Hand in Hand

Chapter 34

Meryl was sitting on the floor with the babies as they laid on a blanket, not too far away from the fireplace, blowing raspberries and making faces at them making them both squeal and coo. "Mommy's babies sure had a good afternoon nap didn't they? Are my little loves enjoying Vermont? It is pretty fun here isn't it?" Meryl laughed as the more she talked, Brady squealed and Mags just laughed. "Oh, the story of my life; my boys like the sound of my voice and my girls just laugh at me."

"I know I love the sound of your voice." Don walked in wearing his winter gear and holding the babies' winter gear. "They're sure happy."

Meryl nodded as she looked at her husband; she wondered where he had disappeared to and seeing him standing there in front of her she realized he had been outside. "What are you up to? Are we taking them back out?"

"We are." Don smirked at her as he went over and helped put the babies in their winter gear. "Your coat and stuff is all dried out; I made sure. You'll want your snow boots on as well."

Meryl was surprised they were going back outside for the third time that day. "You're up to something...what's going on?"

"Yes, I am." Don smirked at her as they began to get their babies ready for the outside elements. "And our little snow bunnies are going to have a photoshoot."

***

"Don!" Meryl laughed as they walked outside while she was holding Brady; and he was holding Mags. She couldn't believe the scene he set up. "They really are having a photoshoot. Just them, right? Not me."

Don sighed as he and Meryl situated Brady and Megs in the sleds he set out; with blankets in crates he put on the sleds for the babies to be propped up in along with pillows along the sides and back to help stabilize the babies so they didn't topple over. "Come on, I want their mother in them as well."

"Uh uh; this is for them." Meryl said as she sat behind the sleds in the snow to make sure the babies didn't topple over. "Besides, once again, I don't have any make-up on."

Don shook his head at her as he leaned down and helped her stand up, placing a tender kiss on her lips. "How many times do I have to tell you that you don't need all that? You are so naturally beautiful."

"Thank you." Meryl smiled as she looked back at their babies. "Do you think they will be okay? Should I stay behind them?"

Don shook his head. "I really do think they will be fine, Darl; maybe stay close by."

"I can do that." Meryl smiled at Don who took out his camera; and started shooting pictures of her. "Them, Gummer; not me."

Don stuck his tongue out at her as he got down in the snow and started snapping pictures of the babies. "Look at Daddy, show me those beautiful smiles. There, we go. Now, whatever you do don't laugh at Daddy...don't you do it...don't you do it..."

"Don." Meryl shook her head and laughed at her husband and his usual ways to get their kids laughing when they were little; it still amazed her at times what an amazing father he was. "I can't believe they fell for that corny joke so early in their impressionable little lives."

Don picked up some snow and threw it at her. "Watch it, missy; you love my jokes."

"Sure, baby." Meryl winked at him, teasing. "Now, back to our beautiful babies and their photoshoot. I can't wait to see these and get them framed."

Don laughed as the babies found the snow with their mitten covered hands and tried to put it in their mouths with Meryl quickly stopping the. "And there, I think that ends this photoshoot." Don laughed as he looked at the pictures he had taken of the babies on the screen on the back of his camera. "We can go load these on the MacBook now."