#p(ink) punks

As the candles go out and Daisi and Cloude are set down, Poppi holds onto Willo for just a second longer. He squirms, eager to join his sisters in childhood.

Poppi looks him over – his tiny little hands, his big brown eyes – and smacks one last kiss onto his forehead.

“Happy birthday, my darling boy,” she says, setting him down and trying to force the thought of ‘for the last time’ out of her mind.

Today is for her kiddos, not for her sadness. She and Pari can talk about that later.

“Wanda!” Poppi calls from the kitchen. “All we’re missing is you and Cloude!”

“I know!” Wanda shouts, finally catching up to her rambunctious toddler. “Gotchya!” She says, blowing a raspberry at Cloude. Once in her arms, Cloude settles down, tangling her fingers in Wanda’s necklace as they head back to the kitchen.

Once they’re within earshot, the crowd begins to sing. At least there’s no question as to where Wanda has to be by the time the song’s done – there’s only one cake left unoccupied by parent and tod alike.

As the song comes to an end, Wanda looks around at her friends. Poppi and Sai, cradling Willo and Daisi, respectively, start pointing at the lit candles and pursing their lips, as if to blow.

“Look, Cloude,” Wanda whispers, pointing at the candles. “Wanna help me blow them out? Like this!”

Despite all three having a different combination of parents, Cloude, Willo, and Daisi were all born fairly close to one another – so close that their parents have decided to throw their birthdays on the same day!

“There’s one of the birthday girls!” Cyn croons, waving to Daisi. “Hi, honey!”

“G’ma!” Daisi calls. Both Sai and Cyn’s faces brighten at that.

“Babe,” Sai calls to Wanda, “Which cake is Daisi’s?”

“The honey one!” Wanda and Pari say at the same time, right before Wanda is pulled into the next room as she chases a running Cloude through the house.

Cloude, Willo T., & Daisi’s Birthday!

6:03 PM

P(ink) Punks Residence

After a mandatory potty break, Daisi is left to wander the apartment with her siblings – or, rather, with Willo, since Cloude has already curled up on the living room armchair and fallen asleep. Daisi stares at her.

“Leave Cloude alone, Dais,” Sai says, his gaze jumping between the game on the screen and his daughters. “C’mere, wanna sit with me?”

Daisi does toddler over, but the screen doesn’t capture her attention like it does her dad’s. Instead, she starts rummaging in the clutter on the table, giggling when a box turns over onto the floor.

“Dais,” Sia groans, but just then, the door to Diya’s office opens and Willo comes scuttling out.

“You silly little goose!” Diya calls, chasing him out with wiggling fingers. Willo’s peals of laughter echo up to Poppi and Pari, upstairs working on a new mural for the landing. “I’m gonna getchya!”

Willo screeches. Cloude stirs, and Sai shakes his head, looking up at Daisi with a smile.

“Wanna play, Dais?” He pauses the game and scoops her up, putting her on his shoulders. “Let’s go get Willo!”

Poppi watches Daisi stack blocks, waiting for the clock to hit 9:30. Potty training means keeping a close eye on all three kiddos, which is impossible for any single parent to do – so today Poppi is on Daisi duty.

What happened to the days when I actually got dressed in the mornings? She wonders as she encourages her youngest daughter on. I love my comfy clothes, but goodness – I can’t think of a time that I spent so much of my days in pajamas!

“Ma!” Daisi waves a block around. “Tri-gull!”

Poppi leans down a little closer. It is, in fact, a triangle, printed on each side of the block Daisi is holding proudly.

“Wow, good job, Dais! That is a triangle!” Poppi claps and Daisi giggles, glad for the praise…but Poppi is baffled. “You’re so little and so smart,” she mumbles as Daisi babbles to her blocks.

9:15 AM

P(ink) Punks Residence

Pari has barely stepped foot in the kitchen before little hands are grabbing at his pants.

“Hey there, Willo,” he says, bending down to get on his son’s level.

Willo makes grabby hands at Pari. “Play! Da, play!”

Pari chuckles and shucks his hat and cardigan. “You wanna play? Let’s play!”

He scoops Willo up, leaving a trail of giggles in their wake as the two ricochets around the room – first an airplane, then a rocket, then just…goofing around. The peals of laughter echo into the landing. At least Cloude is a sound sleeper, Pari thinks as he catches Willo, who has jumped off the couch and into his face.

“Play!”

“We are playing, buddy!”

Tiny feet rattle across the floor upstairs, and before long, Daisi’s little face is peeking around from the landing.

“Dais!” Willo calls, having caught a glimpse of his sister as Pari spins them both around. “Play!”

Daisi grins and starts carefully picking her way downstairs. Before long, Pari is absolutely overwhelmed with toddlers!