Adoption Questions

Hey everyone...hope you all enjoy your Labor Day! 
Hallie is still crying plenty, and we've both been getting up a lot through the night with her.  I think we're both starting to get pretty worn down from it, but what else could we do?  We can't let her lay there and cry.  Anyway..on top of all of this, Alexis STILL has not warmed up to anyone yet. 
So Monday was interesting, once more.  All day, I'd considered whether I should ask Tangled Fan about adopting Alexis, or if Alexis even liked it here!  I wished I knew.  So finally, I pulled Merida aside and asked her what her opinion was. 
"What do you think we should do about Alexis?  I mean, I love that poor little girl, but at the same time, she's...I dunno.  She doesn't seem to like it here.  I want to officially adopt her soon, so nothing happens like the last time we fostered...but I don't want to make her live somewhere she doesn't want to live at.  Who knows, maybe she'd prefer to live in a box up in the attic, which is where she'd be at." 
"I think that ye should maybe try talkin' to her, and see if she'll open up to ye a bit and let'cha know what she wants.  Then ya have to deal with yer husband over there...not sure who'd be easier to ask." 
"Flynn." I laughed.  "Alexis is just so horribly shy.  But thanks...that is a good idea.  I suppose I should go talk with her?" 
"Good luck..." Merida glanced towards Hallie, who had started to cry, and then looked back over to me.  "Someday, we'll go on a girl's day out.  Someday soon, I hope!" 
"I hope that someday soon, miss Hallie will be back to her old self!  But yes, that sounds like an excellent plan." 
I gave her a smile and made my way towards Alexis. 

"Hey, sweetie.  Mind if I talk to you about something?"
"No," she glanced up at me. 
I sat down beside her and pulled her up into my lap so I could give her a cuddle.  "This is an important question, and I want to let you know that we love you very much.  Ah...I wanted to let Tangled Fan know that we'd make the adoption official, but I wanted to ask you first.  Do you like it here?  I want what's best for you, naturally, but I don't want you to...to feel uncomfortable living with us, if you don't like it here." 
She thought for a few minutes before turning her head up to me.  "It doesn't matter.  I've gone  back to live in the box in the attic before, and I've lived under piles of junk in Tangled Fan's closet before, too.  So I can do that as well as I can live here." 
Oookay...
"So it...doesn't even matter to you?"  I asked. 
She shrugged and shook her head silently. 
"Okay.  Well, I'll talk with Daddy.  Thank you for your input." 
She gave me a silent nod and I let her scoot off of my lap to resume whatever she'd been doing. 
I went over to Jase and asked her what she thought. 
"I'd love to have her as a sis, Momma.  We might have our spats and stuff, but I like her.  Sorry about the other day..." she gave me an adorably embarrassed smile. 
"That's fine.  Thank you!  I'm gonna go talk with Daddy now." 
"Okay," she gave me another smile and I left. 

Flynn was sitting on the wicker chair when I came over to him. 
"Hey, hon," I stood behind the wicker chair so I could lean over it and give him a kiss on the cheek.  "Want to go for a walk?" 
"Not right now, exactly.." was his reply. 
"Well...could we at least go somewhere else to talk?  We don't have to walk in order to talk." 
If anything, that dumb joke would make him chuckle, right? 
Wrong. 
"Not right now, okay...can't it wait for later?"  I could hear the edge in his voice sharpening as we spoke.  I knew he was probably tired out, but so was I, and I didn't act short with anyone.  Had I? 
"It's important." 
"We'll talk tomorrow or some time when I can actually-" Hallie started to cry more, and he raised his voice.  "-hear myself think." 
"But it's-"
"No, okay?  Can't you catch a hint?" 
I sucked in a deep breath in surprise at his snippy comment, and then I felt the sting of tears pricking my eyes.   But before I went all in the defensive about it, I made an attempt to be nice to him. 
"Do you want to go take a nap?  You sound like you need a nap.  Big time.  I can watch Halli-"
"No.  I am fine.  Just l-"
Just leave me alone?  Was that what he'd been about to say, before he broke off? 
He stood, and I tried to stop him and ask him what the matter was, but he just brushed past me to go get Hallie. 
I stared at him for  a few seconds, but then the tears started to get the better of me.  I fled off of the dresser, and off of Tangled Fan's bed.  I couldn't let Alexis see me cry.  I couldn't let anyone see me cry.

Once I was on the floor, I ran to the side of the dresser that was closest to the door to the room. 
I leaned up against the dresser and finally loosed a sob.  Within minutes, my whole body was shaking from tears.  Tears, and anger.  That had been completely uncalled for.  Why had he been so snippy at me?  I mean, really!  I never get that bad when I'm tired.  Do I?  I try not to, anyway...
I covered my face with my hands and sobbed for I don't know how long...until I heard rapid footsteps coming my way.
I went silent, and waited for the footsteps to get closer. They did. Fear took over my whole body, and I spread my fingers apart so I could peer out of them.
Flynn. 
With a gasp, he ran towards me. I dropped my hands from my face and grumbled, "Oh. It's you."
His face was filled with remorse and worry, but I wouldn't let him get to me. I turned my head away and refused to look at him.

"Oh, honey..I am so, so sorry. I didn't...I shouldn't have said any of that...It's no excuse that I'm tired. I should've never treated you that way, and I am so sorry, baby. Once Hallie had quieted down and I'd gotten her to take a nap, I realized what I'd said and that you weren't up on the dresser anymore. And that's when I started searching for you. I am so, so, so sorry...I love you so much and I never should have acted that way and I'm sorry." His voice was choked up, and he put his hands on my shoulders. From the corner of my eye, I could see his face was tear streaked.
"I never act that way when I am tired." I finally met his eyes to give him a stare, and I said it with as much cold precision as I could muster.
His forehead wrinkled, and he put a tender hand on my cheek. I turned quickly away from it, and his hand froze in midair for a few seconds before he let it drop.  He took in a ragged breath.
"I know, honey...I truly am so sorry, and I feel horrible about it." his brown eyes searched my face, but I looked down. He tried to pull me close into a hug, but I stayed stiff as a board and unrelenting.
He cleared his throat, and took my chin in his hand. I took in a deep, shuddery breath and I finally met his eyes. They were so full of sorrow and remorse that I fought for my own composure.
"W-will you forgive me? I'm so-"
"I know. You've told me...what, three, four times already?" I allowed my lips to twitch in a quick, small smile.
He took his other hand to brush the hair from my face and then cupped my face in both of his hands.
"And I'd say it again. I'm sorry. And I love you so, so much." he held my eyes in a gaze that I couldn't pull away from. After a few minutes of silence, he suddenly released his gaze and my face.
"Um...anyway..you wanted to talk?"
I shrugged, sliding down the side of the dresser to sit, pulling my knees up to my chin and wrapping my arms around my legs.
He sat down beside me and watched me until I finally spilled it.
I told him everything about my conversation with Alexis, and about why I wanted to get a move on with the adoption. "But I'm just...afraid we'll adopt her and she won't be happy here, or..I dunno." I finally finished, burying my head in my knees.
He was silent for so long that I glanced up to make sure he was still there. "I think...I think we should talk with Alexis and try to see what she really wants, and then we can talk to Tangled Fan from there on out. I'm fine with adopting her, and I'd like to add her to our family, but I feel the same way as you do. And I'm sorry I didn't find this important enough to talk about."
"You didn't know what I was going to talk about. But yeah, we could talk with Alexis. Although I'd doubt if she'd even open up and say anything...but we might be surprised." I said, my upset-ness finally washing away. 

