My Life with the Boys

Chapter 33- Birthday Wishes and New Year Kisses

"Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to Evie,
Happy Birthday to you!" Everyone since and then cheers as I help Evie blow out her birthday cake.

I can't believe she is a year old already. She took her first steps the other day. I mean sure she can't walk more than two metres before falling over but still!

Right now she is giggling at all the attention she us getting. She is surrounded by presents and people who love her and I could ask for a better birthday for her.

The whole gang is here along with Ethan's family and my family. We were all going to spend Christmas here at my home this year because I had the most space. My parents and Ethan's have their own guest room each and I have all the little kids on mattresses on the floor in the living room. Zack was sleeping on the couch in one of the upstairs rooms which was now the den.

"Alllllyyy!" A very hyper five year old Violet runs up to me and I lift her up in my arms. "Can we have cake now?" She asks me hopeful.

"Yes in a second. I just need to grab the knife and the plates. Want to help me?" She nods and I put her down, passing her the paper plates and the napkins as I grab the knife to cut the cake.

After everybody eats the cakes we open the presents. Evie kind of just half rips them and starts giggling not really understanding the concept. So Violet volunteers to help her open them.

She gets lots and lots of baby clothes from Laura and Sam though I am guessing It was mostly Laura. She gets some more adorable outfits from Nicole and Noah along with some toys. My parents give her some toys along with something else.

"This is something that was given to me when I had you." Mum says giving me some kind of book. "It is like a scrap book. Like those pregnancy and baby ones but this one is more spread out from birth to when you were eighteen." I flip through it seeing hand written messages from both my parents throughout the years along with pictures of be at different ages. "We thought it was time you had it along with this." She hands me a present and I unwrap it to find a similar book, only blank. "Now you can start you own. I know we were a bit late and we missed the first few months but I am sure you have photos or something to put in there from the early stages." Mum finishes.

"Thank you." I say trying to withhold my tears that are threatening to fall.

I hug my parents before I am ready for the next one. We open a bunch of different presents from Ethan's parents until we we get to their last one.

"We wanted you to have this." She hands me a bag and I gently pull out a familiar looking teddy bear.

It was Ethan's. I remember how he used to take it with him everywhere. I would know because it was the first present I ever gave him and my earliest memory. We were around two and he lost his teddy at the park. We looked for days but we never found it. Ethan was miserable and was crying a lot. I felt sad for him so I went to my room and picked up my bear and asked my mum f I could go to Ethan's house. She took me over and I gave him my bear.

"Don't you need it? This is your bear. Won't you miss him?" Ethan asks me.

"I won't because he is with my favourite person. And we will always be together so why would I miss him when you are both always with me?" I say.

"Forever?" He asks hopeful.

"Forever." I promise.

I get up to leave the room and go onto the balcony. I just need a minute. Zack follows me out onto the balcony and take me into my arms.

"Why am I always crying with you?" I joke. "I promised him we would be together forever. When I gave him this." I say seriously, looking down at the bear in my hands.