We Are Free

A New Family Member

Over the next week Halo gets stronger and we keep getting more and more mail. On the 3rd Halo comes home with a clean bill of health. It is Saturday again and we will go to work Monday.
     We have to prepare for tomorrow I have everything and Emily cleaned her room. She is so excited. We pulled the mattress out from under her bed. We put a sheet on it. She puts a pillow on it. The next day I go into her room. I shake her. She opens her eyes.
     "Happy birthday." I say.
     "Thanks when is Ava coming?"
      "Around two but we have to get ready."
      "Okay." We eat breakfast and we set up her party. It was huge she runs around in crocs, a bikini top, and jean shorts. Andrew runs around in his swim trunks. Halo wears jean shorts and her bikini top with a crop top over it.
    She wears flip flops. I wear my flip flops and my swim shorts. 2:00 comes. Zac shows up with Zane they were in their swim suits and Zac didn't have a shirt either did Zane.
     "You helping me cook?" I ask as he walks up taking his sunglasses off but leaving Zane's on.
     "Duh, well the party is here."
     "Okay what ever you say." I say rolling my eyes. I start laughing and he looks at me he takes his sunglasses off. He puts Emily's present by the others. Anna shows up and puts her presents on the table. Then Ava and her mom show up.
     Ava was in her swim suit and holding her blanket a stuff animal and a pillow. We go inside and her mom puts her bag in Emily's room and she puts her other stuff down. They go outside and start playing. They play in the sprinkler and water slide.
    "I had this bad ass idea." I say.
     "Oh shit."
     "I got all the kids a white t-shirt and I have another slip and slide I'm going to cover it in clothing diy. It is non toxic and safe. Then the kids can slide in it and it's washs off skin so no showers. Just have them play in the sprinkler." I say.
      "That is cool." Zac says.
      "Yeah."
      "So how does the party usually work?" Ava's mom asks.
      "Well Anna doesn't like water but the rest of us will go in it. Zac and I cook. Anna usally stands watch."
      "Okay."
      "We wait until dark then we give the kids glow sticks so we can see them and light fireworks. This is the one time a year my water bill kills me." I say laughing. It is true though.
      "I herd that. Who lights the fire works?" She asks.
      "Me and Zac. We give the kids sparklers and Halo likes to through fire crackers. We also give them noise makers."
     "Okay."
     "Dip stick." I say to Zac.
      "Yeah." He says. They all start laughing.
      "I need to run inside finish opening these." I say tossing brats at him.
      "Okay." He says catching them and opening them. I go inside and grab towels for everyone. I go back outside and Halo was in the water with Zane. She was sliding down the slip in slide with him. She took her shirt off but left her shorts on. I get them popsicles. Anna and Ava's mom help me.
    We get everything on the grill. Zac helps me cook, I play in the water with the kids. We just have fun and enjoy the party. The kids do cartwheels, play soccer, hoola hoops, and Zac and I play basketball. I have a huge surprise for Emily.
     I can't wait to see her reaction. Around 4 the food is done and we sit at the table to eat. We eat until about 5:30. When we are done we clean up then open presents before cake. Ava hands her her present first. She got Emily a stuffed minion that makes noises.
    Then Zac goes he got her a pink camo remote controlled car. Anna got her a dress and a Barbie doll. Halo got her a blanket and some headbands. Andrew got her a coloring book and crayons. I got her some shoes she has been wanting and a sweater. I also got her a picture of her and Ava with Barbie clothes. Then the last present I run inside and get it. I come back out.
     "I'm going to give everyone a chance to pull out their phones." I say. They all do so and video tape it.
      "Now this one is very fragile and you have to promise to help take care of it okay. It's from everyone."
      "Okay." She says. I hand her the box it was a cardboard box with a lid that had holes. She opens the lid and looks inside. She looks at me then looks back in the box. She smiles then starts crying.
    "What is it?" Halo asks her.
     "It's turtles there are two." She says holding one up. She puts the box on the table and hugs me.
      "Why are you crying?"
      "Cause I'm happy." She hugs Halo. I dry her tears. She pulls them out.
      "They are both girls. They don't have names yet."
      "I wanna watch them a couple days."
      "Okay. I have a habit for them but tomorrow we will go get a tank and stuff for the tank and you can pick out what stuff goes in it. I have to go put them in water though okay." I say.
     "Okay." She says.
     "They will be on the counter." I tell her. I go inside and put the turtles away. I bring the cake and ice cream out. Zac and I serve it up. We sit and talk and play in the water. We sunbath and play sports. I pull the other slip in slide out and take some clothing diy and put it all over the slide.
     Each kid gets their white shirt on and slides down the slide. I spray it clean and do the same thing with another color. I do it for 5 more colors then they put their shirts in the sun to dry. When it starts getting dark out we put glow sticks on the kids.
