A Time to Grow

Love You Forever, Like You For Always

Addie - Age - 5 Years
Peta - Pregnancy - 23 Weeks

"Papa, will you read it one more time please?" Addie asked from her place in his lap. Maks looked at the clock on his phone and saw that they were already 20 minutes past bedtime. Not usually a big deal but this was becoming Addie's new thing.

"Baby, it's bedtime." He said gently not wanting to set her off but trying to get her into bed.

"Papa, please. It's my favorite." She said blinking her puppy dog eyes at him.

"Adeline."

"Fine." She said as she slipped out of his lap and headed to her bed. Maks put his head down and counted to three. She had been an angel of a child up until this last month when she suddenly began to challenge her parents.

"Hey, are you supposed to talk back to me or Momma?" He said as he moved over to her bed.

"No, but I just wanted to hear the story one more time." She said softly as she fiddled with Nosey's ear.

"I know, but remember when it's time to get up in the mornings and you're kinda super cranky and then you fight with me and Momma and so then you get things taken away?"

"Yeah."

"Well, that's cause you're not getting enough sleep and it's not that I'm being mean or don't want to read to you more but it's important that you sleep baby."

"Yeah but what happens when you can't read to me anymore?"

"Sweetheart, why wouldn't I be able to read to you anymore?"

"Well because Clara is coming and she has to sleep lots like Alex and so if she's in my room when she's sleeping then you won't be able to read me a story before I go to sleep." She said looking sad.

"Addie, that's not going to happen baby." Maks said laying down next to her and pulling her into him.

"Papa, we can't wake up Clara." Addie said adamantly as she snuggled into her father.

"Clara is going to have her own room so we won't have to worry about waking her up." Maks explained.

"But why? Why won't she sleep in here with me?"

"Because remember how much Clara will need sleep? She'll also wake up a bunch of times at first so Momma and I wouldn't want her waking you up all the time. Plus you're getting to be a big girl and you need to have your own room for when you need Addie time."

"Oh. well when she's not waking up all the time, can she sleep in here with me sometimes?"

"It won't be for quite awhile but yes, once she's older you two can have sleepovers in your room okay?"

"With sleeping bags?"

"Sure."

"What room is Clara going to sleep in Papa?" She said yawning as she pulled Nosey & Blankie in closer.

"She's going to sleep in the office."

"In the desk?" Maks laughed at that point not being able to control himself at his daughter's random thought.

"No silly girl. First we have to take all the office stuff out, then we'll clean, and then we'll get new furniture and decorate it for Clara. Just like we did with your room in here."

"Can I help?"

"If you want."

"Do I have to clean?" She said wrinkling her nose.