I sniffled and rubbed at my nose, deciding I shouldn't need to cry anymore, and he stared at me.
"Mind if I-" he pantomined putting an arm around me, and I silently nodded.
He did so, and then kissed my hair. I squeezed my eyes shut and released a shuddery sigh. I rested my head on his shoulder and he laid his head on top of mine. "I'm sorry, baby...so, so sorry." He whispered, and I mumbled that I knew.
We just sat there for a while, and I didn't know about him, but I was enjoying the peace and quiet.
Eventually, though, I opened my eyes and gave another tired, reluctant sigh. He lifted his head and looked at me, smoothing my hair gently from my face before he trailed his hand down my face to my chin, pulling it up so I would look him in the eye.
"Forgive me?"
"Yes, Flynn; I forgave you awhile ago. If I hadn't, we wouldn't be sitting here and talking." I told him.
"True," he chuckled quietly. "Shall we go back up to face the music?"
"Face the screaming, you mean. It's...getting dark?"
"Yeah. You'd been gone for probably a good couple of hours until I finally found you."
"I really was?" I gave him a wide-eyed stare and jumped up. "Oh, gosh...!"
I offered a hand to him, and he accepted it, trying to suppress a broad smile, and even after he'd used it to stand, he didn't let go of it.
We hurried back to the dresser, but everyone else was already in bed.
"Guess we won't be talking with Alexis tonight..." I groaned.
"Tomorrow's another day..I just hope Hallie sleeps through the night."
"Isn't that for sure." I replied. He released my hand and went to bed, but I went to brush my hair out first.
When I finally did crawl under the bench, I sprawled my legs out. It was humid tonight...last burst of hot weather before fall, I suppose.
When Flynn chuckled to himself, I looked down and realized one of my legs was tossed across his. Horrified, I jerked it off and rolled over onto my side, propping myself up and looking at him. "Sorry!"
"That's fine,"  His eyes trailed down all my hair. "Too warm?"
"Yep," I said.
He nodded and studied my face for a few moments before he reached over to pull me into a warm, gentle kiss, keeping my chin in his hand. My heart skipped along quickly to the tenderness of it, and when he pulled away, I gave him a smile, realizing my hands were shaky.
Good grief...My hands. Were shaky. And I've only been married to this guy...what, two months this Thursday?! Gosh.
"What happened about being so tired and everything?" I asked, scrambling for something to distract myself.
"You happened," he gave me his classic grin. Well, that'd be an excellent help for the shaking hands.
I rolled my eyes and when he started to lean close again, I turned away. "You just kissed me, what? Five seconds ago?"
"Well...we haven't kissed all day long..." He gave me his best puppy-dog face, and I gave his chest a playful shove.
"If you hadn't have been so snippy, I would've given you a few."
His face changed from playful and teasing to remorse in seconds. "Yeah, I know..I'm s-"
I put a finger to his lips. "If you say that one more time..."
"Sorry," he muttered through my finger, and then gave my finger a kiss. I withdrew it from his face and rolled my eyes, shaking my head at him. "But really...one more kiss never killed anybody..."
I laughed. "You truly are pathetic, you know?"
"Yes, I know."
I quirked a brow, thinking about how to tease back. Finally, I just suddenly leaned forward and thrust myself at him in a kiss. He breathed in sharply and toppled onto his back, but I stuck with him, giving him a slightly overdramatic kiss. He draped an arm around me and held me close, and when I pulled away, I dove in to give him a second, quick little peck before I pulled back to see his expression. I could see in the darkness how red his cheeks were, but he gave me a gleeful smile, rubbing my back a few seconds before I pulled away to sit back up, chuckling at his loss for words.
"Surprised much?"
"Oh, but it's a good surprised." His smile had yet to fade as he scooted back upright.
"It would be awkward if getting a kiss from your spouse wasn't a good surprise." I laughed quietly. "All anger has washed away, I see. See, kissing is good for you."
"Says you," I rolled my eyes, flopping down onto my back and crossing my arms up over my head.
"Yup. Says me." He leaned over and gave me another large smile before he bent to give me a sweet, passionate kiss. If my hands were shaky before..! I sat up, and he pulled away long enough to sit up himself before continuing.  I hesitantly reached to wrap one of my arms around him, and he pulled me close with one arm, and the other hand he put on the back of my head. My heart was speeding like a freight train by the time he finally parted his lips reluctantly from mine, bumping his forehead up against mine. He pulled his head up to look at me, but he didn't move his arms an inch, and I just stared up at his eyes. I wasn't sure what to make out of a kiss that was that passionate and yet so...I dunno. 
"What?" He finally asked, chuckling at me.
"Huh?" I asked, snapping out of my thoughts. "Oh. Uhhmmm..." I made a few helpless jerks with my mouth, trying to make words come out,and a grin spread across his face.
"Surprised much?" He said, straightfaced, before resuming his grin.
"Oh, but it's a good surprised." I laughed through my nose. "No, really."
Flynn leaned close to me again and whispered. "I love you, my precious wife. I never knew how much you mean to me now until I couldn't find you earlier today."
Aha. So that's why he was so lovey-dovey tonight. He'd thought he'd lost me. But nonetheless, I returned an I love you and then I pulled away from his arms to lay down.
He did as well, finding and holding my hand loosely before he gave a satisfied exhale and was asleep. And as for me? I was out cold in a few minutes. 

Flynn here...Screamfest Thursday, for lack of a better title..

I was up with Hallie twice through Wednesday night. 
Both times, she went to sleep fairly soon.

I was awakened to the sound of Hallie crying loudly bright and early at seven in the morning. 
Crawling past Rapunzel, who was still sleeping, I went out to get her. 
By the time I'd picked Hallie up, Allie was starting to whimper as well. 
Weelll...if I didn't pick Allie up, too, she would start screaming too.  So I picked her up in my other arm and bounced the both of them for a few minutes.  Thankfully enough, Merida woke up at the sound of Allie's crying, and she came over. 
"I'll take my little stinker from ye.  Ye look like ye have yer hands plenty full enough with yer own."  She said, holding her hands out at Allie.  She scooped her up out of my arms and went to settle her down. 
In the meantime, Hallie was crying even louder yet. 
She didn't quiet down, either.  She woke up Jase and Alexis around quarter till nine. 
Hoping to get a good impression on Alexis this morning, I made my way over to them both and told them good morning. 
"Morning, girls...this silence is wonderful, isn't it?"  I said slightly sarcastically, gesturing towards Hallie. 
"Morning, Daddy!  Yeah..why's she crying so much?"  Jase asked me, looking up at me with wide eyes. 
"I have no-o-o-o clue at all, dear.  I wish I knew, but I don't...How are you this morning, Alexis?"
The little redhead glanced up towards me, and then hunched her shoulders up and stared at the ground.  I saw her mouth move, but Hallie was crying just loud enough that I didn't hear her...and I didn't want to press her, so I just left her be. 
I resumed my attempts to quiet Hallie, and Allie was crying again now too.
After a while, I thought I heard Jase yell something loudly, but I didn't know if she was just playing with Alexis or not, since I couldn't hear over Hallie and Allie combined, so I didn't butt in.   
Pretty soon, I saw Rapunzel emerging from under the bench.  I was going to make my way over to her, but before I could catch her eye, she darted off to break off whatever Jase and Alexis were doing.  They must've been fighting over something, but over what? 

When she'd broken up the fight, I strode over to my wife, noticing her pale face and I saw - didn't hear, but saw - her shoulders droop and her chest heave in a sigh. 
"What's the matter, hon?" I asked, worried. 
"Nothing..." she trailed off and glanced down at Hallie, refusing to meet my eyes.  "Want me to take Miss Screams-A-Lot?" 
Nothing?  Yeah..I'd heard that before...
"I can handle miss Hallie.  What I'd like to know is why you look so..." Zombie-like?  Sick? Crummy-feeling?...How did one tell their spouse they looked sick or whatever? "...like...I dunno."
Wrong move. 
"Like a zombie?  Thanks.  I'm fine."  She grumbled, crossing her arms and refusing to look me in the eye. 
She was definitely not telling me the truth about how she felt, but it was no use picking a fight or anything.  "I'm not sure I believe that, but I'll let it slide.  What were those two fighting about?"
"Alexis apparently called you names, because she's afraid of you... And Jase flipped on her.  I broke it up." 
"I see," I said, giving her a quizzical glance.  I hoped she'd spill the beans and let me know what had her irked, but she didn't.  So I just left to continue tending to Hallie.

Allie cried off and on all day long.  Hallie cried for the better part of the day, and she only stopped to take one single nap. 
When she was taking a nap, I walked over to my wife, who was looking worse by the hour. 
"Are you sure you're alright?"  She was sitting on the wicker chair that Blondie had abandoned for awhile, and so I leaned over it from behind. 
She tipped her head up to look at me.  "Yeah, I'm sure."
"Need to talk?" 
Shrug. 
"Alright..." I said, glancing one more time at her bloodshot eyes.  Wait..bloodshot.  Didn't people get bloodshot eyes if they had bad headaches, migraines (yuck, I don't want to talk about THAT), or from lack of sleep or whatever?  I hoped she didn't have a headache. 
"Do you-"
"I'm fine, hon."  She gave me a small smile and rested her head on the hand I'd put on her shoulder.
"Okay...well, if you wanna talk or anything, let me know."  I gave her shoulder a squeeze and then turned towards Alexis, who was sitting with Jase. 
Jase had been...well...nasty all day long, after her little spat with Alexis.
"How are you two girls doing?"  I asked.
"Fine."  Jase shot a glance towards Alexis, and Alexis shrank back. 
"Do you two want to go for a walk or something to get out of here for a bit?  I'm sure Momma-"
"No, I'm fine."  Alexis mumbled. 
"Yeah.  I guess I'll stay, too."  Jase told me as well. 
"Okay, if you're sure."  I gave them both a small smile, but Alexis refused to even look at me. 
That's basically how the whole day went. 
By the time ten PM rolled around, Rapunzel looked ten times worse than she had this morning, Jase was grumped, Alexis was still unrelenting on her shyness towards me, Hallie was still crying, Allie had finally calmed down...and I think just about everyone was ready to snap at the smallest thing.
Right before Rapunzel started to crawl into bed behind me, Hallie started wailing. 
"Get some sleep...I'll be back if I can get her to go to sleep.." she mumbled sleepily, and she was gone before I could offer to get her. 
I listened to her quiet chatter with Hallie for awhile, but I eventually fell asleep.

