The Love Story Between Sophie Thompson And Niall Horan

Chapter 93 Ashton Blake's 1st Birthday

February 13th, 2021

Danielle's Point of View

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, but it's also our youngest child Ashton's first birthday. I can hardly believe it! Downstairs, our oldest, Freddie, who just turned five last month on January 21st, and our second-born, William, who is two, are helping Louis and me in the kitchen as we make Ashton's smash cake.

"Can I stir, Mummy?" Freddie asks, bouncing on his toes, eyes wide as he watches the batter swirl in the mixing bowl.

"Of course, buddy! Just be careful not to spill," I reply with a smile, handing him the wooden spoon.

William giggles beside me, reaching for a handful of flour. "Look, Mommy! I'm a snowman!" His little fingers are dusted white, and he grins proudly.

I laugh, shaking my head. "You sure are, sweetheart! But let's try to keep the flour in the bowl, okay?"

"Okay!" he chirps, attempting to copy Freddie as he stirs with pretend enthusiasm, his small hands clumsily following his big brother's movements.

Meanwhile, Louis is focused on decorating the cake. "What do you think, Danielle?" he asks, looking back at me over his shoulder. "Should we add more sprinkles?"

I smile, feeling warmth at the thought of Ashton's chubby little hands smashing into his very first cake. "Definitely! He loves colorful things."

Upstairs, Ashton is blissfully unaware, taking a nap in his crib. I can't wait to see the look on his face tomorrow.

"Alright, team! Let's finish up so we can clean up before Ashton wakes up!" I call out, rallying everyone with a clap of my hands.

"Yay, cake!" Freddie cheers, his excitement contagious.

"Cake!" William echoes, clapping his hands, his giggles filling the room.

As we finish mixing the batter, the kitchen fills with the sweet scent of vanilla and sugar. I pull out a round cake pan and pour in the batter, leveling it off with a spatula.

"Freddie, can you help me with the oven?" I ask.

"Sure! I can do it!" He stands on his tiptoes, looking proud as he carefully opens the oven door.

"Watch your fingers, buddy," Louis reminds him, smiling as he guides Freddie's hands. "And don't lean in too close."

Once the cake is in the oven, I turn to Louis, wiping my hands on a kitchen towel. "Should we set up decorations tonight or wait until morning?"

Louis thinks for a moment before answering, "Let's set them up now while the cake bakes. That way, everything's ready for tomorrow. We can hang streamers and blow up balloons. Ashton will love it."

"Good idea! I'll grab the decorations," I say, heading toward the closet where we keep the party supplies.

As I rummage through the colorful boxes, I hear Freddie talking to William. "Tomorrow, you can help me with the cake, okay? We can be cake buddies!"

"Cake buddies!" William repeats, clapping his hands in delight.

I laugh as I come back with a bundle of balloons and streamers. "Just wait until you see how messy it gets. You both are going to have icing everywhere!"

Freddie's eyes light up. "Can we make a birthday banner for Ashton?"

"Of course! Let's get some paper and markers," I reply. The boys rush to gather supplies, and soon we're all huddled around the kitchen table, crafting a colorful banner.