IT'S A BABY-BONANZA!

[paradisamods]

Good morning, residents! Did you sleep well? You're going to need all the energy you can muster because congratulations: You're parents! Again! The Paradisa Stork has paid some very lucky residents a visit last night, and even moved them to a more kid-friendly environment.

Some of you may already recognize your little bundle of joy and--my, how they've grown! Others will have to get acquainted with their little rugrats. You may not know them, but they certainly know you. By they way? They're bored. And hungry! And they want all the attention you could possibly give them.

It's going to be a long week.

(ooc: Use this as a catch-all post! This will be the only mass post for the Sunny Skies Retreat, so you may use it for any day that you'd like. Feel free to make your own posts and/or sections whenever you'd like!

SECTIONS: BEDROOMS | PLAY ROOM | PETTING ZOO | POOL | GARDENS | THE CASTLE)

Comments

[youfallback]

[Jack climbs out and Carolina anchors him and Laura as they work to pull York out of the ball pit. A little impatient, Jack tries to provide some verbal encouragement.] C'mon Daddy! Pool time!

[encryptedlock]

[Of course he doesn't actually have any trouble getting out, but he likes playing along with the kids.]

One more stop first. We gotta see the petting zoo.

[And then that should be a good 20 minutes so they don't get cramps.]

We can see what kind of animals they have, okay?

[Laura nods enthusiastically.]

[youfallback]

[Jack makes a dramatic whining sound and frowns at York before turning his pleading eyes on Carolina. Which of course doesn't work. She gestures with her head toward the petting zoo and Jack nods unenthusiastically.] But there aren't gonna be any red pandas there.

[encryptedlock]

[York looks visibly startled for a second.]

Yeah? You like red pandas, Jack?

They're his favorite.

[There's no way that's a coincidence.]

[youfallback]

[Jack nods, but scuffs his little tiny shoes on the floor.] His name is Georgia. And he's the best red panda ever.

[Referring to a stuffed animal maybe? Carolina frowns suddenly down at Jack before flicking her gaze back up to York. That can't be possible. They'd never figured out a way to jog anyone's memories.]

[encryptedlock]

[Well. York still looks pretty shocked. Maybe even moreso than before.]

I--I bet he is. Well, tell you what. If there aren't any red pandas we can go straight to the pool, okay?

[Maybe they'd bought him a red panda plushie to match Laura's panda?]

[youfallback]

[Jack perks up with a bright smile. He's pretty sure there aren't any red pandas, so it'll mean that they'll get to the pool all that much faster.]

Okay! [And excitedly starts to tug on York's arm again.

Carolina, meanwhile, isn't sure what to think. She knows that she would save York, at the minimum, but this seemed to imply that they still fell back in love somehow.]

[encryptedlock]

[...Yeah, as much as he loves his kids, and he truly does, he still doesn't actually believe he'll ever live to have them for real. She won't save him. She doesn't even like him. They can't change anything, because he sure as hell wasn't able to stop her from turning into the bitter, angry bitch she was now.

But once a year he can forget that he'll never have kids or be a father or get to watch someone he loves grow up. Because there's nothing about these kids that rings as false to him, and it's not just because he's in denial. They're real, and what he feels for them is real, and having a tiny hand pull on his in excitement is about the best possible thing he could ask for.

The petting zoo is outside, but the whole resort isn't too huge so they're able to get to it pretty quickly. It's full of the usual petting zoo fare, which makes Laura pretty excited, but he has a hunch Jack's right about there not being and red pandas.]

[youfallback]

[Jack glances around excitedly for any hint of a red panda, but he's not seeing any of them. Frowning, he leans up against York to look at the otherwise ordinary sheep and goats and such. Carolina moves up to stand on York's other side, glancing over at him for a moment before turning her attention back to the kids.] Laura, we can stay here if you want, Jack and Daddy can go to the pool.

[encryptedlock]

[Laura looks around and gets a slightly exaggerated thinking expression.]

Okay. I want to go swimming too, but after we pet the animals.

[Jack squeals in delight and York picks him up. Getting a bit heavier than last year, but he doesn't seem to mind too much.]

All right. We'll see you two there whenever you're ready.

[And he'll take the boy to the indoor pool, which looks like it's seriously about three inches deep.]

[youfallback]

[Carolina smiles down at Laura before giving Jack a little wave before he and York head off. Once they do leave, Carolina goes to buy a little bit of feed for Laura to give to the animals.

MEANWHILE, Jack is splashing like crazy in the little baby pool, so excited to finally be here.]