Next time I woke up, it was Too-Early-In-The-Morning-O-Clock, and my wife was crying.  To herself, but I could still hear her.  I felt for her beside me, but she wasn't there, so I sat up and looked around.  When I saw her, she was balled up near my feet, her shoulders heaving. 
I scooted down beside her and asked her what was wrong. 
"Hmm?"  she glanced up at me in alarm.  "N-nothing." 
Nothing, yet her voice cracked. 
"There's obviously something.  C'mere," I told her, reaching to hug her. 
"I'm telling you, it's-"
I broke her off by pulling her close to me, but she pushed me away. 
Oookay. 
"You're going to tell me one way or another, girl."  I stared at her for a few minutes, and she wouldn't look at me. 
I flopped onto my back, still staring at her, and she scooted towards my head so she could try to stare me down. 
She lost.  "You're not gonna back down, are you..." she said, sounding tired, deflated, and upset. 
I silently offered for her to lay down beside me, and she continued to look at me as she took in a ragged breath.  My heart squeezed with sympathy for her, because whatever it was had obviously gotten her pretty upset. 
She curled herself up into a ball at my side, and I wrapped my arms around her and held her heaving shoulders until she regained composure. 
"I-I'm...sorry I shoved you.  And you're right.  I'm tired, run down, I wish I knew what was the matter with Hallie, aand..and poor Alexis is so scared of Ray coming back that she had a nightmare tonight about him.  And I wish she wasn't so scared...and I have a massive headache and I can't go to sleep because of it..." she paused, glancing up to meet my eyes.  "You have really gorgeous brown eyes, you know.  Oh, gosh; did I really say that?  I'm so dumb..I'm just - just too tired to even really THINK straight!"  she half sobbed, half gulped out. 
Well...that last part there was pretty random.  Okay, REALLY random and off the wall to be precise, but the rest was understandable. 
And she'd seriously gone all day long with a headache, with the babies screaming and all the other tension going on today?  She was obviously stronger than I was if she'd kept her cool all day long with a headache.  I just felt bad that she hadn't told me, but at the same time, I wasn't surprised that she hadn't. 
"I'm sorry, hon.  I wish I knew what was up with Hallie, too.  But don't worry...Alexis will come around.  But why didn't you tell me you had a headache?  That's crummy."
Her shoulders pulled up into a shrug.  "I didn't think I needed to.  I mean, you wouldn't have been able to do anything about it, anyway.  That, and I felt kind of dumb being so grouched about it, when that's not even CLOSE to what you dealt with, with the migraines."
"Yeah, but it's not dumb.  Headaches stink as well."  I told her.  I wanted to give her a kiss, but I didn't want to aggrivate her, so I didn't. 
She stretched her legs out and wormed a bit closer into my side, and so I tightened my arms around her.  She put her head on my chest, and my heart pounded for a few minutes.  I fumbled for something else to say, and I finally offered to get up with Hallie through the night. 
"No...I can-" she mumbled, her voice slightly muffled. 
"You can go to sleep and get rested up.  Your headache will go away if you get a good night's rest."  I told her, hoping she'd think about that and accept it willingly. 
"But you'll-"  she started. 
You'll get a migraine. 
Well, these things happened sometimes. 
But you, my dear, need to get rest. 
I'm supposed to be cured of migraines, anyway. 

I didn't say any of these things, I just broke her off and said, "Be just fine.  I was fine today, and I will be fine tomorrow."
She sighed in defeat.  "Okay...well, thanks, honey." 
"Sure, hon."  I paused, deciding to risk teasing her.  "Oh, and for the record?  You've got the most captivating green eyes."  So it wasn't really teasing..it WAS true, but hidden in a tease.  If that makes sense. 
"Knock it off."  she grumbled, huffing. 
"Oh, I'm just teasing, hon.  Actually,..." Woops.  I hadn't thought THIS through.  "I-it's true, and I'm...not really TEASING, but - you know." 
"Y-y-y-y-y-yeah-h."  she drew the word out, and I could hear her getting irritated with me. 
"Okay, I'll let you get to sleep now.  Night," I paused to plant a kiss in her hair and then I pulled her just a bit closer and sighed as I realized how tired I was.  She gave me a one-armed hug and I wondered if she could hear my heart pound, since her head was still on my chest. 
"I love you, my dear girl...  I hope tomorrow's a better day," I told her, but she didn't answer, and her chest rose in deep, even breaths, so I figured she'd finally gone to sleep.  I removed one of my arms from around her and carefully reached to pull the handkerchief over her, hoping to goodness I didn't move around enough to wake her up again.   [Yeah.  Try to hold someone at your side, with their head on your chest and an arm around you.  And reach something juuuuust an arm's length away, without moving a centimeter.  Or waking anyone up.  Not the easiest thing in the world!]  And then I went to sleep.

Flynn here...Alexis

Hey everyone....wow, I haven't posted here in forever.  Sorry, guys! 

As you may know by my wife's recent posts, Tangled Fan asked us if we'd adopt another girl, named Alexis...who is around Jase's age.  You may also know that Hallie has been crying and screaming lately.  A. LOT.  I wish my wife would allow me to get up with her once in awhile - it wouldn't kill me.  Even if I do end up with migraines, and Tangled Fan had said I was cured anyway.  But no...she about ran herself into the ground this week, staying up with her.  I'd offered several times to get up with her, but she wouldn't let me.  Regardless..
Tuesday night, she was really fussy...again. 
We went to bed at seven, because we knew it would be an early start tomorrow morning, but Hallie started crying an hour later. 
"I'll-"
"No, hon.  You get some sleep, and I'll quiet her down."
"But you need-"
"Huh-uh."  She shook her head and then left to get Hallie.
I did go back to sleep for awhile, but around one in the morning, I woke up and reached to pull my wife close to me...but my arm hit the top of the dresser, instead of her side.  I peeled my eyes open and felt around, but she wasn't in 'bed'. 
I stumbled out from under the bench and then stopped, blinking.  When I could halfways see in the darkness, I saw her.  She was laying on her side, curled in a ball with Hallie up against her.  Both were sleeping so soundly, I considered just leaving them there.  But when I saw how close to the edge of the dresser they were, I figured I'd best move them. 
I picked Hallie up and took her to sleep with Jase and Allie, praying she'd stay asleep the rest of  the night.  When I made sure she was going to stay asleep, I turned back to my wife.  I carefully scooped her up, hoping to not wake her up, either.
I set her on her back and pulled the handkerchief blanket up over her, looking down at her sleeping face.  I risked touching my lips to her forehead, and then laid down on my back, sighing and shutting my eyes. 
For a second, anyhow. 
Suddenly, I felt my shirt collar being pulled, and then my wife grabbed me into a kiss.  So much for being asleep.  My eyes flew open in surprise, but then I shut them again and enjoyed the kiss until she pulled away. 
"Did I wake you?"  I whispered when she pulled away.  She situated herself on her belly, propping herself up on her elbows. 
She shrugged, so while I waited for an answer, I pulled the handkerchief back up and then spread my arm out to invite her to curl up beside me. 
She quickly accepted, and my heart squeezed when she put her small hand on my chest and rested her head beside it.  And then she gave me a smile to boot. 
Trying to find something to say, I asked her if she was ready to meet Alexis. 
"I guess - anxious, but ready."  she told me, and I gave her shoulders a squeeze before telling her that she needed to get to sleep, adding that hopefully, Hallie would sleep the rest of the night. 
"That's for sure."  she told me, giving a little sigh and snuggling in a bit closer.  "Love you." 
A broad smile crossed my face when she said that, and my heart squeezed before I told her I loved her as well.  I reached to kiss her hair and within a few minutes, I was back in Sleep-Land. 

The next morning came a bit too soon.  My wife was still asleep, so I watched her blissful face for a couple minutes before I figured she needed to wake up 
"Wa-a-a-a-ake up, darling.  Rapunzel...wake up.  Rapunzel...hon.  Rapunzel...Rapunnnnzelll...dear, wake up....We need to get moving...wake up, Rapunzel....Rapunzel.  Ra-"
"I'm up, I'm up already!"  she fairly grumbled, peeling her eyes open. 
Okay...so maybe I overdid my annoying act a bit much.  "Good morning to you, too, my little sunshine."  I told her sarcastically, and she laughed. 
"Sorry."  she finally lifted her head off of my chest to look at me.  I grinned at her drowsy expression, and a smile teased her lips.  "What time's it?" 
"Tangled Fan will be back in..." I trailed off as I thought about the time.  "Probably a half an hour."
"Half an hour?!"  she moaned and let her head drop dramatically onto my chest.  "Can't we just stay here...and go back to sleep...while Hallie's actually not screaming?"
 Boy, didn't THAT sound like a good idea.  I chuckled, though.  "Tempting as it sounds, we need to get moving." 
She sighed, and started to push herself up and sit.   I impulsively snaked my hand out, grabbed her arm, and when she turned to give me a confused look, I took her chin in my other hand and pulled her close to kiss her. 
When I parted my lips from hers, she gave me a dazzled smile, so I gave her a grin back. 
Her face started growing red, and she looked down before leaving to brush her hair out. 

