2 years old

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-Taylors Pov-

"mama lub u" Maddie says as she toddles around the living room. It's her favorite thing to say, I love you. if she knows what it truly means I don't actually know nor do I care, I find it precious that she is trying to say it anyway. "good girl, I love you. can you follow Mommy? I l-o-v-e y-o-u" I sound out the letters for her to try to mimic better and she gives it a real attempt but can't quite get it yet. She can clearly say some words perfectly, but some things are still a little hard. She is only almost two though, so it will come with time.

"let's go up and see your daddy in your new sister's room. He is painting it a pretty color" I coo her and pick her up before we head upstairs. In a week the two kids we want to adopt are moving in, so we are getting everything ready for them.

"look it's pink!" I point to the walls when we get into the room where Travis and Avery are. Avery is playing with his action figures on the floor while Travis is painting the walls a soft pink for the girl. We already did the boy's room a green because green is apparently his favorite color.

"pink!" Maddie matches me and I coo her some more. I love hearing the kids talk, and I'm so excited for them to develop more in that area.

"do you like it, Maddie?" Travis says as he comes over with a paint roller in his hand. He wanted to paint the rooms himself, not hire someone to do it, and I'm not going to say no to that. later we are putting together the furniture together as well, after the kids go to bed or tomorrow when the nanny is here. we want to be hands-on with every part of this because it means a lot to us to let them into our home and family.

"Mama!" Avery says and toddles his way over "Arm" he says so I pick up them both, one on each hip. They are getting heavy, but I don't have the heart to not carry them either. They are small for being two years old anyway, so it's not that bad. I'll carry them for as long as I can because I know there will come a time when they won't want cuddles from their mommy anymore. They will be too cool for cuddles.

"come on munchkins. Let's get a snack so daddy can keep working" I take them down to the kitchen and place them in their chairs before going to make a snack for them. I cut up some veggies and made hummus earlier, so that's what's for snack today. We try to mix healthy stuff with the usual kids' stuff that they snack on, to mix it up. We don't want to deprive them of fun foods, but we want to make sure they get all the vitamins and things they need as well. Thankfully neither kid is a picky eater.

** The next day **

"hand me the drill," Travis says, and I do it before I keep matching up pieces of this dresser to be screwed together. the kids are downstairs with their nanny while we are working on the kids' rooms. "we don't have much time to do this before the party" I point out and he nods "I know. I just want to get a head start."

Am I in a dress on the floor helping out, yes, I am. we are celebrating the twin's second birthday today, but Travis wanted to work on the rooms a bit before then. They are coming in a few days, so we want to have everything ready before they get here.

"I can't believe they will be here soon" I mumble because it feels surreal that we are taking in two older kids into our family. I'm worried about the things that can go wrong, and I'm worried about how they are going to get along with Avery and Maddie, but it will all work itself out. "it will work out Taylor, I have a good feeling" Travis says and leans over to kiss me.

Travis is my solid ground, my rock. Without him, I think I would be pretty lost in the middle of all of this. But he keeps me grounded and I couldn't be more thankful for that.

There is a ringing of a doorbell downstairs "It's starting" I say and stand up, stretching my muscles from being down on the floor for the last hour. "come on babe, time to be parents" I reach a handout for Travis to take, pretending that I can actually drag him up when I know I don't have a chance at actually helping my big man off the floor.

We head downstairs and open the door for Jason, Kylie, and their girls "Hi guys!" I say and hug everyone. They flew in from Philly to be here and that makes me really happy. Even though we are far away from them we make a relationship between our families work regardless.

One after another come to our door and we let everyone in as the house fills up with family, friends, and a ton of football players. There are plenty of kids between everyone so there seems to be a kid any way you look around you.

"so you're playing another season?" Jason asks Travis where the four of us are standing "Yeah, I signed the contract yesterday actually. Not retiring yet. But between us, it's coming soon. Probably next year"

I know Travis doesn't want to retire, so he keeps going for as long as he can possibly go on for. He lives and breathes football, and I don't know if he knows what he would do without it. that might just be me though, but I think he needs it somehow.

-Travis Pov-

I've gotten a lot of questions about if I'm retiring or not today, but I'm not. I'm sticking with it another season, after that, I don't know. I'm getting older and my body isn't what it used to be. It wasn't official until yesterday that I was sticking around for another season, so I get the questions, but it also stings that it's something they even have to ask. It's just another proof that it's getting closer to that for me, that I'm closer to having to hang up my helmet permanently. My brother did it two years ago, and now it's getting closer for me as well.

"I'm excited for the kiddos you're taking in now. It's in a few days, right?" Kylie being the saint she is changes the subject. "yes, on Monday they are dropped off here. it's terrifying but we are ready" Taylor says, and I can sense the waver in her confidence about it. I know she is worried something is going to go wrong, but I don't think there is. So I need to be strong for both of us. It's a big deal to take in kids that aren't really your own, but I think this is the right move for us and I know Taylor thinks so as well, she is just having some last-minute nerves.

"Mama Dada" Maddie shrieks as she comes toddling over, breaking up our conversation. I pick her up and twirl her around making the people around us cheer. She is laughing so hard I can't help but join my little princess in it.

Taylor put together a mismatched party with half princesses and half superheroes to give each kid something they like. Maddie is walking around in a blue Elsa dress and having the time of her life on a sugar high while Avery is having fun playing with his cousins. It's the perfect second birthday for them.

A little later on Taylor brings out one cake for each kid to match the theme and everyone settles to watch the kiddos blow out their two candles. Neither one of them does what they are supposed to though of course, so Wyatt comes to the rescue and blows out the candles making everyone snicker and Maddie clap.

Putting this much sugar in our kids is probably a horrible idea that will keep us up all night, but it's worth it to see them so happy basking in all the attention. Well. Maddie loves the attention while Avery is more interested in just playing with the other kids. The kids are so different, and I love it. Maddie walks to the beat of her own drum and Avery seems to like to blend with everyone else. It's funny how you can recognize things even at two years old, and I wonder I it will stay that way as they get older. Only time will tell. 

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