Baby Food and Game Controllers

Surprise!

It was snowing outside when three kids came bounding threw the mudroom door and throwing off their backpacks and jackets. Mom was quick behind them, closing the garage door and then locking the entrance door behind her. She picks up the few scattered things and puts them into place. Kicking off her snow boots, she hears a familiar giggle of her youngest. The oldest three had already made it into the living room where their dad was with the baby.

"Daddy?" Genevieve asks, walking over to plop on the couch.

"What Ginny?"

"Am I playing with you tonight?"

"No, not tonight, remember, you guys are playing with me tomorrow, Friday night." Her father replies, picking up the baby. Theodora, was their youngest at ten months old. Genevieve was 9, with her two younger siblings Arlo and Sylvie were four-year-old twins. Their dad was an online game streamer and would stream just after dinner for a few hours. Looking at his daughter, he could see how sad she was.

"Look, I know how bummed you are but, I told everyone, including mom, that we would stream tomorrow, we can play a fun game or something. You know that board game you like for our new game system."

Looking up, Shaun smiles, seeing his wife come in. She walks over and gives him a small kiss.

"Sadie, hi." He smiles again, bouncing the baby on his lap.

"How'd your day go?" She asks, leaning down to kiss Teddy.

"It was great, Teddy and I got a lot done, I edited two videos and even got some laundry done, amid the many diaper changes."

"Wow," Sadie replies, walking over and putting her purse down on the counter. The kids had already gotten up and were going to their rooms.

"What about you?" Shaun asks, trying to wrangle a wiggly baby.

"Well, school seemed like it took forever, today just seemed to drag on, I just couldn't wait for the day to end. It didn't help that I haven't been feeling well." Sadie sighs.

"So, you gunna make dinner?"

"Yeah, after I change this stinky ones diaper."

"Are you up for dinner? Do you feel ok?"

"Yeah, much better, I'm actually really hungry."

Diapers, had been changed, dinner made, and kids ready for bed. Shaun had freshened up and would head downstairs to start his stream. He would start, and as he was going through set up and subs in the beginning of his stream, the kids would come bounding down with mother and baby in tow. The kids had wanted to come down so bad, and although Sadie had tried to say no, they kept persisting. She figured if Shaun was up for it, they could spill the tea while she was down there anyways.

"DADDY!" Arlo yells, running in and jumping on his father.

"Hey! My boy!" 

As the kids file in and the baby is handed off, Shaun is trying to acknowledge his subs and also try to entertain the kids. He's holding the baby that was just handed to him by mysterious hands off-camera. The chat at this point is going crazy. They always love to see the kids, the baby especially. He knew his wife was ready to spill the beans but was trying to keep the kids from spilling it beforehand.

"Can daddy have a kissy?" He asks Teddy, trying to persuade a kiss out of his daughter and looking at his wife to see if she was ready to spill the beans. She nods, giving him a silent cue off-screen.

"So, the wife and I have an announcement to make."

The chat is still going crazy, and posting emotes out the wazoo. Shaun is reading chat as he waits for their reaction.

"We, I mean she, or is it us, whatever, a new baby is joining the family, a baby is coming next January!"

"I'm pregnant!"

By now, the chat is going crazy, people are so excited, and the energy in the room is off the charts. The kids can finally be excited around stream and Shaun and Sadie can relax a little and not have to keep a secret anymore. That was the hard part, having to hold in the secret. While reading chat, someone asked if they were excited.

"Oh, totally! It was a little bit of a surprise, but we are loving it, just hoping it's not twins, that's something we don't have room for. But, if that's the plan, then that's the plan. We already have one set."

"Ok, we've said the news, its bedtime, you guys have school tomorrow." Shaun smiles, kissing his daughter and handing her off to the wife.

"Say goodnight to chat! We will see you all tomorrow."

The kids say their goodbyes and start heading upstairs. Sylvie sneaking back to try and hang out with her dad. She jumps into the frame climbing on him.

"Sillll... I thought you were going to bed; you need to go to bed."

"Stay with daddy."

"I know you want to, but you gotta go to bed. Come on."

"Alright guys, I gotta take this one back upstairs. I'll be right back."

Turning off the camera, he gets up and picks up the child. He puts her on his hip and takes her upstairs. He finds his wife in the hallway.

"Look who tried to stay up late."

"There you are!"

"I want to stay up!"

"I know you do, but its bedtime and daddy has to work."

"Give daddy a kiss and say goodnight, you'll see him tomorrow."

The child kisses her father and Sadie takes her to her room so Shaun can go back to work.

Going back downstairs, he starts the stream back and checks to make sure he hasn't missed anything.

"Sorry about that guys, Sylvie thought she could sneak and stay up. I handed her off to mom, hopefully, she'll stay in bed. She's a sneaky one that Sylvie."

The stream goes well, and Shaun can finish and finally go to bed. No more secrets to keep him awake.