out and cradling her on his hip, he turns back to the middle two who caused the ruckus in the first place.
'I'm sorry for shouting, guys, but you cannot be fighting over something so silly. Madeline, eat your oatmeal, and Theo, just keep your hands - and eyes - to yourself, will you? Now come on, lots to do today, and I don't have time for this'.
They dutifully turn back in their seats towards their breakfast, and Travis runs a calming hand over Poppy's curls before placing her back into her chair, once again content to eat her breakfast. He sighs, knowing it's much too early in the morning for the bickering that's been happening, but busies himself making coffee instead of dwelling on the behaviour of his children.
'Hey, handsome', comes a muffled voice from behind him moments later, familiar hands reaching their way around his middle, a cheek pressed against his back.
'You're meant to be in bed, baby. You're sick', he replies, a smile adorning his face anyway as he turns in his wife's arms, finally meeting her face as she looks sheepishly up at him.
'Couldn't sleep, didn't have my own personal hot water bottle', she replies, her voice sniffly and tinny, tinged by the cold she was battling.
'Well someone had to referee the rugrats, and you know the teenagers aren't getting out of bed early on a Saturday', he chuckles, pulling her even closer before pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
'How are you feeling, sweetie?'
'Hmmm, I've been better. My throat is killing me', she whispers back, still sniffling, and he gently pushes her towards the table.
'Sit down, I'll make you some tea with honey and lemon. What do you want to eat?'
Taylor makes a face in his direction as she shuffles over to the table, planting kisses on the tops of her babies heads. 'Not that hungry, babe'.
'That doesn't fly, Tay. I'll get you some toast, okay?'
She playfully rolls her eyes at him, but nods anyway, knowing he'll hover over her and insist she eat something eventually. The promised breakfast is placed in front of her only minutes later, and she thanks him with a kiss to his cheek as he finally gets to sit down to eat his own food, too.
'Mommy, Theo looked at me funny earlier', Madeline begins, taking advantage of a new parent to complain to, and Taylor has to hold in her chuckle.
'I did not! Mom, I didn't!', he protests, his spoon clanging loudly against the table as he drops it - unhelpfully, flinging oatmeal across the table, landing right on Travis' face.
'RIGHT! That's it! This stops now!', he can't help the words escaping, standing up to emphasise his point, and Taylor can see Madeline's lip immediately wobble, Theo carefully collecting his spoon from the table.