So I stayed under the bench with my eyes shut, thinking about my wife.
Suddenly, though, I heard her say, "Watch this."  to someone..so I figured I'd just keep my eyes shut.  If she was going to try sneaking up on me, she'd get a good surprise - how could I pass that up?!! 
I felt her finger trail lightly across my cheek, and I resisted twitching. 
Then, I heard her draw in a breath, inches away from my face. 
Perfect opportunity. 
My eyes flashed open, I grabbed her arms, and I yelled "Boo!" at the same time.  Who says men can't multitask?  They can multitask when it comes to teasing, anyway. 
She screamed, doing a weird yanking away/slapping at my hands dance, and then smacked her head off of the bench. 
That was classic. 
I started laughing, and sat up.  I could hear Merida laughing her head off as well. 
She rubbed at her head and looked in my direction.  I couldn't keep from laughing.  I pressed my lips together, but that didn't help.  My wife wandered over towards me, and I figured I'd give her a quick kiss to show I didn't exactlyyyy mean to laugh at her expense.  She came in close to me, and I was just about to kiss her, when she planted a hand on my chest and shoved me down onto my back. 
"Hey, no fair!"  I laughed.  She giggled at me and shook her head. 
Merida finally stopped laughing, and Rapunzel stuck around.  She held a hand out to me, grinning, and I cautiously took her hand, expecting her to either be nice and help me up, or pick at me and do something un-helpful.  She decided to be helpful. 

A little while later, we were standing in front of a certain little girl by the name of Alexis. 
She had curly red hair and greenish-blue eyes, and her appearance reminded me loosely of Merida. 
She was shy, and terrified of me. 
She was also formerly adopted by Ray and HB.
After some quiet discussion, we decided we'd try fostering her.  I was a bit unsure that she'd ever learn to trust me - I mean, she'd totally flip if I'd as much as look at her cross-eyed.  But I wouldn't give up on a chance to show her I wasn't going to hurt her, either. 

So that's how we ended up about an hour later, back on our dresser and trying to get acquainted with Alexis. 
We found out that Jase and Alexis had been adopted at the same time by HB and Ray.  We also found out (sorry about the off-the-wall random moment) found out Merida is REALLY as bad a singer as she said she was! 
The majority of the day went pretty well. 
Jase, on several occassions, tried to get Alexis, or "Lexi", to warm up to me - all of which failed.  The shy little girl kept close on my wife's lap, beside Hallie. 
Speaking of Hallie, she was very good all day long.  She only really cried once or so.  Anyway...
The day went by pretty quickly.  All too soon, we were heading to bed ourselves, after we put the babies to bed. 
We gave Jase hugs, kisses, and exchanged I love yous with her, and then I watched as my wife reached to pull Alexis into a hug.  She gave her a kiss on her cheek, but Alexis remained blank-faced and unaffected by Rapunzel's tenderness. 
I reached to give Alexis a hug and kiss goodnight, but she grabbed onto Rapunzel's neck so tightly I thought she'd choke her.  She buried her face in Rapunzel's shoulder. 
"Good night, Alexis.  Love you,"
Her little head jerked up from my wife's shoulder, and she gave me a silent, wide-eyed stare until Rapunzel set her down and Jase hauled her over to where they'd sleep. 

When we went to bed, Rapunzel promptly flopped down on her back and heaved a huge sigh.  I laid down beside her and she turned her head to look at me.  "Was this a good idea?"
For a few seconds, I wondered what in the world she was talking about.  But then I remembered - gee, how could I forget?  "She just needs time.  She's just scared, shy, and no wonder; if Ray had her.  I'll get her to warm up to me, I'm sure." 
"You're right.  And that's true as well..you're good at getting people to warm up to you!" 
She flopped onto her belly and gave me a smile, propping herself up on her elbows. 
"She just needs time...it IS a lot different from when we started fostering Jase, though.  Anyway...we should probably get some rest."
She nodded, and I met her eyes for a moment before I reached to kiss her. 
And then Hallie started to cry. 
We froze, and then she pulled away with a sheepish glance towards me.  "Night, honey...I'll be back whenever I can be back."  With a sigh, she left. 
I tried to go to sleep, but I couldn't, so I just listened for her to come back to 'bed'. 
Pretty soon - I was surprised that she'd gotten her quieted down so quickly - she came back in, curled up nearby, and she must've thought I was asleep. 
I turned onto my side and whispered in her ear, asking if Hallie had gone to sleep. 
She rolled onto her belly and propped herself up.  "Yup...for now.  The big girls are asleep, too."  (Jase & Alexis). 
"That's good..." I told her, studying her pretty face. 
"I didn't wake-"
"No, you didn't."  I told her. "C'mere."  I held a hand out to her, and she quirked a brow and gave me a 'what in the world' look, but she took it.  I reached up and pulled her into a kiss.  When I started to pull away, she gave me a sweet kiss back.  It ended all too soon and so I brushed the hair from her face, giving her a grin even though I'm sure she couldn't see. 
I told her good night, and that I would get up with Hallie through the night, so she could get some rest. 
"Thanks, hon...but I can get up with her.  No big"- she paused to muffle a yawn-"no big deal."
  Really?  "Tangled Fan said I was supposedly cured of migraines....why not put it to the test?  Then you don't have to obsess about me getting eight hours of sleep, and I can be a Daddy to Hallie and if either of the other girls gets up through the night.  And you don't have to run yourself down.  It's a win-win-win!"
She laughed through her nose and sat up, looking at me. 
"I'd prefer not to put it to the test, though.  I don't want to risk you-"
At that, I sat up and pulled her into a kiss to break off her sentence. 
She shook her head.  "I don't want to risk you getting-"
I broke her off again, with a mischievous grin.  "Do I have to do it again?" 
"Oh, shush up!"  she said, unable to hide the silly grin on her face and the fact that she was holding back a laugh.  "I'm...being serious here."
I leaned close to whisper in her ear.  "Then why do you have that goofy grin on your face, if you're being Miss Serious?" 
She almost burst out laughing, but caught herself and just snorted. 
"Oh, why do I even bother...!" she groaned at me as she let herself fall facefirst onto the dresser. 
I laughed through my nose at her and rubbed her back for a few seconds before I flopped down as well. 
"Night, hon.  Love you so much."  At least, that's what I thought she said.  It was kind of hard to hear her when her face was pressed into the dresser top. 
But regardless.  "Love you too, dear girl."  I mumbled before I went to sleep. 

Meeting Alexis

Hey everyone...sorry I haven't posted in awhile.  Hallie's STILL been fussy off and on, but we've been managing...barely ;)  The good part is that I can listen to my hubby sing quietly to her.  I'm serious, she'll quiet down if you sing to her!  It's weird, but hey...get to hear my hubby's awesome voice a lot!  (: Anyway...
Last night, Hallie was particularly fussy.  We had set a time that we would go to meet the girl, Alexis, and it just happened to be early tomorrow morning.  Of course. 
We all went to bed around 7, and Hallie was sleeping peacefully.   We covered up the kids with a small doll blanket Tangled Fan had given us, and then Flynn and I used one of the two handkerchiefs Tangled Fan had given us as well...the nights were beginning to cool off.
I was optimistic and excited for a good night's sleep.  For about an hour. 
When she started wailing, I got up with her, telling Flynn to get plenty of sleep. 
I got her up and wandered around for awhile, quieted her down, and then laid her back down.  The second she left my arms, she started huffing and her face crumpled. 
I scooped her back up and she quieted. 
"Sweetie pie...you need to go to sleep, baby."  I whispered to her and she grinned.  "I dunno why you think you need to be with Momma or Daddy every second, but that's okay too.  Will you sleep for me if I take you back to snooze with me and Daddy?" 
She started to whimper again.  Well, there's the answer to THAT question. 
"Okay, okay.  We won't go to bed with Daddy."  I whispered, humming quietly to her for a few seconds.  She stopped, and after awhile, her eyes closed.  I tried to lay her back down...but nope. 
So I sat with her and held her until I don't know when. 

Sometime through the night, I woke up to feel two arms gently scooping me up.  I couldn't even open my eyes, I was so tired.  I didn't hear Hallie, but I could tell she wasn't in my arms anymore.  So by process of elimination, Flynn had likely woken up, realized I was still out here, found me asleep, taken Hallie and lain her down with Allie and Jase...and so now he was taking me back to bed.  I started to open my mouth in protest, but instead, I just buried my head in the crook of his neck. 
I felt myself being lowered onto my back and then the handkerchief being carefully spread across me.  His lips touched my forehead in a careful kiss, and then  I heard him flop down beside me, loosing a tired sigh, and I randomly thought about how lucky I was to be married to him.  So in one deft movement, I rolled over and pulled him into a kiss.  When I pulled away, I managed to peel my eyes open again - but just barely.  I could hardly see through the darkness, anyway. 
"Did I wake you?"  he whispered. 
I shrugged, propping myself up on my elbows.  His eyes flicked down and he reached to pull the handkerchief back up, and then he spread his arm away from him. 
I accepted the silent offer and rolled over to face him, cuddling up as close as I could get.  I rested my head and my hand on his chest and rolled my eyes up towards him, giving him a smile. 
"Ya ready to go meet Alexis later?"  he whispered, apparently not ready to go back to sleep.
Well...I was really nervous, but at the same time, I felt ready.  "I guess...anxious, but ready."  I finally said, and he put his arm around my shoulders and hugged me tight. 
"You should get to sleep, sweetie, and so should I...we'll see what the morning brings and hopefully, Hallie will sleep through the night."
"That's for sure...love you."
I could hear his smile when he answered me.  "Love you too." 
He plopped a kiss in my hair and I was out like a light. 

