Seth First (36), Ivy First (33), Kendra First (6)
Seth had a few days off from the lab, so he took advantage of his extra time off to spend some extra daddy-daughter time with Kendra. It was hard to believe that his little girl was growing up so fast and he wanted to enjoy every moment of this time while it lasted.
He was enjoying watching his daughter grow into a loving girl,
who enjoyed learning new things each day
and making new friends.
At night, after Kendra was in bed, Seth enjoyed looking through his telescope. He was determined to learn more about the cosmos.
He was delighted when he finally saw his first shooting star.
One thing he did miss was spending more time with his wife. Ivy was working long hours. She would usually get home from the lab late, just about the time he and Kendra were getting ready for bed. It was hard being on different schedules and they both missed the time they could all spend together as a family.
Things were about to change in the First household as Ivy started to feel a familiar queasy sensation at odd hours of the night. She wondered if she could be pregnant?
When she found herself racing to make it to the restroom the next morning, she knew it must be true. They were expecting their second child. Both Seth and Ivy were thrilled. Ivy was looking forward to the maternity leave coming up and the extra time that would allow her to spend with her growing family.
Winter is traditionally the season of giving and Seth and Ivy spared no opportunities to shower each other with little gifts.
They loved being able to give each other small tokens of their affection.
And of course, their giving spirit did not exclude their darling daughter, who was soon to become a big sister for the first time.
The Baker's oven was Seth's idea and the birdcage was on Kendra's wish list.
On her first day of school, Kendra brought home a friend, Lance Huffington. They took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and played outside on the swing set.
Lance: "I think it's neat that you have a daddy, Kendra. I don't have one. But I do have a best friend who comes over to play with me sometimes. I like him almost as much as I like my mommy."
When Ivy came out to join the rest of the family and Lance, Seth told her about the conversation he'd just had with Lance.
Ivy: "I think it's good that he has a positive male role model in his life, even if it's sad that it's not his father. It makes me very grateful that our children will have both of us as an important part of their lives. I couldn't imagine a better father for our children."
Seth: "And I couldn't have dreamed of a better mother for mine."
