A Time to Grow

Addie Meets Miss Sophie

Addie - Age - 3 Days

The family had come home the day before and had a hectic first day back. It had taken some help from Suzanne but they survived the first day home. It was going to take some work but they knew together they could do it. Today was a big day though. Sophie was coming over to meet Addie for the first time and everyone wanted it to go perfectly. Kelly and Val had picked up dinner for the group before they came over. They decided they'd let Sophie meet Addie and then have dinner before hanging out for awhile until the girl's bedtimes came. Everyone was excited about this upcoming moment.

"Okay Sophie Bug, I know you're excited, but do you remember the rules?" Val asked her as he carried her in the sidewalk to his brother's house. Kelly was a step ahead of them carrying the bags of dinner.

"Be soft, be gentle, don't be loud, and don't.....umm I can't remember the last one." Sophie said burying her face into Val's neck.

"It's okay Bug, we'll help you, you just gotta do your best. The last one was don't jump..." Val said soothing his daughter.

"On Aunt Eta! I membered Momma!" She said feeling better that she remembered the last rule.

"Yes you did baby, good job. You remembered them. You ready to go in?" Kelly asked her as they got to the porch.

"Yes please Momma." Sophie said excitedly. Kelly knocked this time even though they had a key to the house. Maks answered shortly with a big smile on his face. Suzanne was right behind him so that she could help with the dinner bags.

"Hey little one. Are you excited?" Maks said reaching for his niece.

"Uh huh, I can't wait to meets my girl cousin Addie. Is she here? Oh and Unca Aks, I bringed her a pressie!" Sophie said bouncing in his arms. Maks laughed at her excitement.

"Whoa! That was super nice of you. I'll bet she'll love it! Yup, she's here. We gotta wait just one more minute though. Gigi wants to see you meet her and Aunt Peta was upstairs changing her diaper. We wanted her to be happy when she met you."

"I jus don't think I can't waits much longa Unca Aks." Sophie said with a touch of exasperation in her voice.

"I don't think you have to wait anymore Miss Sophie. I'm here and Aunt Peta just headed into the living room with Addie." Suzanne told the little girl.

"Alright let's go little one." Maks said as they headed into the room. Sophie gasped as soon as they entered and she could see the baby in Peta's arms. Maks settled in the seat next to Peta and shifted Sophie to his lap.

"Alright Sophie Bee, I'd like you to meet your little cousin Adeline Jane." Peta said shifting so Sophie could see her better.

"Oh my goodness. She's so tiny. She's tinier than my little baby doll!" She said in an excited whisper.

"She is very tiny, that's why we have to be easy with her remember baby?" Kelly said from across the room where she was tucked into Val as they watched the precious moment.

"I membered Momma. I whisperin too. Aunt Eta, can I give my girl cousin a kiss?" Sophie asked sweetly.

"Of course baby. Just be soft and kiss her on her forehead." Peta directed her. Her eyes filled with happy tears as she watched Sophie lean down and press a soft quick kiss to Addie's forehead and then come back up smiling.

"I did it." Sophie said excitedly.

"Yes you did little one." Maks said pressing a kiss to her head.

"Oh Aunt Eta, I haves a pressie for Addie." Sophie said squirming down and running to her mom for the present bag. She got it and brought it back. She waited a second and Maks scooped her back up.

"That was super sweet of you Bee, how about you open this one for her please?" Peta asked her niece who nodded in excitement at helping her cousin.

"We gots her a blankie just like mine! I wanted her to have it so she could hold it when she's scared cause my blankie keeps me safe and I love it." Sophie said holding out a light purple blanket that matched her fuzzy one that was edged in silk. It had been with her since she was born and she took it everywhere with her.

"Oh Soph! I'll bet she'll love it. We'll make sure she knows it came from you too. Okay?" Peta said smiling at her niece. She leaned over and kissed her nose.

"So Little One, how would you like to hold her?" Maks asked.

"For reals?" Sophie answered as her eyes grew as big as saucers.

"Yes, for real. Aunt Peta is going to help you but you can hold her." Maks said laughing at her.

"Okay. Now please?" She said looking at her uncle. He helped her down from his lap and took Addie from Peta so she could help Sophie get into her lap.

"Wait first I want a good Sophie Bee hug please?"

"I can do that!" Sophie said as she wrapped her arms around Peta's neck and squeezed.

"Love you Bee." Peta whispered into her ear.

"Love you too." Sophie whispered back.

"Okay, so now let's get you ready. You need to hold your arms like this and make sure you help keep her neck safe. She's not very strong yet so we have to make sure we help her hold her head up and everything, alright? I'm going to keep my arms under yours just to help you some okay? We'll teach you how to do it now with our help and then when she gets a bit bigger and stronger you may be able to hold her on your own."

"Oh my goodness. Okay, I do my bestest." Sophie said as she waited for Maks to lay the baby in her arms. Once he did her face lit up with such excitement but she kept quiet and calm.

"You can talk to her Bee. She likes hearing voices. Just don't yell. Talk like you'd talk to me or Uncle Maks right now okay?" Sophie nodded thinking for a second about what she wanted to say.

"Hi Addie, I'm your girl cousin Sophie. Right now yous super little so we can't do much things yet but I gonna help Aunt Eta and Unca Aks when I can that way when you do get bigger we can play together lots and have lots of fun. And they telled me I can help teach you things so I gonna do that too. And you have super lots of fun with Unca Aks and Aunt Eta. They always love me up lots and we have so much funs together so I know you love them too. I love you Addie." Sophie said giving her a quick kiss on the forehead again. Once she did that Addie's eyes opened and she looked up toward Sophie. "She's lookin at me. Aunt Eta, she's looking at me."

"She is Bee that's cause she heard all that sweet stuff you said to her and she wanted to let you know she loves you too. She can't talk yet so that was her way of telling you.

"Ok. I keep holding her?"

"For a little longer, then I think we're all going to eat dinner and maybe after you can help me feed her alright?"

"Really?" Sophie said looking backwards in amazement.

"Really." Peta said kissing her niece's nose as she giggled in excitement.

***** I hope everyone enjoyed! Let me know how you felt and like it up please! Thanks for reading!