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

[encryptedlock]

Sure, Jack. It's where you take a lot of meat and some ketchup and some nuts sometimes and then you mix it all together and bake it like bread, and then you eat it in slices with lots of ketchup. You can try it and see if you like it, and then as long as you have some vegetables you can eat as much as you want.

[Since the hotel restaurant is linked to the castle, he's pretty sure they can get whatever they want there.]

[youfallback]

[Carolina takes a moment to collect herself back up before she reaches over to take Jack's hand. The boy nearly bounces with excitement ] I want meatloaf too!

[encryptedlock]

[As for York, well, he's so glad that she's shared anything with him that he's a lot less mad at Carolina than he was before. He has the impression she hasn't told anyone else about the nightmares, and that's really not something that you should keep to yourself. Not for the first time, he wishes Sweets or another shrink would come back to the castle.]

One family dinner, coming up. Let's go inside.

[youfallback]

[Jack skips along beside Carolina, tugging her along so he can move near his dad and still have her hand clench tight in his.]

Meatloaf! Meatloaf! Meatloaf!

Carolina can't seem to smile down at Jack though, still thoroughly pissed that York had pressures answers out of her.]

[encryptedlock]

[Laura seems to pick up on Carolina's tension and takes her other hand shyly. As for York, he knows she's not happy, but there's nothing new about that. At least she's not actively yelling at him at the moment.

Sure enough, they're able to order meatloaf at the restaurant. York watches Jack curiously to see if he likes it or not.]

[youfallback]

[When she feels another small hand in hers, she gives it a light squeeze, trying to relay her love enough if she can't grin and smile at her. Once they get all that meatloaf ordered, Jack starts digging in. He chews the meat cautiously at first before excitedly digging into it again. Definitely a like. Carolina slowly eats her own meatloaf, watching the kids and trying to regain the good mood she'd had before.]

[encryptedlock]

[Well, York does make an effort to only engage the kids unless Carolina wants to talk to him, which he's guessing will be a big fat no. But they're pretty happy once their basic needs are met, and between that and good food the tension does start to leave him.

Even fighting is a form of talking, right? But on the other hand, she's just going to try even harder to avoid him now.]

[youfallback]

[It's a very big no, that's for certain. Dinner is too quick for her, though, considering the potential threat of a movie. Jack can't exactly play with his food when it's meatloaf and once he's done chomping down his vegetables, he's already trying to push back from the table.] Movie, Daddy?

[encryptedlock]

[Considering how little they both still are, they'll probably go to sleep pretty soon after a movie. York nods.]

Wait for everyone else to finish first, but then we can watch a movie if you want to. Do you want a cookie for dessert?

I do!

You can have one too, soon as you're done.

[youfallback]

[Oh man York said the magic word. Jack's eyes widen and they he gives the biggest, toothy grin to his Dad.]

Cookie! Cookie! Cookie!

[Carolina finally manages to work up a weak smile at that.]

[encryptedlock]

[See, one of the advantages of being a kid at heart is that he's pretty good at guessing what they want.]

Wait here and I'll be right back.

[And he'll go grab a plate of four small cookies from the dessert rack. They're Jack-sized, but all the same so he doesn't feel left out.]

All right. One for everybody who finishes their dinner.

[youfallback]

[Jack reaches down to pick up his plate to show work, the remains of ketchup and meat sliding off of it once it's vertical and onto the table. Carolina reaches over to grab the plate, but can't stop the boy in time.] Jack put the plate down.

[encryptedlock]

[Laura gets wide eyes and quickly eats a few pieces of her food so she won't have the same problem. York winces.]

Here, let's clean that up first, and then you can have a cookie.

[He'll start wiping part of it up with his napkin, expecting Carolina will do the same with the side closer to her.]

[youfallback]

[Carolina is already starting to clean up the mess when York starts on his side. She pulls her hands as far away from his while still cleaning so there's no danger of them bumping up against each other. Meanwhile, she also sets the plate down on the other side of her.

Jack reaches down for some of the meat and ketchup that York's trying to clean up, if just to play with a little.]

[encryptedlock]

[He lets Jack pick up the bit of meat but wipes up the ketchup.]

Gotta eat that before you get a cookie.

Can I have mine now, Daddy?

[York sits back in his chair to inspect Laura's plate and nods, which is quickly followed by the little girl grabbing the nearest cookie. If Carolina's really allergic to touching him, she can finish cleaning up on her own.] Looks good.

[youfallback]

[She does finish cleaning up and sets the soiled napkin on Jack's former plate. Jack squishes the little bit of meat for a second or two before holding it out for Carolina to take.

And then goes for a cookie with ketchup and meat covered hands.]

[encryptedlock]

[There's no way he--yeah, he totally is going to eat the cookie with ketchup all over his hands, isn't he? York laughs and wipes off his own hands before grabbing his cookie.]

You really ought to wipe off first, Jack. It'll taste better that way.

[But if he doesn't, well. The kid is three. It'll all get mixed together soon.]

[youfallback]

[Jack is already munching down the cookie as York's talking, smearing more ketchup on his face. Someone's going to need a bath before the movie.

Carolina glances at the cookie that she guesses is meant for him but doesn't grab it because York's hands are still in the immediate vicinity.]

[encryptedlock]

[York's getting to the same conclusion she is about bath time before movie time. That works, though - that way if Jack falls asleep before the end of the movie, they won't have to wake him up to clean him.]

You got ketchup all over! We gotta clean up before we can watch a movie.

Your sister's right. [And probably used to this kind of thing.] We'll make it quick, though, okay?

[youfallback]

[Jack starts to complain, frowning and starting to get upset at having to wait any longer for a movie, but Carolina reaches over to grab him and just lift him up out of his seat. Efficiency thy name is Carolina.]

I'll get him started.

[encryptedlock]

[Laura looks over at her mommy and frowns for a moment, then takes the cookie that was still left on the plate.]

I'll hold your cookie till you're done, Mommy. And then we can all watch a movie, okay, Jack?

[York raises his eyebrows but doesn't comment.]

[youfallback]

[It's more that she doesn't want Jack to make a scene while they're still in relative public. As she carries him, the beginnings of crying start to echo and she's grateful she grabbed him when she did.]

The movie will still be there, Jack. We need to clean you up.

[encryptedlock]

He's such a baby.

Well, honey, that's because he is a baby still. Or close enough, anyway. [But he's sure to speak with a low enough tone that Jack won't hear him.]

Everybody's like that at that age. Come on, let's go up and pick out your PJs so you can take a shower when Jack's done.

[youfallback]

[Carolina takes Jack up to the hotel room and grabs some clean PJs for him before taking him into the bathroom for his bath. He's already crying when they get in there,] I wanna see the movie, Mommy! I wanna see the movie!

[With all the crying, she tries to get him cleaned up as quickly as possible.] We're still going to watch it, Jack.

[encryptedlock]

We won't even pick which movie until you're done, okay? [York will talk through the door if Carolina's closed it, otherwise he sticks his head in.] Spaceships, right?