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It happens much like it did with Emma. Except this time Emma is helping her sister escape the crib. Sophie is newly two, and just like Emma was she is getting too big for her crib. Tim wakes up one morning and looks over at the baby monitor. He sits up straight when he sees his six year old, helping Sophie out of the crib.
Except the toddler doesn’t want her sister’s help (she is quite an independent girl) and gets out of the crib herself. Emma, for her part doesn’t seem to mind and hugs Sophie.
Tim blows out a breath, and then reaches over to wake Lucy up. “Luce, we have another escape artist.” He says. Lucy mumbles something and then rolls over to look at him.
“What?”
“Sophie got out of her crib. Emma helped.” Tim says. “I think it’s time we get Sophie a big girl bed.”
Lucy sits up and looks over at the baby monitor. “She escaped?” She asks. “Are you sure?”
“I watched the whole thing.” Tim says. “Emma was there but Sophie didn’t want help.”
“Of course she didn’t.” Lucy mutters. Tim opens his mouth to reply when he hears something and looks up to see Emma and Sophie. Emma is holding her sister’s hand, and Sophie is smiling big.
“Daddy!” Emma says and she starts walking over pulling Sophie along. “How old was I when I got my big girl bed?”
“You were about 2.” He says. “Why?”
“I think Sophie needs a big girl bed.” Emma says but she looks proud.
“Really?” Tim asks and he rolls over to look at Lucy. She gives him a neutral expression. She’s not fully awake yet. He’s not sure they will ever get a full night’s rest with a two and almost seven year old (Emma makes sure to tell them that everyday). “Did you hear that?”
“I’m right here Tim.” Lucy says shaking her head. “Maybe we need to go shopping for Sophie’s big girl bed.”
“I agree.” Tim says grinning at her. “What do you think Emma? Do we need to go get Sophie a big girl bed?”
“I’m right here daddy.” Emma says. “Yes we should.” Tim reaches down and pulls Sophie onto the bed.
“What do you say Sophie?” Tim asks the toddler. “Do you want to get a big girl bed?”
“Dino.” Sophie says happily. Tim looks over at Lucy who just shrugs. Sophie had been interested in dinosaurs lately. It was like Emma with ladybugs.
“You want a dinosaur bed?” Lucy asks. Sophie nods her head and Tim realizes how different the girls are. Sophie is a little social butterfly while Emma is not. Sophie loves different things while Emma sticks to her favorites.
It was amazing seeing them side by side and growing up little by little. It was amazing knowing they were different as could be but Tim loves that.
“Okay,” Lucy says. “I think we could manage that. How about we get ready and go shopping for a bed.”
“Yes!” Emma says. Tim shakes his head and Emma jumps down. Sophie crawls after her. “I can help get Sophie ready!”
“I will help.” Tim says to Lucy and he follows the girls out of the room. He goes into Sophie’s room where Emma is already pulling things from the dresser.
“She has a dinosaur shirt!” Emma says. Tim laughs and goes to closet and pulls out the exact shirt Emma is talking about. Lucy got it because it was a rare girl dinosaur shirt and they had Sophie’s size.
“Here we go.” Tim says. He takes the toddler’s pajamas off and pulls the shirt over her head. “Emma can you get me some black leggings.” Emma nods and pulls some out. Tim pulls them on and then picks her up.
“Okay big girl.” He says. “How about we let Emma get ready and I can do your hair.”
“No mama.” Sophie says. Tim puts her down, and she toddles out of the room.
“I do okay with hair.” He says to Emma. Emma gives him a look that makes her look just like Lucy.
“You are okay.” She says. Tim raises his eyebrows. “Mommy does it better.”
“Hey!” He says. He has done the girls hair plenty of times and they didn’t protest. Emma just shrugs and walks out of the room.
They get out of the house an hour later, and are on their way to the store. Tim reaches out for Lucy’s hand and she holds it as he drives. He remembers doing this with Emma and her ladybug bed.
They were just dating, and they had no idea what was in store for them down the road. He remembers Emma calling him dada for the first time. And now he has two little girls calling him daddy.
(Even if they don’t want him to their hair).
It’s amazing how much has changed and how much has stayed the same. He is so, so grateful for it.
So grateful.
***
Sophie runs around the store with Emma behind her. “I hope they have a dinosaur bed.” Lucy says. She grabs Sophie who is about to climb up on a bed. “Come on baby, let’s pick out your bed.”
“Daddy,” Emma says grabbing his hand. “You have to help.”
“How so?” He asks remembering how he tried every toddler bed in the damn store.
“Try them out.” Emma says. “The bed has to be perfect.”
“When did you become so bossy?” Tim asks. But he follows Emma, Lucy and Sophie around. Emma tells him to lay on a butterfly bed.
“No.” Sophie says. “Car.” She points to a race car bed in the corner, and lays down on it. It suddenly occurs to him that this is it. They won’t have a crib in their house anymore.
Sophie is getting her big girl bed.
“You know I always wanted a race car bed.” Tim says without realizing it. He feels Lucy’s eyes on him as he walks over and lays down on the bed.
“No!” Sophie says shaking her head.
“What about a unicorn?” Emma asks pointing to a sparkling pink unicorn bed.
“No.”
“Thank goodness,” Tim says. “That’s not my style.” Lucy lets out a small laugh.
“Dino!” Sophie squeals. Tim looks over and sure enough there’s a dinosaur bed. It has dinosaurs all over the frame.
“This one?” Tim asks Sophie. Sophie nods and he lays down in it.
“Yes!” Sophie squeals clapping her hands. Lucy sets her down and she climbs up. “Dino.”
“Well there you have it.” Lucy says and Tim gets up. “She has her big girl bed.” He looks at Lucy, and she is looking at Sophie on the bed like she realized the same thing he did. He gives her a soft kiss. They would talk later. And then he gives Sophie a kiss, and then heads off to find someone to help them.
Sophie has her dinosaur bed and that’s all that matters. He wishes he could keep his girls little forever, this innocent and sweet. If he could bottle it up he would.
For now—
He would just enjoy his newly sassy little girl and his dinosaur loving girl.
And that’s all that matters.
***
“There you go baby.” Lucy says tucking Sophie in. “Your first night in your big girl bed.”
“Yay!” Sophie squeals. “Sissy.” Tim and Lucy turn to look at Emma, who just walks over and climbs into Sophie’s bed.
“You good Bug?” Lucy asks. Emma nods and Tim bends down to give them both a kiss. “I love you both. Goodnight.”
“Love you! Goodnight.” Emma says. Lucy tugs Tim out of the room, and then pulls him to a stop in the hallway.
“They are growing up.” Tim says. “You do realize we won’t have a crib in the house anymore.”
“I know.” Lucy says and she looks like she has been thinking of this all day. “I can’t believe it.”
“We have a sassy six year old and a toddler.” Tim says. “No more babies.”
“They will always be my babies.” Lucy says. Tim nods because they will always be their babies no matter how old they got.
“Mine too.”
“I love seeing them interested in different things. I love seeing them grow up.” Lucy says. “I just didn’t know getting Sophie a big girl bed would be so…bittersweet.”
“I know.” Tim says and it might be an emotional day. But it was a good one. He lives for days like these.
Simple days with Lucy and their girls. He loves days where Emma and Sophie’s personalities come out.
He lives for them.
And even if his girls grow up and they will, they will always have these memories and more.
And that’s all he could ask for.