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Dani sat on the couch, her son Alastair resting in her arms after feeding. The little boy clutched happily at her loose top as she gazed down at him. ‘Going to sleep now, little fellow?’
Alastair responded with a wet burp and happy babbling. His little fists opened and closed a few times.
Mia came into the room. ‘Daddy’s going to get Gracie into bed tonight. He put water on for some tea.’
‘Your daddy is very sweet.’
The 7 year old girl sat up on the couch beside her mother. She reached over and let Alastair grab for her finger. ‘He’s getting stronger.’
‘I know.’ Dani smiled at the baby then at Mia. ‘Don’t get him too worked up. I want his tummy to settle a bit more.’
‘I won’t, mommy.’ Mia stroked her brother’s soft hair. ‘Gracie didn’t have this much hair when she was this small.’
‘You did.’ Dani looked at her.
‘I did?’ Mia asked.
‘I wish I’d been able to take more photos of you when you were a baby.’ Dani sighed a little, a hint of sadness in her voice.
‘It’s okay, mommy.’ Mia leaned over to manage a kiss on Dani’s cheek. ‘We got lots of photos of Gracie and now Alastair and I’m in a lot of them too. When I get older and better I’m going to paint pictures of all of us.’
‘You already draw a lot of pictures of us.’ Dani stroked Mia’s hair. ‘You’re such a darling.’
‘Not just draw, mommy. Paint. Daddy was telling me about a story that’s going to be in the paper.’
‘What story is that?’
‘There’s an art school that has pictures by the students. He showed me some of the pictures and I want to paint like them.’
‘Thought you wanted to write stories that you could read to Gracie and now Alec?’
‘I can do that too, can’t I, mommy?’
‘You can do anything you want, Mia.’
‘Can I read to Alec now?’ Mia asked, changing subjects like only a kid can.
‘Of course you can.’
Mia jumped down off the couch and went to the bookcase. Grabbing one of Gracie’s favourite books, Mia returned and sat beside them. Alastair fussed a bit in Dani’s arm until she resettled him in her other arm, turning him to face Mia as she read. The little boy settled, a fist in his mouth as he focused on his older sister’s voice. He wriggled happily when she reached out and tickled his feet a little at breaks in the story.
‘And that’s how Little Miss Muppet got herself a happy fluffy puppy that she named Little Mister Puppet.’ Mia finished up the story, looking right at Alastair as she said the last line. She reached out a finger for him to grab with his wet little fingers direct from his mouth. The little boy burbled happy little sounds and Mia leaned over him to burble back at him. ‘I love you, baby brother. I love you.’
Alec responded with another burble.
‘I love you!’ Mia said again. ‘You say, I love you, too.’
‘I ee boo!’ Alec responded with a waving of his hands.
‘He said it, mommy!’ Mia looked up at Dani with a smile. ‘I love you!’
‘I eee booo!’ Alec repeated.
‘Such a smart little boy!’ Mia told him.
‘With an older sister like you, Mia, he’s going to be the best little brother ever.’ Dani told her.