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It’s Liza Weaver-Poje’s 1st birthday. Kaitlyn decides now is the best time to ask what her and Andrew’s relationship is.
It’s a crisp, cold New York night in December that Liza turns one. Her grandparents had flown into celebrate, bearing more gifts than could fit into the small apartment and helping Liza eat too much cake and ice cream for being still a little one. After shuffling the grandparents out only shortly past Liza’s bedtime, Andrew locks the door and leans back against it.
He takes in the room, new toys scattered on the carpet, the sound of Liza babbling and Kaitlyn’s soft humming from the kitchen, Liza’s little birthday tutu and crown discarded on the couch. She did not want much to do with it and barely made it through taking nice photos before they were torn off. He picks them up to return to the nursery, the skirt seeming so big. It felt like yesterday he could fit her in his hands and now she is walking on her own, barely having interest to clutch even one of his fingers.
Hanging the little items on her doorknob, Andrew rounds the corner towards the kitchen, catching sight of his two best girls giggling over a shared saucer of chocolate ice cream. Liza can’t quite use her own spoon yet but her efforts have chocolate across her cheeks and adding to the cake in her hair. She’ll need a bath. Moving into the room, Andrew winks at Kaitlyn as he sneaks behind Liza.
He reaches over the back of her highchair, tickling her and placing kisses against her soft blonde hair. His little princess squeals in delight at her father’s affection, her spoon flying out of her hands and clattering against the kitchen. Kaitlyn’s laugh erupts, moving the dish just in time as Liza’s hands slam onto her tray, at the chaos and love playing out in front of her.
“Only the two of you would go for more ice cream after dessert,” Andrew chuckles, stopping his tickle to try and flatten out his daughter’s hair. It’s a hopeless cause.
“It’s her first birthday, this only happens once. She deserves all the sweets, Drush.” Kaitlyn affectionately caresses their daughters cheek. He notices her eyes start to well up, sensing her emotions he leans down to kiss Kaitlyn. She tastes of chocolate.
“Yummmmm, you’re right. It is a good idea. Let’s keep celebrating,” Andrew reaches for her, pulling her from the chair and into his arms.
“I’m always right,” she mumbles into his chest. Liza decides now is a good time to screech, demanding their attention again. Andrew lets go of Kaitlyn with one arm to make his own grabby hands towards Liza, shifting her screams to laughter once more. Clinging to him, Kaitlyn stays put, turning to smile at Liza.
“Time for a bath, I think.” At the words, Liza lit up, slamming her hands against her tray and squirming to get out. Kaitlyn chuckled, reluctant to leave Andrew’s embrace but equally as anxious to hold their baby.
“Yeah, let’s get her in one.” Kaitlyn reaches out and pulls Liza into their hug, taking a few moments together.
“Bath, go bath,” babbles Liza, tugging on her parents until they begin to move towards the bathroom.
Sitting on the floor of the bathroom, because neither could be bothered to be away from their daughter on her first birthday, they watch Liza splash in the tub. She’d been given a new boat that’s eliciting many giggles as she pushes and pulls it in the water.
“I can’t believe she’s one,” Kaitlyn sighs, leaning her head against Andrew’s shoulder.
“It feels like yesterday we were waiting for her to be born.” Andrew agrees. He brings a hand to lay on Kaitlyn’s thigh. She lifts it, turning it over in her own until she can intertwine their fingers together. She’s still for awhile, just the movement of her breathing against Andrew’s side as they rest together.
“She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to us,” Kaitlyn sighs.
Liza’s having the time of her life in the tub, screeching and giggling, oblivious to her parent’s sentimental emotions. Every bath with Liza is like it’s the first time she realized the water was fun. They haven’t moved to wash the cake out of her hair yet. She still has chocolate smeared across her cheek. She looks perfect.
“Thanks for her, baby.” Andrew leans down to peck Kaitlyn.
Liza picks up another new toy, a little bucket, experimenting with what it does.
“This will be good,” Andrew chuckles. Kaitlyn replies with a raised eyebrow. Liza laughs as the bucket makes bubbles in the water and lifts it up high over her head, tipping the contents out.