This morning, I woke up hearing my name being repeated an annoying amount of times. 
"Waaaake up, darling...Rapunzel...wake up...Rapunzel....hon....Rapunzel..."  and so on and so forth. 
"I'm up, I'm up, already..." I grumbled, working at peeling my eyes open. 
"Good morning to you, too, my little sunshine."  Flynn said sarcastically, and despite myself, I laughed. 
"Sorry."  I chuckled and lifted my head to look at him.  He gave me that grin, and my heart squeezed.  "What time's it?" 
"Tangled Fan will be back in...probably a half an hour." 
"Half an hour?"  I moaned and let my head flop back down dramatically onto his chest.  "Can't we just stay here..and go back to sleep....while Hallie's actually not screaming?" 
He chuckled.  "Tempting as it sounds, we need to get moving." 
I sighed reluctantly.  I felt like a zombie or something...I mean, I'd been getting about six hours of sleep per night, interrupted periodically by Hallie. Flynn could always get up with her, too, but I didn't want him getting migraines.  Anyway...I'm rambling.  "I suppose you're right." 
I started to sit up, but he suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me close to give me a gentle kiss.  When he pulled away, I gave him a grin, my heart fluttering. 
He matched it and then I looked down, my face slightly warm.  "I need to go braid my hair, I suppose...don't want to scare the poor girl." 
"You won't," he laughed. 

After I'd brushed and braided my hair, I went back to peek under the bench.  Everyone else was up, but Flynn wasn't out there.  I bent to look in on him. 
Was he seriously sleeping?!  Looked like it to me. 
So of course, how could I pass this opportunity up? 
I started to creep in, but Merida stopped me. 
"What are ye doin'?"  she whispered.
"Watch this."  I nodded towards him, and a sneaky grin lit up her face. 
She stood back, and I crept towards him.  I carefully trailed my finger down his cheek in an attempt to simulate something crawling across it, but when that didn't work, I leaned down to say 'boo'. 
Just as my lips were forming the word, I quickly found out he was NOT sleeping. 
He yelled 'boo' and grabbed my arms at the same time.  I screamed and yanked away in surprise, smacking my head off of the bench. 
Laughing, he sat up.  I heard Merida cackling in the background, and I glanced around to look at her.  She was bent over, and her face was about as red as her hair, from laughing.  I absently rubbed at my throbbing head,  then glanced over at my husband. He tried to press his lips together and stop laughing, but he took one look at me and started to shake all over, until he finally gave into the laughter.
I rolled my eyes and went over to him.  He must've thought he could kiss me after doing that, but I had a little surprise up my sleeve.  When he reached up to pull me into a kiss, I leaned in towards him as if to accept the kiss..but then I gave him a shove on the chest, pushing him back down. 
"Hey, no fair!"  he said, laughing, and I finally started to giggle.  By now, Merida had tears streaking her cheeks. 
I was nice and stuck around to help him up.  When he was up and we were out from under the bench, he kissed my forehead.  "You alright?"
"Never better."  I chuckled.  "It only hurt for a couple minutes." 
He snorted, trying to suppress more laughter. 

After that, Tangled Fan came in and after we said bye to Jase and Hallie, we were off.  Before we left, though, she presented us with a nice little blanket for the babies...great!  Anyway, that was a lil off topic.. :D  Anyway. 

When we got to where we were going, she plopped us down near Alexis, and then stood back and waited.


I glanced at Flynn, swallowing hard.  Alexis glanced at us with a scared expression on her face. 
"She's shy," Tangled Fan told us.
I nodded silently and then walked slowly towards her, not sure of what to do or say.
"Hey, Alexis..." I finally managed, crouching down by her. 
This was so different from when we met Jase.  Jase had practically thrown herself at us, babbling a hundred miles per hour. 
"Hi."  she glanced at me, eyebrows furrowed. 
"Did Tangled Fan tell you we were going to come see you?"
She nodded.  "I-I'm glad to meet you." 

I gave her a smile and scooped her up, standing.  "Do you want to tell us something about yourself?" 
"I'm six.  I need a new home, I've been tossed around a lot.  The last couple that had me were really mean.  And I want a little sister." 
"That's good...we have two little girls already - one's right around your age, so you can play together," I told her, and a spark of interest finally glimmered in her eyes. 
Until Flynn made a move to scoop her up out of my arms.  She gasped and clung frantically to my neck, and started breathing heavily. 
"It's alright...he's really nice.  Why are you so scared of him, sweetie?"  I asked her. 
She stared warily at Flynn until he backed off a few steps.  "The last couple that had me was really mean and the guy was especially." 
I thought furiously.  Had she been with Ray and HB before?  "Ray and HB?"  I asked her. 
She nodded. 
"Oh, I'm so sorry.  You don't ever have to worry about him being mean to you."
She squirmed to be put down, and I walked over to Flynn. 
He pulled me close to his side and whispered in my ear. "Well...are we gonna foster her?"
I reached up onto my tiptoes and whispered back. "I dunno..she's just so scared. But I'm sure if we show her we're not like Ray and HB - yeah. They had her for awhile too. Anyway, I'm sure she'll come around."
"Okay. Then let's do it," he said, giving me a quick peck on the cheek before turning me to face Tangled Fan.

After about a half an hour, we were back home with Alexis.
She clung to me like nobody's business. I had to work her arms from around my neck before I could set her down on top of the dresser.
I introduced her to everyone, and she promptly went over to Jase.
"Jase?" she asked, peering at her.
Jase's face brightened, and she grabbed her into a hug. "Lexi!"
"You know Alexis, Jase?" I asked, smiling at their big grins.
"Yeah! We were both.." Jase's smile vanished. "We were both with HB and Ray at the same time."
"Ooh," I nodded understandingly.
Jase parted from Alexis and bounced over to Flynn, who had just sat down. She plopped herself down on his lap and gave him a cute little grin that even made ME smile!
"C'mon, Lexi! Daddy's awesome. He won't hurt you."
"That's okay...I'll stay with her," she said, backing up against my legs. I scooped up Hallie and put a hand behind Alexis' head.
"It's alright, honey. He won't hurt you, you know that, right?"
She shrugged, and I just left it at that. I couldn't really blame her for being so flighty, though, if she'd been with Ray and HB.
"How was miss Hallie today?" I turned towards Merida and sat down, pulling Alexis onto my lap as well.
"She was pretty good...she cried a little bit but when she heard my gosh-awful raspy singing voice, she decided she'd quiet down just so she wouldn't have to hear me anymore!" she laughed.
"Oh, I'm sure it's not that bad." I chuckled.
So she decided to give us a quick little serenade.
I was wrong.
"O-oh," I said, wide-eyed.
"Wow." Flynn said, and I glanced over. He wore the same expression as I probably did.
"Told ya!" She laughed and scooped up Allie.

We spent the day getting acquainted with Alexis, and the day flew by.
In the blink of an eye, we were getting the babies ready for bed.
When the babies were sleeping soundly and covered all up, we turned towards the 'big girls'. Jase gave both of us enthusiastic hugs and kisses goodnight, and exchanging I love yous, but Alexis hung back. Finally, I pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek, telling her good night. She just stayed like a board - stiff.
Flynn went to give her a hug, and she grabbed onto my neck and buried her face into my shoulder.
So he just told her. "Good night, Alexis...love you."
She glanced up towards him, wide-eyed. Had she ever heard someone tell her they loved her? Surely...
I set her down, and Jase took her by the hand and fairly dragged her over to their new designated 'bed'.
I checked one last time that Hallie was asleep, and then we headed to bed ourselves.
"Was this a good idea?" I whispered when we got to bed, turning my head to look at him.
"She just needs time. She's just scared, shy, and no wonder, if Ray had her. I'll get her to warm up to me, I'm sure."
"You're right. And that's true as well...you're good at getting people to warm up to you!" I gave him a smile and rolled over onto my belly so I wouldn't get a crick in my neck. I propped myself up on my elbows and looked down at his face, slightly mesmerized by his deep brown eyes.
"She just needs time..it is a lot different from when we started fostering Jase, though. Anyway...we should probably get some rest."
I nodded, and he finally met my eyes before reaching to slowly pull my chin down towards him. Our lips just started to meet for a sweet, goodnight kiss...when...you guessed it. Hallie decided she wasn't sleepy anymore!
We both froze, and I looked sideways as I listened. When she didn't quiet down after a few seconds, I pulled away with an apologetic glance towards him.
"Night, honey. I'll be back whenever I can be back." I sighed and left to see what was up with Hallie. As was the new normal.

