Passion's Instinct

Twenty Two

Pic in media: Sawyer Christensen

Natalie

I sighed as I opened my eyes that morning, just getting used to the brightness of the sun that flooded through the windows. I squinted down at Hayden, who had fallen asleep last night with his head on my stomach and his body below mine. I smiled and ran my hand through his hair.

I could hear Sawyer calling me repeatedly from his crib in his room, and I knew I had to get up. Slowly, I untangled Hayden from my body and laid his head back down on the mattress, gently.

I climbed out of bed and walked to Sawyer's room, where he was standing, wide awake, clinging onto the side with his little fists.

"Mama!" he said, squealing and bouncing up and down on his legs.

"Hi, baby!" I said, smiling. I lifted him into my arms and kissed his cheek. "Did you just wake up?"

He didn't answer, only laid his head full of blonde curls on my chest. I kissed the top of his head. "Want to go see Daddy?"

Sawyer shook his head vigorously, and I could see a toothy smile when I angled my head down to look at his face. I smiled and walked to mine and Hayden's room and leaned down, kissing his cheek. "What do you say, Sawyer? Wake up, sleepyhead."

Hayden stirred slightly, his long eyelashes fluttering. "Morning," he mumbled, smiling a little. He pinched Sawyer's cheek playfully, and Sawyer laughed, reaching his arms out to his father. I set Sawyer in Hayden's arms and laid down next to them on our bed. "I love my boys," I said, kissing both of their heads. Their curls were the same, except Sawyer's were bleach blonde.

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Later that day, once Hayden woke up and we all ate breakfast, we went to the aquarium. We were in one of the long hallways filled with shark tanks when Sawyer started repeating the word "shark" over and over again. It sounded like "shawk!"

"Shawk! Shawk!" Sawyer said, pointing to the sharks swimming inside the tank. He spun his head around to look at Hayden, who was holding him.

"Yeah, shark," Hayden said, smiling. He pointed with his one free hand to another shark. "Look at that one."

"Cool!" Sawyer said, beaming.

"Hey, buddy, we need to go in a few minutes. Is there anything else you want to see before we leave?" I asked Sawyer, tousling his curls.

"I don' know."

"Do you want to just go?"

"I don' want to weave, vo," he said, his eyebrows coming together in worry.

"Well, we have to leave if you want dinner."

"But..."

"We can come back anytime, bud," Hayden interjected.

"Okay," Sawyer replied slowly, taking it into consideration.

"Alright. Let's go," Hayden said. We walked out and went home, spending the rest of the night on the couch and laughing about anything and everything.