    Zac and I pull the fire works out. They all sit down with blankets and we turn the sprinkler off. We start a fire in the fire pit and light the fire works. We have s'mores and watch the fire works. Halo lights for crackers.
     "I want to lite one." Emily says. Halo hands one to her.
     "Put it in the fire." She says so Emily tosses it in the fire and it makes a huge noise. She lets the rest of the kids do it and Ava asks her mom before doing it. When the fireworks are done we clean up and go inside everyone heads out.
   Zane was sleeping in Zac's arms. Anna goes home and so does Ava's mom. The kids go in and get their pajamas on. We put them to bed and they fall sleep almost as soon as their heads hit the pillows. Halo and I go to bed to. She falls asleep really fast and I do to.
The next morning I wake up and everyone was still sleeping. I check on the turtles and feed them. I then start breakfast. I make pancakes, eggs, bacon, and fruit. Halo gets up and sets the table. We put food on each plate and I go into Emily's room. I turn the light on.
     "Okay ladies let's wake up breakfast is ready." I say. Emily sits up and has a huge rats nest in her hair. Ava sits up and her hair was messy to. I leave and they come out. Andrew was sitting at the table.
     "I have to go potty." He gets down and runs down the hallway I laugh at him and the girls sit at the table. Halo and I sit down. We start eating and Andrew comes back. He sits down again to. When we are done Halo clears the table and the kids get dressed.
I get dressed and help Ava pack her bag up again. Halo gets dressed and does her hair. The girls and Andrew play on the floor for a while. Halo and I clean up a little bit. They pick up their toys and put their shoes on. Halo gets Ava's bag and we put them in the car.
We go to Ava's house and drop her off. Then we go to the store. We go to the reptile section and Halo takes Andrew to get house items. We look at the tanks and find one. She picks it out and I put it in the cart. She picks out a filter for them and I put it in the cart. She starts picking out plants.
We get rocks, a heat lamp, heat lamp bulbs, and a big rock. She picks out 3 plants with flowers on them. She picks out some accessories like a treasure chest and pink castle. We get water purifier and treats. We get more filters and glass cleaner. We meet up with Halo and Andrew.
     "We have to name them." I tell her.
     "I know but I don't know what." She says.
     "I don't know either."
     "Are you guys okay with turtles?" She asks me.
     "Yeah I asked Halo and she said it would be cool then I asked Andrew and he liked it. You said that's what you wanted and so I got you turtles."
     "Yay, I like them." She says with a smile.
      "That's good but you have to help me take care of them."
      "How?"
      "We have to feed them twice a day change their filters. We have to clean their tank."
      "Oh when?"
      "You have to feed them twice a day. We clean their tank and filter once a month. We change the filters 2 times a month."
     "Is it hard?"
      "No, we need to get a stand for them."
      "Can I go with?"
      "Sure." We get a stand for the tank with a shelf on the bottom for the supplies. We check out and head home. We go home and put the stuff away. While we set up the stand Halo soaks the plants and accessories. Emily helps me and Andrew helps Halo.
Emily helps unbox the tank and I put it on the stand. She puts the stuff on the shelf. I lift her up and she puts the plants and rocks in the tank were she wants it. She puts the big rock in to. We set up the filter and fill the tank with water.
I grab the turtles and Halo holds the box. I lift Emily up and she grabs each turtle like I showed her. She gently lays them on the big rock and they quickly go into the water. We put the cover on the tank and put the heat lamp there to. She watches the tank and smiles. She hugs me.
     "It's the best birthday present ever." She says.
     "I'm glad you like it." We continue with the day. We clean house and put the rest of the stuff away. I do laundry and Halo makes dinner. I do dishes and put the kids to bed. We have work tomorrow so we wash are uniforms. We finally get some down time and lay in bed.
     "I think she really likes those turtles." Halo says to me.
      "Me to."
      "Don't you think it's a little soon?"
      "Yeah but I don't think she noticed plus I wanted to do it for her birthday. It was so close that and we win because they are not that much work."
     "True are we done getting stuff from Ellen?"
      "No she is sending them in little boxes." Halo laughs.
      "Shocker."
      "I know right. I have gotten some things you have the kids have. It's just a pain. We got a gift card for the school supplies and we are getting some of them."
     "Yeah. It's hard to believe that Andrew is turning 4 if we don't put him in pre school he will go into kindergarten after this school year."
      "I think I wanna put him in pre school."
      "Why?"
      "I don't know he just seems a little behind and I wanna give him the jump start."
      "Okay."
      "They would go to the same school to which is nice."
      "Yeah I think that's a good call."
      "I'm glad. I have to enroll him though."
      "That shouldn't be to hard it is just paper work."
     "True." We decide to go to bed since we have to be up early tomorrow. Before I know it Andrew will be 4 and they both will be in school.