I scooped her up and wandered around a bit. Hallie quieted down pretty quickly, but I held her to make sure she fell asleep and stayed asleep. I checked to make sure Jase and Alexis were still sleeping soundly, and they were. Then I just hummed until she seemed like she was going to sleep for awhile.
I laid her carefully down under their new blanket and kept a hand on her arm until I knew she was still asleep. Then, I quietly crept back to bed, for however long that would be!
I curled up on my side, away from Flynn, and was just allowing my eyes to go shut when he turned and whispered in my ear. "She asleep?"
I rolled onto my stomach and propped myself up. "Yup...for now. The 'big girls' are asleep, too."
"That's good..." he said, and I could feel him studying my face in the darkness.
I hoped I hadn't woken him up. "I didn't wake-"
"No, you didn't. C'mere." He held a hand up, and I quirked a brow.
What on earth? I took it, though, and he set it back down beside him. That was all fine and everything, but that was going to be uncomfortable as-
Then, he pulled me into a kiss that was somehow gentle and passionate at the same time. How did he even do that? My heart pounded, and I shut my eyes, enjoying every last second of it before I returned it. When I pulled away, I once more propped myself up to look at him. He let go of my hand and reached to brush the hair from my face. I could see his sweet grin through the darkness, and my heart squeezed. I wanted to kiss him again, but I didn't want to seem weird. I'd already kissed him once just a few seconds ago, anyway. So I just bit my lip and gave him a smile back.
"Good night, my sweet, dear girl. Get recharged - I know the past week or so has been pretty rough and sleepless for you, so I'll get up with Hallie tonight."
How could I not just melt at THAT - an endearment AND a wonderfully awesome offer... that I knew I'd have to turn down anyway because of his migraines??
"Thanks, hon, but I can get up with her. No big-" I broke off to yawn, covering my mouth. "No big deal."
"Tangled Fan said I was supposedly cured of migraines. Why not put it to the test? Then you don't have to obsess about me getting eight hours of sleep, and I can be a Daddy to Hallie and if either of the other girls gets up through the night. And you don't have to run yourself down. It's a win-win..win!"
I laughed through my nose, sitting up to look at him as I pulled the handkerchief up to cover my legs. "I'd prefer not to put it to the test, though. I don't want to risk you-"
He broke me off by sitting up abruptly and pulling me into another kiss.
When he pulled away, I shook my head. "I don't want to risk you getting-"
"Do I have to do it again?" he gave me a mischievous grin.
"Oh, shush up." I told him. "I'm...being serious here." I had to conceal a laugh, though.
"Then why do you have that goofy grin on your face, if you're being Miss Serious?" he leaned close to whisper that in my ear, and I snorted, catching my laugh just in time.
"Oh, why do I even bother..." I groaned, flopping and doing a faceplant.
He laughed through his nose, and I felt him rub his hand on my back for a few seconds before he must've laid down as well.
"Night, hon. Love you so much."
If he answered, I didn't notice, because I was out like a light.

 

New 'room' settling in...

Hey everyone!
So I posted a few hours ago that we've been moved to a different display spot...  and if you've already read it, you already know how challenging it's been to go from having our own shelf to sharing a shelf with Rayne, Merida, Blondie, as well as Allie.
Well, it's been several hours since we've actually been moved...and it's still boring going.  Everyone's kind of awkward and quiet, except the kids.
Hallie's been doing pretty good, but we've been passing her and Allie around between all of us all day long, so she hasn't laid down all day long, except for when she took a nap beside Allie.  :D

Flynn started shifting from side-to-side, and then asked if he could sit.  I stood up and relinquished the wicker chair to him.
"Sit," he said, patting his lap and smiling kindly at me.
"Nah, I'll stand," I said.  I didn't need to feel any more awkward...even though I don't know why I'd be awkward..I mean, we ARE married and everyone around us are our friends, who all know we're hopeless around one another. xD
I went to move away, but he managed to reach out, hook me around the waist, and pull me towards him until I had to either sit or fall down.
I giggled, but my face felt hot, and then my heart surged with affection for my husband.  "You're awful.  I was gonna stand."
"I'm tired of acting like this today.  If someone doesn't like it, they can lump it!"  He whispered in my ear.
"You really are terrible."  I said, rolling my eyes.  "And what about 'not in front of the kids'?"  I added in a whisper.
"It's just sitting.  We could go take a walk," he suggested quietly, and I nodded.
I stood, and he did as well.
"We're gonna go take a walk," I announced.
"Okay.  We'll watch the girls for you," Rayne said.
Jase was napping, so I didn't wake her to give her a see-you-later hug like I usually did before we went on walks.
Flynn took my hand and led me off the shelf.

It was pretty tricky getting down.  There were no boxes to jump down onto, or the chair.  We had to be pretty careful with our steps, or we'd slip!  I had no clue how we'd get back up...!

When we finally reached the floor, Flynn promptly leaned down and gave me a sweet kiss, wrapping his arms gently around me.
My heart soared, and when he eventually pulled away, I lingered in his arms.  "You're a man of impulse, aren't you."
"I couldn't waste one more minute," he said with a wink, and I rolled my eyes.  "So, sweetly sarcastic wife of mine, how are you adjusting to the new shelf?"
"It stinks." I whispered.  "It's not that I don't mind having everyone around us, it's just that it's that way...All.  The.  Time.  And we don't have any privacy at all..." I leaned my head on his chest.
"I presume we will be taking a lot of walks," he said, kissing my hair.
"We're not doing much walking."  I looked up at him.  "But that's alright."  I leaned in as close to him as I could get and he tightened his embrace.  My heart alternated between thundering and leaping.  If there was any difference.  But I didn't wonder about it too much.
He rested his cheek on top of my head and sighed.  "We'll work something out, I'm sure."
"How will all of us sleep?  I mean, there was hardly room for us and the four kids in the other shelf, that was BIGGER!  And now there's three kids, you, me, Merida, Rayne, and Blondie.  EIGHT of us, five being fully grown.  It will be soooo awkward...and we can't have our usual nightly talks or kiss goodnight or anything.  It's gonna be sooooooo weird and awkward...If Tangled Fan would've done this to us almost two months ago, I would've been much, much more comfortable with it, and then if she would've moved us to our old shelf, by ourself, after we got married and stuff....ugh."
He put a finger to my lips, but I still managed to get my 'ugh' out.
"It'll be fine."
"And you'll end up with migraines, I know it!  There won't be any room to lay down, and-"
"Didn't you hear me,  babe?  I said it'll be fine."
"But..." I started up again, but he kissed me long enough to shut me up.  "You're a jerk."
"Hey, call me whatever.  But it worked!" He grinned at me and my heart melted.
"Sorry.  You're not a jerk..you just know how to quiet me down is all.  But good grief, stop making my heart do weird things."  I joked as I willed my heart to settle down.  Could I not be around him without feeling like I was on cloud 9??
He stroked my hair and I finally got too warm and pulled away from him, feeling like my plastic might melt.  I grabbed at his hand and looked up into those chocolatey brown eyes, and I felt almost mesmerized.  "We, um...should probably get back to Jase and Hallie, and...ah..."
He looked up, and I noticed that it was starting to grow dark.  "I don't see or hear them.  It looks like everyone else might just be asleep or something."
"Probably silently spying on us or something."  I mumbled, and he chuckled.
"If they are, why not give them something to be surprised about?" he pulled me in  as if to give me a big, exaggerated kiss, and I pushed him away.
"You really are terrible," I grinned, and he came back to tickle me.  "Stop it. Stop...I'll yell for Merida if you don't - she'll start firing arrows at ya."
"If you do, I'm kissing you.  Then if she does fire arrows at me, I'll die a happy man."
I rolled my eyes and made a mock-disgusted sound.  "Easily pleased, are we?"
"Very much so, around you.  Funny thing is that I wasn't like this until we got married.  But then again, just your smile always could brighten my day, even in those stupid plastic boxes."
"Okay, mister mushy, sappy guy."  I joked, but I couldn't help the smile growing on my lips.
"You wouldn't love me any other way."
"I might," I cocked my head, pretending to think it over, and gave him an impish grin.  At least, until I yawned.
He swung me back in towards him and held me close again.  "Guess what."
"What?" I played along.
He bent to give me one final kiss.  "Love you."
"Love you too..." I trailed off, amazed at how 'warm and fuzzy' those two words had made me feel.
After that, we crept up to the top of the shelf.  Everyone was sprawled out in various spots.
Flynn looked at me, and I at him.  I shrugged, biting my lip with uncertainty.  Finally, we found a small spot up against the wall, where we were able to curl up at to go to sleep.  As we went past Jase, on the chair, I felt a stab of guilt. I'd hardly done anything with her the past few days..and then I decided that no matter what, I was going to stay on the shelf with Jase and have a day all to her and Hallie.
I curled up beside my hubby and took a deep breath in, fumbling until I found his hand.  I held it loosely, and that's how we fell asleep.

Quick drop in...

Hey everyone (:  Refreshed after sleeping in after a longggg night up with Hallie - thank goodness she didn't wake up much, after 3AM.  Anyway.

Today, Tangled Fan got it into her wonderful little head to totally rearrange EVERYTHING.  We're on a complete opposite side of the room, on a bookshelf.  Rayne, Merida, and Blondie are all on the same shelf as Flynn and I - and let's not forget Allie, Hallie and Jase!  

I'm a bit..okay...a LOT disturbed by this.  About a month or a month and a half ago, I would've LOVED to have been on the same shelf as Rayne, Blondie and Merida.  But now that I'm married with Jase AND Hallie, I would kind of like a bit of privacy.  Our shelf was where we were able to talk wholeheartedly and display affection.  But now that we're up with EVERYONE ELSE, it's kind of embarrassing!  Make that a LOT embarrassing.  I have no clue where we're all gonna sleep!  Ugh.  :(  The only plus side is that we're closer to the 18 inchers.  But we're the whole room away from the chair and the window!  :[ 

So, when Tangled Fan randomly snagged me, Merida, Rayne, Hayley, the two toddler dolls, and Punzie, to have a photoshoot to get a picture for her A Dolly A Day blog, we decided to forget what the word cooperate was.  