“No!” Liza screams as the water splashes over her head, soaking her hair and pooling in her long eyelashes. Her screams break them from their quiet moment, Andrew being the super dad he is jumping into action.
“It’s okay, Liz. Daddy’s helping you. It’s just some water, we will get it all out.” He’s cradling her head and gently wiping away water as he coos to her, her cries barely calming.
“Help, Daddy,” she whines, pulling on Andrew’s wrist so he can’t move away. He combs his fingers through her hair, catching on a sticky ice cream matted section. Kaitlyn watches in admiration that this is her life, the love of her life, their beautiful daughter, she couldn’t imagine a more perfect little family.
“I’ve got you, Liz-lou.”
Five years ago as they left Worlds without a medal a much deeper shade than the one they wanted…
“Daddy make all better.”
Eleven years ago when they watched the olympics from home…
“That’s right, we’re getting you all clean.”
On that first day she met Andrew, she didn’t dare let herself wish this dream would come true.
“Yay, Daddy,” Liza claps.
She can’t recall when it did become real, when Andrew and her decided they were more than friends. Looking now though, she sees her little Liza Poje and the perfect man who somehow loved her too, and it almost doesn’t seem real.
“Let’s wash this all out, baby,” Andrew softly comforts to Liza. She loosens her grip on Andrew, letting him massage shampoo into her hair and work through the tangles of ice cream and cake. It’s bubbling up in her short little locks of hair. She reaches up to help out her dad.
“Andrew, what are we doing?” Andrew’s startled by her inquisitive quiet voice.
“We’re washing birthday cake out of our daughter’s hair,” he replies, trying to break apart a particularly stubborn section of the cake matted mess.
“So should we like get married or something?” Kaitlyn questions.
“Should we what?” Andrew asks, still focused on a tangle in Liza’s hair while she squirms in the tub, reaching for her boat.
“I don’t know, we never really talked about our relationship.”
“I thought it was pretty clear when we decided to have Liza, babe.” Andrew knows he shouldn’t be laughing but he can’t hep chuckle, glancing over his shoulder at Kaitlyn’s scrunched up face. They’d been together more years than they’d been apart since they met and his hands were tangled up in a very real result of that relationship.
“I know.” She sighs, leaning forward to rest chin against her arms on the tub. She reaches a hand in the warm water and splashes it against Liza’s stomach.
“Kait,” he turns to her, “we can get married tomorrow if you want to. Liza’s tutu would look so cute at a little ceremony.”
Hands still working through their baby’s hair, he presses a long kiss against Kaitlyn’s head until he feels her relax against him. She takes in a deep breath, biting her lip to contain her smile and sits up, hands coming to help untangle the last chunk of Liza’s hair.
“It’s silly but we’ve been together so long and we never decided to be boyfriend and girlfriend or talked about getting married. I didn’t even realize we’d skipped all that until just now.”
“We didn’t. I just remember telling you I love you one day and you saying you love me too.”
“Love you,” Liza exclaims from the tub.
“Love you , baby,” Kaitlyn tells her. She splashes more water against Liza’s tummy earning more splashes and giggles from her.
“Kait,” Andrew inquires. She turns back to him and see he’s moved to kneal next to her. She gasps, hands stilling in the bath.
“We’ve been together for many years, the happiest years of my life. And while we may have never decided it, explicitly, I’ve wanted to spend every day of my life with you since I met you. You and Liza are everything, my whole heart forever. If you want to get married, I am asking you now to marry me. I love you.”
“Mommy love Daddy,” yells Liza, clapping again.
Kaitlyn feels tears rush down her cheeks. Andrew’s hand, still wet and soapy caresses her cheeks, trying to wipe them away. They laugh, her skin all the more wet.
“Yeah, Liz. Mommy loves Daddy forever.”
“Love!” Liza splashes getting her parents fronts all wet. They laugh, reaching for each other until Kaitlyn’s curled up in Andrew’s lap.
“Lots and lots of love.”