Never Not You

1st birthday

Mateo stirred awake, his big, round eyes blinking against the soft morning light streaming through the nursery window. The familiar sounds of laughter and gentle singing reached his ears, causing a small smile to spread across his face. Leah and Aurora stood at the foot of his crib, their voices harmonizing sweetly as they sang "Happy Birthday" in unison, their love radiating in every note.

As they sang, Mateo's little hands instinctively began to clap, his giggles bubbling up in joyful response, even if he didn't fully grasp the celebration unfolding around him. His laughter filled the room, a delightful sound that made Aurora's heart flutter.

Aurora couldn't resist any longer. She leaned down, her hair falling softly around her face, and scooped Mateo into her arms, showering him with affectionate kisses all over his chubby cheeks. "Feliz cumpleaños, mi amor!" she exclaimed, her voice a melody of joy as she peppered his face with kisses, each one a promise of love.

Mateo squealed with delight, his laughter ringing like music in the air. The warmth of his mother's kisses enveloped him, making him squirm and giggle even more. His little hands reached up to grab her face, a look of pure happiness illuminating his features.

Just as Aurora set him back down, Leah swooped in, gently taking Mateo from her arms and cradling him against her chest. "Happy birthday, buddy!" Leah exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement as she planted a soft kiss on his forehead. Mateo's giggles erupted anew, his little body wriggling in sheer delight as he clapped his hands again, caught up in the whirlwind of love surrounding him.

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While Aurora was upstairs getting Mateo dressed, Leah busied herself downstairs, greeting family and teammates as they filtered into the house. Eli and Alba arrived with warm smiles, bringing a festive energy to the room. The rest of the Barcelona team, including Mapi and Alexia, had sent their love but couldn't make it due to their commitments. Still, the house buzzed with excitement, the space filled with colorful balloons, streamers, and a warm glow of celebration.

The living room was transformed for the occasion—balloons floating in every corner, a scattering of Mateo's favorite toys, and a large "1" balloon proudly displayed. But none of the decorations could compare to the huge Gunnersaurus balloon, a perfect combination of two things Mateo loved most: dinosaurs and Arsenal, the team he associated with Leah. The green dinosaur, with its signature red Arsenal kit, stood tall, waiting for Mateo's arrival.

Aurora descended the stairs carrying a freshly changed Mateo, who looked around wide-eyed, clearly taken aback by the sudden burst of colors and faces in the room. He clung a little closer to Aurora, shyly hiding his face from the crowd. But as his gaze swept across the room, his eyes landed on the giant Gunnersaurus balloon, and everything else faded away.

"Mama! Mama!" Mateo squealed, pointing excitedly toward the balloon. His face lit up, all traces of shyness gone, replaced with pure joy. His little arm pointing eagerly toward Leah, as if beckoning her to come and share in his discovery.

Leah, seeing the excitement on her son's face, walked over with a smile that matched his enthusiasm. "You like that, little man?" she asked, scooping him out of Aurora's arms. She led him over to the Gunnersaurus balloon, his small hands reaching out immediately to tap it. He giggled as the balloon swayed and bounced back and forth, his laughter filling the room as he gently hit it again and again.

Each time the balloon floated back toward him, Mateo's giggles grew louder, his joy infectious. Leah chuckled, her heart swelling as she watched him play, his fascination with the balloon as endless as his energy. She knelt down beside him, steadying the balloon for him to bat at, her hand resting on his small back as he happily swatted it back and forth.