Finding Emma

Elijah's First Birthday

It was now March 4th, 2011. It was almost Elijah's birthday. Elijah had started walking and was getting into everything. Karen and Jimi were having a small party. They didn't want anything too extravagant since he was turning one and wouldn't remember any of this. They were inviting the members of the band and their families.

It was a Saturday morning and Elijah's birthday is the next day. Karen was lying in bed wide awake at 6:00 making a mental to-do list of everything she had to do that day. She decided to get up and get started since she wasn't getting any sleep anyways. She grabbed the baby monitor and went downstairs to get started.

First she decided to make some coffee. While she was waiting for the coffee to be done, she started picking up some of Elijah's toys and putting them back in his toy bin even though she knew that they would be thrown all over as soon as he got up.

Jimi was still upstairs asleep. He rolled over to put his arm around Karen, but realized she wasn't there. He sat up slightly and looked at the clock. It was 6:15 and Elijah doesn't normally wake up until 7:00. He looked around the room and noticed that the baby monitor was not where it usually was. He figured Karen was downstairs.

He climbed out of bed and walked downstairs to find Karen, sitting at the counter with a cup of coffee and a notepad and the baby monitor sitting next to her. He walked up behind her and kissed the top of her head. "What are you doing up so early?" Jimi asked. "Figuring out what I still have to do today" Karen said, not looking up from her list. Jimi walked over to the cupboard and grabbed a coffee mug. "Is there anything you want me to do?" "If you could keep Elijah and Emma occupied while I get everything done that would be a huge help. And my parents flight lands at 4:30 today so if you could pick them up while I get things done that would be a huge help too" Karen said. "Anything you need" Jimi said and poured himself coffee. He sat down next to her and they drank their coffee. They heard Elijah in the monitor. Karen stood up to go get him. "I can get him" Jimi said. "Thank you" Karen said and sat back down and continued writing out her list.

Jimi went upstairs and got Elijah out of his crib. He changed his diaper and then dressed him for the day. He walked downstairs with Elijah on his hip. He brought him over to the kitchen. "Good morning Mommy" Jimi said in a high pitched voice and leaned Elijah close to Karen. She looked up and smiled at him. "Good morning baby" she said and kissed his forehead and Elijah smiled and flapped his arms.

Jimi then set him in his high chair and started making his cereal. Karen started on the first thing on her list which was cleaning the living room. She walked into the living room and picked everything up off the floor and dusted and vacuumed it.

Around 8:00 Emma came downstairs. "Why is it so noisy?" she said as she descended from the stairs. "I'm cleaning" Karen said. "Why so early?" Emma asked. "Because I have a million things to do and this is first on my list" Karen replied. Emma giggled and walked into the kitchen. She grabbed a bowl and poured herself some cereal then sat down at the counter. "So mom wants us to stay out of the way today, so I thought we could go to the park and lunch then go pick up Grandma and Grandpa from the airport" Jimi said. "Ok, sounds good to me" Emma said and ate her cereal.

Jimi finished feeding Elijah, then cleaned him up. Emma finished up eating as well then went upstairs and showered and got ready for the day. She came back downstairs. "I'm ready" She said. Jimi picked Elijah up and they started walking towards the door. "Have fun guys. And don't forget to pick up my parents at the airport at 4:30" Karen reminded Jimi. "Don't worry I won't" Jimi said and kissed her.

Jimi buckled Elijah into his car seat and Emma hopped in the passenger seat. They drove to the park. Jimi unbuckled Elijah and carried him over to the toddler area. Emma went for the swings. Elijah pulled himself up and walked around on the playground.