You Stayed With Us

Aquatic Adventures

Lisa's POV

The week had finally drawn to a close, and the sweet taste of the weekend hung in the air like a promise. Jennie caught me during breakfast with a smile and a small announcement. She was taking Ella out for a much-needed girls' day—manicures, pedicures, and all the pampering they could handle at the parlor.

That left me with the wild trio: Noah, Nathan, and Scarlett, plus Cooper, the ever-patient golden retriever who deserved an award for surviving our daily mischeif.

"No problem," I said, trying to sound confident. Inside, I was already bracing myself.

The twins wasted no time pitching their next big idea. "Dada, can we go somewhere? Please? Anywhere?" they asked, their eyes sparkling with mischief.

Scarlett babbled from her high chair, waving her chubby hands wildly.

Without much thought, I agreed. "Alright, how about the aquarium park? You can see fishies and turtles!"

Big mistake. I had no idea what I was in for.

Back in the bedroom, I helped get the kids dressed. Noah and Nathan insisted on matching outfits—blue button down shirt and shorts to match—because, of course, they were twins. Scarlett wore her favorite shirt under a cozy denim jumper, her bangs bouncing as she laughed at Cooper, who was watching intently.

Scarlett reached out, tugging on my sleeve. "Cooper go?"

I shook my head with a smile. "Not this time, baby. No dogs allowed inside."

Her face fell, and she gave Cooper a solemn kiss on the nose. The twins followed suit, planting kisses and hugs on Cooper like it was the last day of summer camp. Cooper simply wagged his tail, blissfully unaware he wasn't coming along.

The moment we arrived at the aquarium, the first thing the kids did was race toward a giant statue of a sea turtle at the entrance. Before I could even blink, Noah was halfway up the turtle's back, and Nathan had scrambled onto the flipper. Scarlett toddled after them, attempting her own climb, her tiny fingers gripping the smooth stone.

My eyes practically bugged out. "No climbing on the statues, guys! Come on!" I called, buying our tickets with one eye on them.

Noah grinned mischievously. "We're just exploring, Dada!"

Nathan added, "Like real sea turtles!"

I shook my head, trying to suppress a smile. "Real sea turtles don't climb statues, but okay..."

Once inside, the aquarium felt like a magical underwater kingdom. The first exhibit was the starfish touch pool. The kids' eyes widened as they dipped their fingers in the cool water, but chaos quickly followed.

"Noah! Don't splash!" I warned as he gleefully sent waves of water onto the glass.

Nathan laughed, "I'm making waves, Dada!"

Scarlett, meanwhile, had her tongue pressed to the aquarium wall, giggling uncontrollably. "Fishy! Fishy!" she babbled, trying to catch her reflection.

I gently pulled her away, "No licking the glass, baby! It's not juice!"

"No juic—ahh!" she protested, but gave me her best puppy eyes anyway.

Next up was the sealion show. The kids were utterly captivated as the seals flipped and clapped, but not before the twins got themselves into trouble again.

"Look, Dada! That one can jump so high!" Nathan exclaimed.

"I wanna jump like that!" Noah declared, attempting a little leap off the bench... and nearly falling off.

"Careful!" I cautioned, grabbing his arm just in time.

Scarlett clapped her hands, squealing in delight, and tried to mimic the sealion's barks. "Arrh! Arrh!"

A nearby kid laughed, "She's a little sealion too!"

I laughed too, thankful for the brief calm.

The jellyfish exhibit was next, the dim lighting and glowing creatures creating a calming effect I desperately needed.

"Look at those glowing squishies!" Noah whispered.

Nathan pressed his face to the glass. "They're like space aliens."

Scarlett pointed excitedly at the jellyfish floating like ghosts, "Oooh, goo!"

I smiled, crouching down to her level. "Not goo, baby. Jellyfish."

She blinked and tried to say "jelly" but ended up with "jew-jee" and burst into laughter.

Ella would have loved this part, I thought, missing her and Jennie a little.

As we made our way through the exhibits, I was starting to feel the full weight of the day—sticky fingers, repeated requests for snacks, and a few narrowly avoided tumbles.

But we powered through and ended the day at the souvenir shop.

"Each of you gets one toy," I said firmly, holding up my fingers.

"No way!" Noah and Nathan shouted in unison.

Scarlett clutched my leg, eyes wide and hopeful.

Negotiations began immediately.

"Noah, that's two toys!" I said, trying to hold my ground.

"But Dada, I want the shark and the turtle!" he pleaded.

Nathan joined in, "Me too! I want the big jellyfish and the starfish!"

I sighed. "Okay... maybe two toys each. But that's it!"

After much bargaining, giggling, and a few bribes involving extra ice cream later, we all walked out with four toys each. The kids were victorious, I was exhausted.

Back at home, the house was quiet. Jennie and Ella still hadn't returned, and the twins and Scarlett were curled up on our bed, clutching their new treasures like precious gems. Cooper rested at their feet, finally at peace.

"Noah, Nathan, Scarlett," I whispered, brushing a hair off Scarlett's forehead. "Did you have fun today?"

"Nooo," Nathan teased, "we had the best day!"

Scarlett giggled and babbled "Dada!" while hugging her turtle toy tight.

I felt a lump in my throat as the kids' little voices filled the room.

"You're the best Dada," Noah said softly.

"I wuv you, Dada," Scarlett whispered, eyes fluttering closed.

I hugged them all tightly. "I love you too, my wild crew."

As their breathing evened and the room grew quiet, I thought about what happened today—the wild climbs, the slippery walls, the loud splashes and realized. These were the moments I'd never forget.

I kissed each of them on the forehead, whispering, "Thank you for the best day."

And as I sat back, exhausted but full of love, I silently promised myself to choose a less wild adventure next time. Or at least pack extra snacks.