Missing Year

Aquarium

At the Sea Cliffs exhibit, the family watched sea otters swimming around and relaxing on land. Hope babbles. "Those are sea otters, little love."

A sea otter swims pass by the family, "Hi!" Hope giggles.

"Mom, I think she wants to take a sea otter home with us."

Emma chuckles. "I have a feeling your Dad will let her..."

"Swan, sea otters live in the ocean. Besides, we have no room in our apartment to have a freezing ocean for a sea otter to live in." Hope babbles.

"Hopey, you like sea otters!"

"Yes!" She kissed her daughter on the cheek.

"Swan? How about we have some playtime before someone's next nap?"

"I do need to sit down." Henry leads his family to the children's room in the mammal theme playroom. Emma sat down and watched Killian playing with Hope. She rubs her baby bump, Ian was kicking most of the day feeling the excitement of the aquarium. Henry sits next to his Mom and hugged her.

"Are you having fun?"

"Yes, are you? I noticed you are tired."

"Your brother is kicking which is a good sign."

"He knows we are near the water." He rubs his Mom's baby bump. "You are smart baby bro. You love the water just like our Dad and our sister. Are you jealous of Hope wanting to be with Dad?"

Emma smiles. "No, because I know Hope loves spending time with your Dad. He is busy working at the docks and with me at night." She rubs her baby bump.

"She loves being with you, Mom. Sometimes when you leave the house without her and dad is with her...she cries a lot."

"She does?"

"Yes. She loves being on your side, Mom. She is your mini-me."

"She is doing her job as my mini-me." Hope falls down at one playground area and begins crying. Killian holds his daughter. Emma waddles over to Hope. "Baby girl."

"Mama."

Killian laid his daughter to his swan. "Sweetie, you are okay." Hope gripped her Mama. "You are with Mama."

"Swan, it was not a high fall, she just tripped. No scrapes."

"I know." She smooths her daughter's head. "She got afraid and wants her Mama." She waddles over to their spot and sets Hope on her lap. "Where does your boo-boos hurt?" Hope showed her hands. She kissed her daughter's hands. "There all better." Hope cries lessens. She hugged her daughter as best as she can with her baby belly in the way. "You are with Mama, Hope. You are okay." She kissed her daughter on the head.

"Love, do you want to get lunch?"

"Yes."

They went to the Seaside Cafe. Hope was clinging to her Mama as they walked. "Love, I can hold her."

"I can hold her. She will cry if she is not with me."

Henry quickly found a table for his Mom to sit down holding Hope. Killian and Henry bought oven-fried pizza, tacos, and nacho-covered fries.

Emma tries to get her daughter to eat something, who was not eating. "Hope, you need to eat, baby girl."

"No."

"I have your own food for you." Killian gives her the diaper bag. Emma opens the small containers of chopped-up bananas, blueberries, and yogurt. Hope babbles.

"She likes fruit just like me." Hope was covered with fruit stains and yogurt after she finished her lunch.

Emma wiped the stains off her daughter with baby wipes. Hope takes the wipes packet. "You want to clean yourself?"

"Yes." Hope moved the wipe around her face.

Emma chuckles. "Good job, baby duckling."

Killian was pushing Hope in the stroller as she was taking her nap in the stroller, he, Emma and Henry went to exhibits where they were interested such as turtles and electric eels. Henry chose sharks, as they were entering the sharks' exhibit, covered with glass walls from the sides and ceilings of different sharks swimming above them. Henry was in awe.

Killian photos of Emma, Henry, and Hope in each exhibit on Henry's camera. He took photos of his parents at each exhibit.

The family returned home late at night after getting dinner on the way home from Brooklyn. Killian carried Hope inside who was fast asleep. Henry went to get ready for bed. Emma took a shower and went to bed right away. Killian tucks Hope in her crib. "Sweet dreams, little love." He went to check on his son. "Ready for bed?"

"Yes, Dad. I want to read a book before going to bed."

"Okay, do not go to bed too late."

"I won't."

Killian joined Emma into bed after taking a shower. Emma rolled over to her husband. "You are here."

"I am right here, love. Hope is fast asleep and Henry is reading before bed."

"Good." She yawns. He kissed her on the head and hugged his wife. Emma smiles in her sleep with her husband at her side.