Five Year Old
"Lex," Tobin sleepily called out as she felt her wife jostle her arm as she slipped out of Tobin's embrace "what are you doing?"
Alex threw on an old Cal sweatshirt and then kissed Tobin's forehead. The clock on the bedside table read five-eleven in the morning, an hour that Alex rarely saw now that six month old Jordan finally started sleeping through the night.
"It's the thirtieth babe"
"Oh, I'll be there in a little while." Tobin mumbled, understanding the importance of the day before falling back asleep.
The former striker smiled at her wife who was entangled in sheets with her long hair splayed every whichway over the pillows, before leaving the master bedroom and heading down the hall to Kellan's room.
The five year old's light gray walls were covered in black and white photos of surfers and soccer players while a surfboard shelf hung underneath the large bay window looking out into the Harris-Krieger's backyard.
Alex took a moment to study the early light of the warm March morning. The sun was beginning to peak out amid leftover rain clouds from last night's thunderstorm. Pink, yellow and orange blended seamlessly together, seemingly painted with broad brushstrokes behind the navy blue and white home of Ali and Ashlyn.
Speaking of Ali and Ash, Alex felt a grin make it's way onto her face when she saw the soft yellow light of Hallie's room click on. Ali appeared in the window with HAO following closely behind her.
Heather and Dave had made the drive from Chapel Hill down to Orlando. Dave was coaching a youth lacrosse team at a tournament at Florida State and it happened that Kell's birthday fell on the same weekend. So the Werry family had switched between Alex and Tobin's house and Ali and Ashlyn's to give the girls equal amounts of time with KAO.
Remembering little KAO, Alex shook her head in amusement at the sight of ginger headed Kaitlan Werry clutching onto Heather's back for dear life while Hallie buried her face into the crook of Ali's neck as the four walked out of the light purple bedroom.
She returned her attention back to her own daughter's room. On the carpeted floor, a box of Legos was upturned and strewn across the bedroom; mixed among plastic dinosaurs and child sized tennis shoes and stuffed animals. Any other day Alex would have had her kid pick up her toys immediately upon getting up, but today was different. Today Kells could do whatever her little heart desired.
In the brand new twin bed, tucked inbetween custom made US Soccer sheets, Kellan was curled around her stuffed stegosaurus named Sam, snoring softly into his spikes. The preschooler had also fallen asleep wearing her new New Oreleans Pelicans snapback, courtesy of her Uncle Jrue.
Yep, Kellan Abigail was definitely Tobin Heath's daughter.
Alex leaned against the door frame and felt an overwhelming sense of love and adoration sweep over her as she watched her daughter's chest rise and fall with sleep. It was odd to think that at this time, five years ago, Alex was in a hospital room with this same little human asleep in her arms.
Not satisfied with just watching her daughter sleep, Alex padded softly across the room and eased herself onto the bed, pulling Kellan's body close so that the little girl's knees were pressed into Alex's stomach. She reached with the hand that wasn't wrapped around Kell's back and took off the hat, discarding it over the side of the bed.
Kellan's eyes fluttered open briefly to see who had entered into her blanket burrito. Recognizing her mom through sleep heavy eyes, the little girl offered up a sweet smile and buried herself deeper into Alex's body.
"Today, in about ten minutes, you're a whole five years old Kell" mother whispered into her daughter's hair
"humph"
Alex placed five soft kisses to Kellan's face before wrapping her into a hug.
"Happy birthday my sweet little dinosaur"
By this time, especially after hearing the word 'dinosaur', Kellan was wide awake and looking excitedly up at her mother. Alex studied the little round face, still soft with sleep but the fire in her eyes was ignited, signaling that Kellan was ready for her day.
"It's my birthday? I'm five!"
"It's who's birthday?" Tobin appeared the in the doorway, holding baby Jordan who was resting her head against her mother's shoulder.
Kellan wiggled out of Alex's hold and scampered down from her bed, dancing around her mother and sister.
"Mama I'm FIVE! Jordan look, Jojo I'm this many. That's one-two-free-four-FIVE" the girl counted her little sister's toes, making the infant giggle.
"Now that you're five little buddy," Tobin set Jordan down on the bed next to Alex and then grabbed her oldest daughter, holding her upside down "what's your first order of business?"
"Pancakes!" she yelled excitedly, long hair brushing the floor.
"Tobs, pull her up, her face is getting red" Alex felt the familiar burn of parental panic rise in her chest.
After serving a few more tickles to her stomach, Tobin flipped Kellan upright and glanced out of the window when a peel of little girl laughter and flashes of Carolina Blue caught her eye. The particular combination of sight and sound could only mean one thing.
"Hm pancakes may have to wait Kells, I think you might have some visitors"
Just as the midfielder finished her sentence, two small voices called up from the backyard of the Harris-Krieger house.
"Hey! Hey Kellan! My Mama says you're five now!" Hallie's lisp rang loud and clear from below the window.
"Today is March thirtieth! That's your birthday and that's today! You're minus one from me an' Matty!" Kaitlan Werry exclaimed, obviously pleased that she was no longer the sole 'big kid' out of the Tribe .
At the sound of her two best friend's voices, Kellan's eyes grew about two sizes before she scrambled around her room, pulling on her snapback and a pair of socks. Just as Kellan sprinted out of her bedroom door to go join her pals, Tobin put her arm out and practically clotheslined her kid.
"Hold on there lightening, what'd you forget?"
"Oh," Kellan sheepishly grinned, remembering her morning routine.
Alex picked Jordan up and got off of the bed so Kellan could smooth out the sheets and pull her Land Before Time comforter up and over her tiny Tarheel pillow.
"Good job KMo," Alex held her hand out which Kellan delightfully jumped up and smacked as hard as she could.
"Am I done Mama?"
Tobin looked to Alex who nodded slightly in agreement.
"Kisses and then get out of here five year old"
The birthday girl gave a gap toothed grin, a result from losing her two front teeth earlier in the week, and then kissed both of her parents on the cheek.
"I'm gonna let my friends in now!" Kellan informed her parents as she sprinted down the stairs.
Tobin and Alex couldn't help but laugh when they heard their daughter and her two best friends erupt in squeals and giggles upon their reunion. Shaking her head and mentally preparing herself for a day full of little girl laughter and energy, Tobin headed out of the room but stopped in her tracks when she realized that Alex wasn't behind her.
"Whatcha doin' Lex?"
Alex sniffed, not realizing the tears escaping from her eyes as she took a look around her daughter's nursery turned big kid room. She nodded, adjusting a now passed out Jordan on her hip, grabbing Tobin's hand as the exited the room.
"Tobs, she's five."