Cooperate?  Uh...no habla Ingles!  ;} 

At first glance, this one might be okay.  But none of us are looking at the camera, or at least in the same direction.  Scratch that one!  

This one might look okay enough at first glance, but then there's this dilemma:  

Merida decided to pull some of my hair over her face at last minute.  

Scratch that one too!  

I guess she just gave up and used this one for her blog banner.  We got tired of being away from everyone else and being dragged around into different positions every ten seconds...so we randomly all remembered what 'cooperate' meant. 

By the time we were done, I was sooo ready to get back to Flynn.  I was mad that he wasn't brought with for the banner.  But oh well... 

Here's the 'new' bookshelf.  

Toddler Merida & Toddler Rapunzel are right below us, and Punzie and her friend, BFC Ink Addison (Aka Addi) are below them.  

And this is the top level.  

At least Flynn can stand up without being all hunched over - it was really doing a number on his back!  So I guess there's that.  

Several times after I got back, Flynn started to lean down as if to kiss me, but realized everyone was up there and half were looking in our general direction, so he would freeze and stand upright again.  I suppose I'll wait until it's dark out and just dim enough that nobody else can see, and then I'll just give him a kiss so he can quit looking odd, bending over, looking around, and then standing back up.  Heehee..poor guy.  Well, this new display shelf is awkward.  Sooo soooo soooo awkward.  I figure Flynn will have a rant posted here within the near future...if he doesn't, I'll be surprised!  =D  

Flynn here...HB & 2wk anniversary

Hey everyone...Sorry that this post's a day late.  Ugh!  
Anyway.
Thursday morning dawned hot and muggy...just like it has been for the past week!
Rapunzel was still sleeping, and my heart squeezed at how innocent she looked.
After a few minutes, she woke up.  She slid upright, and I did too, still keeping an arm around her.
Suddenly, a line from Tim McGraw's 'Good Morning Beautiful' (I think that's what it's called anyway) came to me, and it seemed appropriate, so I started whisper-singing it to her.
She elbowed me and chuckled at me when she recognized the lyrics, and then kissed my cheek.
Then I heard faint crying.  Hallie and Allie.  My wife and her gang of 'bloodthirsty' buddies hadn't gotten to talk to Tangled Fan yet.
Rapunzel jumped up.  "That's it.  We're gonna talk to Tangled Fan if it's the last thing we do!"
Instead of telling her not to get into a fight, I grabbed her wrist before she stomped off, and got up.  "I'm coming too.  Jase is still asleep, and I can hear and see her from the chair."
She strode over and beat onto the printer.  Within minutes, the trio all came down.  Merida and Blondie were lugging some stuff.
We made our way over to the chair, and I finally saw what they were carrying: a glass jar and a hair brush.  Alrighty then!

Merida set the jar down, Blondie crouched beside it with the brush and started banging it on the jar.  Merida kicked at the jar and waved her bow above her head like a mad-doll.
I protectively linked my arm with Rapunzel's, prepared to take her away from the situation if it went awry.  She looked across me at Rayne, and Rayne looked back at her with a shrug.  "I think she's having just a bit too much fun with that."
"Ya think?" she chuckled. "I feel like I should get in on it, but I think they're making enough-"
"What on EARTH is going on in here?!?"
We all turned towards Tangled Fan, either freezing or trying to act normal.  Rapunzel pressed closer into my side.
Blondie, who must not have noticed Tangled Fan in her frenzied beating of the brush, slammed the brush down again.  Noticing everything was silent, she looked up.
"Ummm...we have, that is...we've..RAPUNZEL!  Rapunzel has something she has to tell you!" Merida stammered, finally gesturing towards my wife.
"I.." She broke off awkwardly when everyone turned towards her.
I grabbed her one hand - she was flapping the other one around aimlessly - and gave it a reassuring squeeze, adding a smile.
Taking a deep breath, the whole story came tumbling out of her mouth.  "So the other day, we heard crying from the top of the shelf, and y'know, we were just wanting to check stuff out to make sure whoever it was, was okay.  So Merida, Jase and I went.  Flynn came up later, so he'll back me up too.  Anyway, HB - the Happy Birthday Barbie you adopted Allie and Hallie out to?  She wasn't paying any attention to the girls, and they were the ones crying.  I asked about them, and she said they'd be fine if she just left them be.  And that she always does it anyway!  She didn't want to mess up her DRESS, because her BOYFRIEND  was going to come over for a date.  By the way, she willingly admitted that she LIED to you about being married!  And THEN, she said that she just left the babies over on the edge of the shelf while she went on dates or whatever! I'm so scared they'll fall.  And since then, they've been crying NON STOP.  Don't you think you should take them away from her?!"
"I talked to Jase.  Apparently, she'd been fostered by HB before.  She said she was terribly mean and never did anything with her.  She was quite adamant about the fact that the babies needed to be taken from her."  I added.
"If you don't believe them, I'll side with 'em.  I saw it myself!"  Merida said defiantly.
"I will, also."  Rayne said, and Blondie nodded her agreement with all of us.
"Well...just to be sure, I"ll ask HB about this.  I'm pretty upset she lied, and i'm upset that she hasn't been doing ANYTHING with Allie and Hallie. I'll go do it now."
We all turned towards the shelf to see HB was gone.  The babies were wailing, and their legs were hanging over the edge of the shelf.  My stomach dropped.
Rapunzel gasped.  "Grab them bef-"
Grab them before they fall?  Yeah right.  They started to plummet from the top of the shelf.
Rapunzel wheeled towards me and pressed her face up against my shoulder, crying. Rayne clasped her hands to her stomach, horrified.  Merida hit her knees and covered her face, gasping.  Blondie loosed a bloodcurdling scream.  I held Rapunzel tightly to me and turned my face away to avoid seeing the certain accident, and I almost hyperventilated.
But then we heard Tangled Fan say 'got them'. Rapunzel lifted her head from my shoulder.  I looked up. We all turned towards Tangled Fan - and realized she'd caught them!
We all gasped.
Tangled Fan looked down at the dolls in her hand as if she didn't know what to do with them.  I could hear them wailing.
"I guess I'll toss 'em in the box up in the attic.  Nobody else'll want them-"
"Wait just a second!"  Rayne stepped forward, growing at least three inches as she bristled and stood straight.  My wife stepped back a step and pressed even closer to me with uncertainty.  "Rapunzel cared for those babies for a week!  The week she should have been honeymooning, and when she had no clue what to do and was overwhelmed!  Don't you think you should possibly ask if she wanted them BACK, after you so rudely took them from her?  And Merida's helped her so much with those kids, and she so loves that little Allie, that don't you think you should pardon your married couples rule just for her?  She will be a lot better a mother than a box full of Barbies would EVER be!  And while we're at it - why do I have to stay locked in that stupidly wretched doll stand ALL THE TIME?  Every morning, Merida and Blondie have to help yank me out of the stupid thing, and yet you put me in it anyway!"  She huffed.
Alrighty then.  How did that last part about the doll stand fit in to the rest of the situation?  I wasn't sure if I should be amused or terrified of her - I'd never seen serene Rayne go nuts like that.
Tangled Fan silently held Allie out to Merida.  She took her, beaming.
"You're sure you're ready for motherhood, Merida?" Rapunzel asked her.  "Trust me, you don't want to rush into it!"
"If I can keep this baby away from HB, yeah, I'm ready!" She stared into Allie's eyes.
Then Tangled Fan held Hallie out to my wife and I.
"I apologize for taking the four of them away from you.  I was in a hurry and didn't think to ask.  Forgive me?"  My wife ndoded.
She took Hallie gently into her arms and I gave her a one-armed hug, kissing her hair.  She smiled down at Hallie and Hallie gave a cute little grin.  My heart skipped a beat when I realized how far we'd come.

