We're Having Our Baby

Thirty Eight

Harry's P.O.V. March 18th, Charlie 15 weeks

"Uncle Harry?" Mason spots me first as I stand outside my car in the line to pick up the boys from school.

Em and I wanted to surprise them with a sleep over tonight, so I told Jared that I'd pick them up.

"Uncle Harry!!!!" Jamie sees me second and comes running, headfirst towards what I thought would be the car, but instead he runs right into me for a hug.

"Hey buddy!" I pick up the smaller kid who weighs a bit more because of his backpack.

"What are you doing here!" Jamie asks.

"We're having a sleep over," I smile as they get all giddy. "All right, climb in the car so we can get going." I usher them into the Range Rover and help them buckle into their booster seats so we can move faster. I really don't want to get caught up in the after-school traffic.

"Can we have pizza for dinner again!" Mason asks as I buckle myself and put the car into drive.

"Uh sure. Actually, have you guys ever made your own pizzas?" I get an idea.

"No, I don't think so," Mason answers and Jamie agrees with him.

"Then we'll have homemade pizza for dinner! Are you guys up to going to the store right now or should we stop at my house first?"

"The store!" Jamie says first.

"No one has to use the bathroom first?" I clarify.

"Nope," they both answer me, so I change routes and head to my favorite grocery store.

As we walk from the car park into the store, I tell the boys that I won't be getting a bunch of snacks and sugar this time. They complain a bit, but I remind them that we're making pizzas and they'll be too busy having fun to want Oreos and ice cream and other candies.

"What do you guys want on your pizza?" I ask as we head to the meat section of the store after I've put sauce and some dough balls in the cart. This grocery store has those carts with the seats for the kids to sit in, which I'm thankful for because it will make this trip a lot faster if they can't run off. I don't like to spend too much time in the store, I'd rather get what I need and leave as soon as possible.

"Pepperoni!" Jamie says.

"I like pepperoni AND sausage," Mason tells me.

"No olives? Anchovies? Peppers?" I mess with them, and they shake their heads in disgust.

"Okay, then, pepperoni and sausage it is," I say and search through the aisles for our ingredients.

"I don't want sausage, Uncle Harry," Jamie speaks up.

"Everyone gets their own pizza, so we won't put sausage on yours," I tell him.

"Ohhh. I get it now."

After I've picked out the meats for the boys, it's time to head to the dairy section for the cheese... which I remember is also where the ice cream is. Of course, being as smart as they are, the boys pick up on this too.

"Uncle Harry," Mason starts, "I feel like it's just not a sleepover without ice cream," he says in his guilting little voice, but I will not give in. I need to practice saying no to these kids, otherwise I'll never get out of my spoiling habit, and I'll do the same with Charlie.

"I think we can," I tell him.

"We can get ice cream?" Jamie asks.

"No," I laugh, "We can have a fun sleep over without ice cream. If I feed you guys a bunch of sugar every time you come over, your dad will stop letting us have sleep overs!" I tell them.