Family Time.
Family Time.
I got an early call from Tim summoning me to the studio. One of the biggest things I despised was leaving my bed, especially when my wife was still asleep and I find young Katie curled up against her mama under our bed sheets. She liked to sneak beneath the blanket whenever she couldn't sleep.
Quietly making my way downstairs in nothing but my sweatpants, I prepare myself a coffee while absentmindedly checking my messages on my phone. There were a few from Tim after he had just called me. Jeez, give me a break man.
After texting him that I'd be there in twenty minutes, I scratch my bare chest and pour my coffee into a mug. Katie decorated it for me and I smile as I think about how big she's gotten. It was hard to believe it's been 6 whole years since she was born, 6 whole years since we brought her home for the first time. It really feels like just yesterday I was sitting on our couch and hugging her to my bare chest. Whenever I would hold her, Lauren had to pry her out of my arms because she would fall asleep and it was the most adorable thing ever and I wouldn't want to let her go.
My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of feet shuffling down the stairs. I smile and reach down when I see Katie running toward me, bending over to pick her up and pull her into my lap.
"Morning, Daddy!"
"Good morning, cupcake," I coo as I run my fingers through her wavy hair that she got from her mother. "You hungry?"
"Can I have cereal please?" she asks politely. She was big on manners.
I nod and set her down on her feet while I grab her box from the top of the fridge. "Of course you can, sweetheart."
Lauren walks in and chuckles. "Go get dressed, Katie. Your daddy will get your cereal."
Our energetic little girl grins and scurries off to her room.
"I've never seen her this excited to start the day," I chuckle as I pour her cereal into a bowl.
"Yeah," Lauren sighs. "What are you doing up so early anyway?"
"Tim is calling me in to the studio. I'm supposed to leave in a few minutes."
"Oh," she says with a slight frown. I bite my lip, knowing that it was Saturday and that we usually reserved that time for family.
I rub the back of my neck guiltily. "You didn't make any plans, did you?"
She shakes her head. "No, I was just...sorta hoping we could spend the day together."
"I'm sorry," I mumble, approaching her and pressing my lips to her forehead. "I'll make it up to you."
Her lips curl up, smiling at me knowingly. "I know you will."
Katie returns just as I finish pouring the milk, and she sits at the table.
"Baby, uhh, aren't you forgetting something?" her mom mumbles. My daughter shakes her head. "Nope."
"She probably means your shoes," I chuckle and go upstairs to change and bring them down to her. I lean down to put them on for her and kiss her forehead when I'm done. "There. Daddy has to go to work now, okay? I'll try to be home early." Returning to my full height, I wink at Lauren. "Later."
She rolls her eyes and calls me as I reach the front door. "Are you sure you dont wanna see what your daughter got you?"
Before I could respond, Katie is at my feet, clinging to my leg. "Pleaaaase don't go, daddy? I wanted to play today."
I laugh and try to shake her off, but she won't budge. "Baby, I have to go. We can play later, okay?"
"But I wanted you to help me make mama's present for the baby and give you yours!"
I freeze in my tracks. "What?"
"Surprise daddy, I'm gonna be a big sister!"
Raising my head to stare at Lauren, I catch her trying to hide a huge smile. "You're pregnant?" I ask breathlessly.
She raises her shoulders and bites her lip. "You're going to make it up to me, alright. With twice as many family days."
I chuckle as I look down at my little girl, in shock. I pick her up. "You're gonna be a sister! Congrats, cupcake. And what did you get me, huh?"
"A new mug!" she reveals proudly.
My face breaks out into a wide grin and I look between the two of them. A whole new addition to the family. I just found out I was going to have another kid and I'm supposed leave them to record?
I'll just call Tim back.
Quietly making my way downstairs in nothing but my sweatpants, I prepare myself a coffee while absentmindedly checking my messages on my phone. There were a few from Tim after he had just called me. Jeez, give me a break man.
After texting him that I'd be there in twenty minutes, I scratch my bare chest and pour my coffee into a mug. Katie decorated it for me and I smile as I think about how big she's gotten. It was hard to believe it's been 6 whole years since she was born, 6 whole years since we brought her home for the first time. It really feels like just yesterday I was sitting on our couch and hugging her to my bare chest. Whenever I would hold her, Lauren had to pry her out of my arms because she would fall asleep and it was the most adorable thing ever and I wouldn't want to let her go.
My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of feet shuffling down the stairs. I smile and reach down when I see Katie running toward me, bending over to pick her up and pull her into my lap.
"Morning, Daddy!"
"Good morning, cupcake," I coo as I run my fingers through her wavy hair that she got from her mother. "You hungry?"
"Can I have cereal please?" she asks politely. She was big on manners.
I nod and set her down on her feet while I grab her box from the top of the fridge. "Of course you can, sweetheart."
Lauren walks in and chuckles. "Go get dressed, Katie. Your daddy will get your cereal."
Our energetic little girl grins and scurries off to her room.
"I've never seen her this excited to start the day," I chuckle as I pour her cereal into a bowl.
"Yeah," Lauren sighs. "What are you doing up so early anyway?"
"Tim is calling me in to the studio. I'm supposed to leave in a few minutes."
"Oh," she says with a slight frown. I bite my lip, knowing that it was Saturday and that we usually reserved that time for family.
I rub the back of my neck guiltily. "You didn't make any plans, did you?"
She shakes her head. "No, I was just...sorta hoping we could spend the day together."
"I'm sorry," I mumble, approaching her and pressing my lips to her forehead. "I'll make it up to you."
Her lips curl up, smiling at me knowingly. "I know you will."
Katie returns just as I finish pouring the milk, and she sits at the table.
"Baby, uhh, aren't you forgetting something?" her mom mumbles. My daughter shakes her head. "Nope."
"She probably means your shoes," I chuckle and go upstairs to change and bring them down to her. I lean down to put them on for her and kiss her forehead when I'm done. "There. Daddy has to go to work now, okay? I'll try to be home early." Returning to my full height, I wink at Lauren. "Later."
She rolls her eyes and calls me as I reach the front door. "Are you sure you dont wanna see what your daughter got you?"
Before I could respond, Katie is at my feet, clinging to my leg. "Pleaaaase don't go, daddy? I wanted to play today."
I laugh and try to shake her off, but she won't budge. "Baby, I have to go. We can play later, okay?"
"But I wanted you to help me make mama's present for the baby and give you yours!"
I freeze in my tracks. "What?"
"Surprise daddy, I'm gonna be a big sister!"
Raising my head to stare at Lauren, I catch her trying to hide a huge smile. "You're pregnant?" I ask breathlessly.
She raises her shoulders and bites her lip. "You're going to make it up to me, alright. With twice as many family days."
I chuckle as I look down at my little girl, in shock. I pick her up. "You're gonna be a sister! Congrats, cupcake. And what did you get me, huh?"
"A new mug!" she reveals proudly.
My face breaks out into a wide grin and I look between the two of them. A whole new addition to the family. I just found out I was going to have another kid and I'm supposed leave them to record?
I'll just call Tim back.