Pt 2 of them (continued ver)

Chapter 216

It was another bustling morning in the household. Carter was already up and running, darting from room to room with endless energy. His dinosaur pajama shirt flapped slightly as he zoomed by, clutching his T-Rex plushie and giggling uncontrollably.

Colby, still in his pajamas, was chasing after him with a pair of shorts. "Carter, slow down, buddy! You need to get dressed!"

Meanwhile, Liam stood at the kitchen counter, arms crossed, stubborn as ever. "I don't want cereal! I want cookies for breakfast!" he demanded.

Malia, ever patient, knelt down to his level. "Liam, cookies aren't breakfast food. You can have them later, but right now it's cereal or toast."

"I don't care! I want cookies!" Liam shouted, stomping his foot.

Before Malia could respond, the angelic sisters, Colleen and Caitlyn, swooped in like little peacekeepers. Colleen, holding her doll, said, "Liam, cookies make your tummy hurt in the morning. You don't want that, do you?"

Caitlyn, clutching a coloring book, chimed in, "You can have toast with jam! It's yummy, I promise!"

Liam paused, considering his sisters' words, but his stubborn streak wasn't quite done. "I'll think about it," he muttered, walking away.

Back in the living room, Colby had finally managed to corner Carter. "Gotcha!" he said, scooping him up.

Carter squealed with laughter, wriggling in his dad's arms. "Noooo! Run!"

"You're fast, but I'm faster," Colby said, tickling Carter's sides before finally getting him into his clothes.

By the time breakfast was ready, everyone was seated at the table. Carter munched on pieces of toast while still wiggling in his seat, clearly brimming with energy. Liam, after much deliberation, reluctantly ate his cereal, shooting occasional glances at the cookie jar on the counter.

Colleen and Caitlyn, ever the role models, ate their breakfast quietly while chatting about what they'd draw later.

As the morning went on, Carter's energy only grew, running circles around the couch and making dinosaur noises. Liam, not wanting to be left out, started mimicking him, though his version of roaring sounded more like yelling.

"Boys, slow down before someone gets hurt!" Malia called out from the kitchen, though she couldn't help but smile at their antics.

The sisters, meanwhile, stayed in their little corner of the living room, quietly playing tea party with their dolls. Every so often, they'd glance at their brothers and giggle.

Eventually, Colby scooped Carter up again, carrying him upside down to the laughter and protests of his energized little boy. "Alright, Carter. Time for a snack. Let's channel some of that energy into eating."

"And me?" Liam asked, looking up expectantly.

"You too, buddy," Colby said with a grin. "But no cookies until after lunch."

As the day unfolded, Carter's energy showed no signs of slowing, while Liam's stubborn streak softened just enough to keep the peace. And through it all, the angelic sisters remained their usual calm, cheerful selves, bringing balance to the lively household.