(Mia's POV)
I hear one of the twins starting to wake up in the morning, Char still sleeping peacefully on my lap. I move her gently, being careful not to wake her up, before getting out of bed and going next door to see Fraya sat up in her bed wide awake. "Good morning pumpkin," I whisper kneeling beside her bed and stroking her cute bed head. "Mamma," she chirps happily stretching her arms out to give me a cuddle. "Duckies?" I smile at her sweetly, adoring the way her eyes light up every morning when she asks to watch Sarah and Duck. "We can watch duckies come on then," I whisper picking her up onto my hip.
"Cece?" She pipes pointing to her fast asleep sister next to her. "She's asleep little one," I whisper. "I'll put duckies on for and she'll wake up soon ok?" "Otay," Fraya nods. I kiss the top of her head. "That's my girl, let's go downstairs." I carry her to the living room, setting up Sarah and Duck on the TV. She sits up against the sofa, clapping her hands and yelling "quack!" To the theme song. I sit next to her, putting my arm around her as her eyes fix on the show. "Wuv ooo mamma," she smiles snuffling herself into my arm. "Fray-Fray happy." I start to get slightly emotional, a couple tears filling my eyes as I watch her. My daughter. In my arms. My sunny, happy, bubbly little girl who amazes me everyday.
"Why cry Mamma?" Fraya asks turning around and noticing my eyes watering. "It otay Mamma, no cry now." "It's alright Fraya it's happy tears,"
I sniff wiping them away. "I just love all my girls so much that's all." "Wuv ooo," Fraya smiles giving me another hug and going back to watching Sarah and Duck shortly after. Once the episode had ended, I hear Char's footsteps and Cece's babbles as they come down the stairs and into the living room. "Morning baby," I smile. "Morning panda." Char sets Cece down on the sofa before giving me a quick kiss good morning. "Morning," she yawns. "Morning Fraya are you ok?" "Cece!" Fraya pipes hugging her arms around her sister clumsily. "Cece wake!" "Right you two who wants breakfast then?" I ask.
"Brekkie!" They both squeal in unison. We take them both to the kitchen and into their high chairs before grabbing their favourite cereal. "Ducky!" Fraya claps her hand pointing to one of her toy ducks left on the floor from last night. "Ducky ducky!" I sit the duck on the table opposite her high chair which makes her giggle, waving to the duck every mouthful of food she takes. "Quack quack!" She squeals as she waves. "My funny girl," Char laughs putting her back down again with the duck once she's done. She waddles around in her duck onesies, clutching her duck teddy under her arm and shouting "quack" every five seconds as Cece laughs every time.
"They could entertain themselves for hours doing that," I say to Char taking Cece down from her high chair. We both stand back and watch them as they chase each other around the table playfully, Fraya shouting "quack" as they do. "Look at them," I whisper to Char giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek from behind. "They're so precious." "I know," Char mumbles giving me a kiss. "I love them, and I also happen to love you a little bit too." "A little bit?" I laugh. "You're horrible." "You love me though," she smirks. "I do," I sigh teasingly before giving her another kiss.
The twins continue to chase each other around the table several times, babbling and screaming happily as they do. I start washing up the breakfast while Char keeps an eye on them. A few minutes later, Cece trips over her own feet and falls flat on the ground. She cries hysterically, Char and I both coming over to console her but before we can, Fraya's already got her arms around her in a hug. "It otay Cece, no cry now. No cry...Wuv ooo." She keeps her in a tight squeeze until her tears stop and she's smiling and laughing again. "You're a lovely sister Fraya," Char praises checking on Cece. "Are you ok my darling did we take a stumble?" "I stumble," she mumbles. "Come here Mummy kiss it better," Char says giving her a hug and a kiss on the head. "My brave little soldier you are."
Fraya pouts and points down to the floor angrily. "Naughty floor! Naughty floor hurt Cece!" "Naughty floor," I laugh picking her up onto my hip. "You tell it Fraya, what a very naughty floor." "Bubble," Cece babbles under her breath. "Bubble." I turn to Char confused. "Bubble? What does she mean bubble?" "Oh yeah I didn't say did I? Basically Autumn got them a pack of bubble wands the other day." She explains. "They're obsessed, just watch this."
She goes off to fetch the bubble wands, unscrewing one of them and blowing a bubble. Cece squeals, clapping her hands excitedly. "Bubble! Bubble!" Fraya starts clapping too as Char blows more bubbles and they both chase after them, their tiny hands trying to catch hold of each one that comes past them. "Autumn certainly knows these girls well," I smiles. "Honestly she adores them," Char beams wrapping one arm around my waist. "Every day I come into work and she asks after them... aww are you crying what's up?" "Nothing," I sniff. "This is the second time today... it's just... our little family... is my favourite thing... and I feel like the luckiest girl alive." Char hugs me tightly into her shoulder. "Oh come here you, you're so cute I love you."
"I love you too," I smile into her shoulder. "I love doing life with you so much." "Pandasauras?" Cece pipes pulling at my pyjama bottoms. "It's the morning isn't that usually her bedtime book?" Char asks. "It is," I say. "But last night she wanted it over and over again so I said if she went to bed I'd read it to her in the morning, and she's not forgotten about have you little one?" "Pandasauras!" She squeals again. "Fraya would you like to listen to the story as well?" I ask her picking Cece up. "Story!" Fraya beams excitedly. "Fray-Fray hear story!" Char takes her upstairs with Cece and I, all of us getting into our bed. The girls look over my shoulder at the book, eagerly as I start reading.
"Once upon a time there was a little panda and in the day she was a panda but at night... she was a pandasauras!" "Raw!" Cece chimes in, kicking her feet excitedly. "She would spend the day eating bamboo and climbing trees and sleeping lots and lots. Then as soon as the sun goes down, she grows a great long tail, wings and, of course, a loud RAW!" Cece chimes in again with another "Raw!" "Quack!" Fraya chimes in after, followed by an immediate fit of giggles over how hilarious she found herself with the whole thing. The girls listen attentively for the rest of the story, still giggling at every voice I put on and gasping at all the plot points even though they've heard this story dozens of times. "The end," Cece says with me as I close the book. "Yay! Pandasauras! Again again again!"
"Not now cheeky," Char laughs tickling her playfully. "We can't listen to pandasuaras all day." "Why?" She asks. "Because we've got other things to do today monkey," she explains. "Tell you what, we can have it at bedtime again ok?" "Otay," Cece agrees. She clumsily hugs Fraya, making her roll onto her side in the process. "Cece wuv Fray-Fray," she smiles. "Wuv Cece," Fraya says back, her face slightly mushed against Cece's.