Suddenly, though, Merida said my name.
"Yeah?" I was almost afraid to even know.
"You planning on doing anything with her today?"  she gestured towards Rapunzel.
I was confused.  Of course I was - it was our two week anniversary.  "I was..kind of planning on it, cause it's our two-week anniversary..why?"
"I was gonna teach your wife here how to shoot a bow and arrow.  She might have to fend off an angry HB!"  She joked.
She looked at Merida, wide-eyed and slightly terrified in appearance.  She asked her if it was dangerous.
"Dangerously FUN!"  She laughed.
"It's just morning right now, so it can't hurt.  I want to watch this - good entertainment!"
"Hey.  I bet you can't shoot either!"  Rapunzel said, and I gave her a one-armed hug to show I was just jerking her chains.
"Actually, I know how to shoot a bow and arrow."  And I actually did.
"Really now...why don't I believe that?"  She joked before reaching to give me a quick peck on the jawbone.
"Then it's a deal!"  Merida said.  "Why don't we get at it?"
"I'm leaving before arrows start flying," Rayne laughed.
Rapunzel took off after her, and talked with her for a few minutes.
I watched her as she talked.  It amazed me how happy and bubbly she was, after she had been so grievous and everything only about a week ago when the kids had been taken away from us.
Next thing I knew, Rapunzel was back and standing beside me.  And Merida was pulling an arrow out of her quiver to shoot.
I stood back.  I didn't want to be anywhere near that crazy doll when she started shooting arrows!
She explained how to shoot the arrow, and then loosed hers.
Rapunzel was completely awed by Merida's shooting skills.
Merida handed Rapunzel her equipment, and I felt it was safe to come back over.
I leaned against a chair rung, somewhat behind Rapunzel.
She looked at me and laughed.  "If any a time to stand back, it's now.  You shouldn't trust your wife with weaponry she's never used before."
Merida and I both got a laugh out of that one. When the chuckles subsided, Rapunzel started trying to get in position.
Although Merida tried to coach her, she still just couldn't get comfortable with the arrow and the bow.  I could see her face start to go red as she fumbled around, trying to get everything set up, so I stepped up behind her and took her arms into my hands, guiding them to where they needed to be placed.
"There ya go.  That's exactly how you hold it!"
In Rapunzel's excitement to have gotten the position, finally, she let go of the arrow.  It went straight for the metal-edged table, and I knew what was coming. I didn't know if the arrow could inflict injury to any of us, but I didn't want to find out!  I wrapped one arm around Rapunzel's waist, grabbed Merida with the other, and yanked both of them backwards before we all huddled in the opposite side of the chair.  Merida had fallen to her knees.
It ricocheted, but it just landed on its side, on the chair.
"You're right.  Maybe I shouldn't trust you with weaponry you don't know how to use!" I teased my wife.
"Oh hush up," she said, suddenly getting the giggles.  Merida stood and gave her a playful shove.
"You'll catch on.  But your lesson learnt for today is: Never, EVER shoot anything towards something it'll ricochet off of.  Like metal."
She laughed harder and apologized.
Merida left to pick up the arrow.
I didn't even realize I still held Rapunzel in a death grip.
"You can let go now.   No flying arrows to shield me from...right now, anyway!"  I laughed and let her go.
"I'd best head over to see what Rayne's up to with the girls.  I'll be back later, okay?  Don't kill anybody or break anything."  I chuckled, starting to leave back for the shelf.

When I got back, I relieved Rayne of her babysitting duties.  Jase told me how excited she was to have at least one of her baby 'sisters' back.  And she told me how she'd watched Momma shoot the arrow with 'aunt' Merida and how she wanted to learn how to shoot too.  I told her that she'd have to wait a little while till she could shoot.  She got me into a game of tea-party, with imaginative teacups and everything.  I held Hallie in one arm and went along with Jase's game for the majority of the afternoon and part of the evening.  I kept getting this nagging feeling that I was forgetting something, but I couldn't figure out what.
Eventually, though, I got Jase and Hallie both to take a quick nap whilst I went to get Rapunzel for our walk.
"Hey, Merida - can I steal her for a bit?  The girls are napping if you want to go watch them, please?"
"Sure.  And hey, even though stealing is bad, I'll let you take her anyway."
Rapunzel chuckled and thanked her for being her teacher for the day.
They talked for a  couple seconds and then she turned back to me.  I guess I must've been standing a bit too close, because she rammed into me when she turned to face me.  I held my hand out, and she took it.
We went to the floor to walk.  "So how did everything go after I left?"
"It was awesome!  I can see why she loves to shoot!  It's tons of fun.  We took turns shooting.  It was sooo much fun. She's such a good - what do you call it - she's such a good marksman!  Or markswoman.  Rather...marksdoll!" she broke off to giggle.  "I think sometime you'll have to demonstrate your shooting skills, if Merida'll agree to let you use her bow.  I didn't kill or break anything, and only ricocheted the arrow once by accident!  I guess I didn't do too bad, but I've still got a LONG way to go before I'm as good as Merida, if I'll ever be!"
As she talked, I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm.  When she was done talking, we walked in silence.  Her face quickly grew red.
She took my other hand and wrapped the other arm around my waist.  "Um..so, no dancing today?"  she grinned up at me.
So THAT'S what I'd forgotten about.
"Oh, I'm so sorry - I totally forgot to ask Rayne to play the playlist I'd made up last Friday...what with the kids and-"
"It's fine - I was just wondering - and half teasing, too, because we'd done it every other time."  She smiled up at me, and I found myself mesmerized by her emerald green eyes.
I snapped out of it for a moment, and suggested we climb up onto the chair.
I kind of embarrassed myself, because I just couldn't stop looking at her and thinking of how lucky a man I was to have her as my wife.  She leaned quite awkwardly against a rung of the chair, pulling her braid over a shoulder to fiddle with it.  "I need to-"
I knew it would make the outing even more embarrassing and awkward, but I couldn't help myself.  An overwhelming urge to kiss her came over me and I grabbed her up into a kiss, cutting her off.
I could feel her arms jerk and then she just put her hands comfortably up on my shoulders.  I could feel her start to go down because her knees went out from under her or something, and so I tightened my grip on her.  Finally, though, I started to reluctantly pull away from her - and she stood on tiptoe to grab me back into a kiss of her own; all the while, my stomach felt like a whole zoo had been released into it as a stampede or something, and a weird sensation gripped my spine.
She finally pulled away from me and slid her hands down around to my waist, sighing.
I reached to brush some hair from her face, allowing my hand to linger on her hair for a moment until I finally spit it out.  "I love you," I whispered.
Her mouth made awkward 'I want to say something, but can't figure out what' movements, before she finally asked what the kiss was for.
Was it awkward that I didn't really know why I'd kissed her?  Yep.  I have no regrets.
"Just because," I said, grinning.  She smiled back at me and I wondered if hearts could burst from your chest.
"Because why?" she asked me.
"What, can't I kiss my beautiful wife when I feel like kissing her?" I said, trying to keep a poker face, in an attempt to tease her.
"It's not that I don't appreciate it..." she winked.
Lesson to everyone:  if you get an opportunity to tease someone - in a kind way, mind - don't ever pass it up.  I don't!
I began to lean down to kiss her again, since she said that, and she pushed me away with a laugh.  "You're laying on the sweetness just a bit too thick, honey."
I pulled her close again and rested my forehead on hers.  She put a hand on my face and smiled before shutting her eyes.  At that moment, I never knew my heart could ever be so full.  I had the most stunning, beautiful, loving, sweet wife on earth, I had two sweet, adorable little girls, and I prayed that none of them would never be taken away from me!
"Two weeks ago, I never would've guessed we would be so open like this.  I never would have guessed we would've ended up with four kids, losing them all, and then getting two back, either.  And I never would've guessed how much I love you!"  I whispered.
"Two weeks ago, I never would have guessed we would be this way, either.  I never would've guessed ANY of this, either!  And I pretty much knew I had the world's biggest crush EVER on you, but I didn't really know how much so!  And by the way...love you, too!"
She opened those emerald green eyes that left me weak in the knees, and I smiled at her, giving her a peck on the forehead before deciding to commence the teasing once more.  "HAD the world's biggest crush ever on me?"
"You're bad.  Now I don't just have a CRUSH on you...now I have the ribbon to prove it!  And you obviously had a crush on me in order to give me that ribbon."  she threw the teasing right back at me, and I chuckled.
Eventually, though, she pulled away and said we should get back to the kids.
I nodded, took her hand gently into mine, and we went back to the shelf.
When we got there, Merida and Allie, Hallie, and Jase were all sprawled on the shelf floor, sleeping.
Rapunzel giggled quietly, and I started to shake with my attempt to not laugh.
She asked if maybe we should just let them be, but Merida awoke abruptly, yelling a 'who's there'.  My wife and Merida talked for a few minutes, and I hung back.
As soon as Merida left with Allie, Hallie started crying.
With a yawn, Rapunzel went over to hold her, bouncing her and reassuring her.
Within minutes, Jase woke up.
She came and hugged me, and I hugged her back, my heart swelling with love for this little girl.  "Love you, Daddy!"  She said.  Then she went over to Rapunzel, hugged her, and told her she loved her, too.  By the time she made it back to behind the alarm clock, I think she was asleep - she sure hit the shelf floor with a thump!
The night dragged on after that, and every time Rapunzel would lay Hallie down again, she'd wake up and cry.  It was almost 1 in the morning, and we'd been trying to get her to go to sleep since 10.
I watched Rapunzel holding her and frantically trying to get her to sleep, her eyes growing heavier by the second.  She plopped down with Hallie, and I walked over, holding my arms out.
"What?"  she asked, wiping her eyes and looking confusedly up at me.
"You go to sleep.  I'll take care of her the rest of the night."
"No.  You'll get a migraine."  She shook her head vigorously.
I raised my eyebrows, wiggled my fingers, and offered again.
"Sit."  she whispered, and I obliged, wrapping an arm around her small shoulders.
"That's better," she joked.
I watched her eyes roll around, and she looked so tired.
"Why don't-" I started to tell her to go to bed, but she refused.
"I'm fine."  She said, leaning slowly into me so as not to wake Hallie.

Around three, Hallie FINALLY went to sleep and was able to be put down without screaming.
Rapunzel set her down and slowly straightened back up, and looked at me, wide-eyed despite her sleepiness.  She added a victorious little grin and I leaned in for a quick little kiss.
And then we both made a beeline for bed before the next crisis occurred.

Surprisingly enough, though, she slept all night long after that!  Which is a really good thing, because I was getting the beginnings of a migraine after staying up so late...but I didn't dare tell my wife about it.  And I would've gotten up with Hallie anyway - Rapunzel needed the rest.  It was good, though, because it went away eventually! Boo-yah.