~JANUARY, 2025~
~MANUELA~
A week of me and Ben getting along with the situation he put us in he has been totally different person that he was since the night I heard his conversation with Joanna that he still doesn't know I heard.
"Da-da" I heard Grace and I immediately looked at her totally surprised
"Did she just-" Ben asked looking at me as I saw sparkle in his eyes, and I nodded
"You just said dada, huh? totally made daddy's day baby" he said taking her from her baby walker
The rest of the evening he couldn't take a smile of his face and I can say it made these hard weeks for both of us. It was her first word and day by day is more and more obvious that she is so daddy's girl.
I was making Grace dinner as I saw Ben holding her by hands as she was walking towards me.
"Look at you, you're getting better every day" I said smiling at her as she was also smiling "Are you hungry?" I asked but she just continued to walk
"she's barely holding my fingers" Ben said and looked at me for a second
"she's getting strength and I don't doubt she would walk for the first time in these three weeks" I said remembering that our little one is three months away from her first birthday, she was early in a lot of things even in pregnancy even now and I won't be surprised that she will walk before turning 12 months
"Okay, let's go baby, dinner is ready" I said putting plate on table in front of her feeding chair as Ben put her in "let's go baby, open up" I said showing her to open her mouth
"And plane is going to land.... yes" I said smiling feeding her as she was waving her hands happily
"M-mm....one for daddy" I said, and she shook her legs in happiness
"One for mummy" I said as she was looking at me with these the most beautiful mixture of hazel and blue eyes "One for Oscar" I said and I immediately heard Oscar barking
As I feed her, Ben went upstairs with her putting her to sleep as I stayed to clean dishes and Grace's toys that she left all over the floor in living room.
THREE WEEKS LATER
It was Grace's first birthday and Ben decided to make her birthday party but without me seeing anything before Grace, so we had to spent day outside with Sophia while Mason and him was setting everything up.
It was now time for Sophia, Grace and me to get home and see what Ben has made for his daughter.
On the empty wall in living room there were all balloons set up in half circle in pink colours. On the white base behind balloons where written Grace's first year around sun and in front of it was table that was set from lighting letters ONE and glass on it that was holding little cakes and one bigger cake that was also in light pink colours.
"Look at it, baby" I said showing Grace beautiful present that her dad made for her "Look at balloons and cake" I said pointing from balloons to cake as she was following my finger with her gaze
She started kicking her legs letting me know she want to go on floor, so I put her down and she made few small steps but fell on the floor crawling towards table and balloons.
James, Kennedy, Leo, Mason, Reece, Harvey, Kai, Timo, Sophia, Julia, Ben's and mine family were already there looking at Grace happily looking at balloons.
"Thank you all for coming" I said and smiled at them as they were waiting for each other who is going to go first to Grace
"Since everyone is clearly scared to approach this little cutie, I'm going to be first and show you that she doesn't bite" Mason said causing everyone laugh and he went to Grace
He took her in hands as her hands immediately flew to his cheeks and smile grew even more on her face. She loved him so much and it was clearly to be seen just by her smile whenever he was close to her.
"hey" I smiled at Daisy as she came to me hugging me
"hey" she smiled at me
"you're so big already" I said not believe how big she is at the age of nine
She is definitely on dad with height, and, in one hand, I was jealous because of that but in other hand I was glad because I would be now probably taller than Ben which she definitely won't like because he always says he loves that I am smaller than him because when he hugs me my head fall right on his chest so I can hear beats of heart that beat for me.
"I have to tell you something" Sophia said as we came to kitchen for drinks for boys as they all were in living room having fun with Leo and Grace
"what's up?" I asked looking at her
"Um...I don't want to put attention on me now, but I can't hide it anymore" she said nervously
"What happened?" I asked
"I'm pregnant" she said, and my eyes and mouth wide opened as I put hand on my mouth keeping myself from screaming
"Are you kidding me?" I asked as she showed me to be quiet
"I did test yesterday but I still didn't tell Mason" she said
"I'm so happy for you" I said hugging her "he's going to be over moon" I said, and she nodded
"I know, all those moments that he spent with Grace and Summer just helped me realize he is going to be an amazing father" she said as I saw tears in her eyes
"And you're going to be an amazing mum" I said wiping her cheeks
"I'm just not sure if he is ready" she said, and I looked to living room finding Mason making Leo and Grace laugh
"You see that?" I asked "He is so ready for it" I said
"it's seemed when he is with them but what if he is not ready for his own?" she asked, and I totally understood why she is worried
"Remember in what state I was when I found out that I'm pregnant?" I asked and she nodded smiling "And at the end I realised I was worried without need" I said hugging her as we were looking at boys in living room