[encryptedlock]

[Laura will have an excellent time at the petting zoo, because everyone knows princesses have animal companions. She seems to especially like the bigger animals and will at some point ask if she can have a pony ride.

York, despite the near certainty of pee in the water from all these babies, will get in and play with Jack when he asks, though he prefers to sit on the sideline and watch.]

[youfallback]

[Of course Carolina will let Laura enjoy a pony ride and forces herself to sit back and watch rather than walk along side Laura during the ride. After all, the little girl is growing up and should be able to handle a teeny, tiny pony.

Despite being perfectly happy in the baby pool, Jack notices the big waterslide outside through the windows and excitedly asks if they can go out there,] Daddy, Daddy! Outside!

[encryptedlock]

[Laura's very happy once she gets to ride a pony and will be ready to join the others once she gets that in, but she'll definitely be back later in the week. If asked, she'll say they don't have any pets at home but she likes animals anyway.

As for York, he contemplates the waterslide and decides they probably have a way for him to hold his son as they ride it.]

Sure thing, Jack. Just be really careful. You can't run around the pool, okay? Don't want you to slip and fall.

[youfallback]

[Carolina will ask but smile at the answer and help Laura down off the pony to lead her back toward the pool area if she's ready to go.

Jack nods solemnly as he gets up out of the baby pool and walks as calmly as he can for the big pool, ogling that waterslide.] Daddy can I go?

[encryptedlock]

[She'll happily babble to Carolina about the animals she saw on the walk over, even though they'd been together the whole time.]

Of course you can, Jack. Long as I get to go with you, okay?

[Yeah, it looks like the safety sign says a kid under three feet tall can ride as long as their parent or guardian is with them. But they have to climb the stairs first, which takes a while at Jack's pace.]

[youfallback]

[Carolina and Laura make it to the outside pool as York and Jack are climbing the stairs and Carolina encourages Laura to go catch up with the boys once her dress comes off. Jack grins back at them and waves before concentrating on the steps again.

For a minute or so, Carolina watches before heading to grab a couple chairs for their little family in case nap time sneaks up on either of the tykes.]

[encryptedlock]

[York will wait at the top for Laura to catch up and encourages Jack to wave and yell to his mommy. Once she makes it up, he'll let her go first so he can make sure she's posed right, then as soon as it's safe he'll follow with Jack.

Of course they all manage to make it down just fine, and both kids and laughing and ecstatic at the bottom.]

Again! Again!

Okay, okay.

[...Something tells York that he's going to be exhausted by the end of the day, but somehow he doesn't care.]

[youfallback]

[Carolina watches carefully in case either kid needs assistance down at the bottom of the slide and, while she trusts York with both, there's a huge urge to get into the water to make sure that if he gets too tired supporting both, she'll be close enough to help. So, as Jack tries to walk as carefully as he can to the stairs, Carolina takes the dress off (with an extremely modest one-piece underneath) and slides into the water to wait.]

[encryptedlock]

[Modest or not, she still looks smokin' hot in a bathing suit. York spares her a longing glance with a sad smile before turning his attention back to the ones who actually want him to be here.

Laura will be down the slide first, so her mommy can catch her.]

[youfallback]

[She'd been hoping to avoid that look in keeping the dress on and does what she can to ignore it, focusing on the water slide and the kids. When Laura comes down, Carolina catches her with a returning smile and carefully swims out of the way so Jack and Laura can come down.]

[encryptedlock]

[And there's a pretty big splash as Jack and York make it down.]

Do you want to play in the shallow end for a little bit and then go down again?

[Jack's starting to look a little tired from all those steps, after all. And Laura hadn't had a chance to just splash around yet.]

Okay, Daddy!

[youfallback]

[Yeah, she's not surprised that naptime might be coming soon. Carolina helps Laura swim over to the shallow area as Jack sort-of dog paddles in his dad's arms, but that'll tire him out pretty quickly.]

[encryptedlock]

[Yep. That might or might not be part of a completely unsubtle plan on York's part. Laura's big enough not to need a nap now, but Jack's definitely still at that age. York plays along for a good few minutes, but Jack obviously starts to tire and York starts leading him back. Once he realizes it's time to stop playing, he might get upset, but York is pretty sure he'll be asleep by the time they get back to the hotel room.]

[youfallback]

[Once Jack starts seriously flagging, Carolina pauses their group and glances over at York.] Might need to carry him.

[She wants to, herself, but it's good bonding time for father and son. Jack rubs at his eyes at the pause and sleepily holds his arms out for York.]