Complicated Love

Our Babies

"I can't believe how big she's getting already!  It's soon time for you guys to fly her home so I can see her every day."

Court flips out over Maxi, who is more than content in her carrier strapped to my chest where she is once again eating.

"It's like just yesterday you called me bawling on the phone because you didn't know what to do, and now you have the cutest little princess ever."

"What about Coco?  You know, your child."

"Well she's cute and all, but she talks all the time now so I like this one more."

I hand Maxi to Court once she's done eating, meeting up with Brad and Liam who are trying to get the monkeys to wave to them through the glass.

"Mama, they don't want to?" Liam puts his little arms up for me to hold him, looking through the glass "Daddy scare them."

"What did daddy do?" I pull Liam closer, rubbing his little back as he goes through this difficult moment "I think they'll wave soon."

"I started waving, but I must have been too close to the glass because they all backed away and went into hiding."

"Good job, Brad." I roll my eyes, trying to get their attention myself as Coco and Liam make faces at them.  Liam jumps out of my arms, standing closer to Coco as they both try their hardest.

"Look how cute they are," Brad wraps his arms around me as we watch them "Coco thinks she's staying with us today and Court and David can have Maxi.  Her and Liam decided they needed some best friend time."

"Well, considering they already stole our baby, I don't think they would mind too much.  Gives us some sleep."

The kids get sick of the monkeys and run over to the elephants, surprising us as they watch very closely how they're cleaned.

"She won't let either of us touch her hair, but loves watching an elephant get groomed." David walks over to stand with us, watching as the kids jump up and down at everything way too excitedly.

"I know.  Liam hates baths recently but he's getting splashed right now and loves it.  Kids are so weird."

"So weird but so cute.  Look at her!" Court joins us, showing us the little facial expressions Maxley is making "She loves me!"

"She must love you if she hasn't started screaming yet.  That's when it gets really fun."

"I don't think we need to worry about that," Court rearranges her "She just likes me way too much to get upset."

"Well she does seem to enjoy eating your hair..." Brad reaches over, saving Court's hair from being destroyed "She doesn't like me too much so far.  I must've pissed her off somehow."

"Or maybe she's just still mad at you for almost dropping her the other day."

"Okay, in my defense you handed me a soaking wet, slippery baby without warning.  It could have happened to either of us."

The kids lose interest in the elephants as soon as they're all clean, dragging us over to a play area filled with equipment shaped like animals.

"Okay, give me my baby back," I take Maxi from Court, strapping her back in the carrier so she can relax "She needs her nap around now every day or she's miserable the next few hours."

I gently sway side to side, listening closely as I hear her breathing start to slow.  She rests her little head on my chest as her finger wraps around mine, obviously content with her surroundings.

"It still amazes me how good they get along.  I thought their age difference would really make it harder on them."

"I did too.  I thought for sure she would still want to be with us all the time.  As much as I like them playing together, I miss Coco always wanting to be with me."

"Yeah, you definitely moved down on her list.  She asks to call Liam and tell him goodnight now, doesn't have much interest in talking to you anymore."

"I've noticed.  That little brat promised me I'd always be her favorite too."

We watch them closely as Coco shows Liam everything she can think of, from how to climb up the rock wall, to how he can give me a heart attack by jumping off the slide.  Brad and David run around chasing them, definitely getting tired themselves when they finally carry the kids over to join us.

"What if we go see the lions?" David suggests, "They're supposed to be feeding them soon, they'll like that."

"I feed them?" Liam points to himself as he jumps around in Brad's arms "Cause I big?"

"I don't know, maybe you can help them if you're really good."

As we make our way over, Brad pulls me closer to wrap his free arm around Maxi and I, enjoying the few family moments we're finally able to get.  Liam even leans in to hug Maxi through her carrier at one point, showing off how much he loves his baby sister.

Once we get to the lions, we don't matter at all to him anymore.  He meets up with Coco, holding her hand as they run around to the closest opening they can find without going into the enclosure.  Court and David  run up with them while Brad and I stay back so all the screaming doesn't wake Maxi.

"Look at him.  He doesn't care at all that the lion could eat him in one gulp," Brad points out Liam trying to lean out of David's arms as he holds him up "The kid is fearless."

"This doesn't scare him but if we turn the microwave on then it's absolute hell."

"Hey, he has a point.  Ths microwave makes a very scary noise."

We continue to watch, recording as the trainer gives in and let's the kids throw treats in to the animals, not wanting to forget these adorable moments.

"So did you guys have fun today?"

"Yeah!"