"Isn't he the cutest?" Lily asked.

"Yes! He's so cute!" I smiled, kissing Lily's forehead.

"Who's going to name the little guy, me or you?" Gabriel asked Lily.

"I'll go talk to the doctor, ok?" I asked, kissing both my man and my little strawberry on their cheeks.

I left and talked to the vet. They told me that the little guys leg was fixed and he should be up on his legs by the next day otherwise I would have reason to worry. I needed to get him on some flee and tick medication and I had to get him on some antibiotics for some of the wounds he had. I spoke with a woman that was visiting from the rescue and she instructed me on how to best get him accustomed to our house. She also gave me other general tips for first time dog owners.

Gabe and Lily were naming him while I was gone and I came back to see Lily pouting with her arms crossed. She was propped up on the table beside the puppy.

"Why is my little strawberry upset?" I asked.

"Because, Daddy won't let me pick the name but I have the perfect one." She said.

"I'm sure he'd let you pick the name if it was a good one." I said to her.

"It is a good one!" My little girl insisted.

"It's too serious, baby. You can pick a fun name for him. Like Goofy or Smokey or something less serious." Gabe said to her.

"No! Daddy, I told you, his name is James!" Lily insisted.

I looked at the little puppy and I smiled.

"His name is James." I smiled. "It really works, Gabe. Look at him. He's a James." I said, wrapping my arms around Gabe's bicep.

"Are you two sure? I like the name, but it's your last chance to change it to something more fun and playful." Gabe said.

"No, it's James, Daddy." Lily said, sighing as if he was giving her the hardest time about something.

Lily had the funniest character. She never failed to give me a laugh.

"Alright. Are we all set?" Gabe asked me.

"Yup. We're good to take him home." I nodded.

Gabriel went to pick our puppy up so that we could take him home, but Lily stopped him.

"No. Mommy, you do it!" Lily said, stopping my heart completely.

I froze and Gabe smiled at me widely. My heart was pounding and I honestly just wanted to cry because of the happiness that was rushing through me.

"I don't want Daddy to do it. Mommy, you're a doctor, so you'll take care of him better." Lily said.

"I love you, Angel." I said, kissing Lily on her forehead.

"I'm your strawberry though." She said to me.

"Yes, you are. I love my little strawberry." I said to her.

"I love you too, Mommy. Can we take James home now?" She asked me.

"Yeah we can." I said, trying not to burst into happy tears. I had finally gotten my title as Lily's mother.

I felt like only then did it become official. I was a mother to the sweetest little girl in the world. It took her a while to warm up to people, but once she did, she was such a sweetheart. Sure, she could be a handful, but that's because she was a child who never got enough attention or love. She needed constant comfort and attention and I'd happily give it to her.

I picked up the little puppy and we carried him to the car. We all got in and we dropped by the pet store, getting some food for him and some toys as well. We got a collar and a leash and finally we arrived at home.

I got out of the car and I had Gabriel carry the puppy because I wanted to carry my baby. I took Lily inside and I plopped down on the couch, my eyes watering when I thought about how happy my baby had made me by calling me Mommy.

"Mommy, are you sad?" Lily asked, bending at a weird angle to look directly into my eyes.

"No, baby. I'm happy. I'm so, so, so, so, happy." I said to her.

"You are?" She asked me. "What's making you so happy, Mommy?"

"You are, my love. You. You make me the happiest woman in the world. Both you and your Daddy." I said to her, a tear falling from my eye.

"Then how come I see teardrops?" She asked me.

"Because sometimes I get so happy that I cry." I laughed.

"That's a little weird." She giggled.

"It is a little weird." I laughed.

"Daddy is making falafel, Mommy." She said to me. "So, don't cry. Because they're tasty."

I laughed, looking into her pretty blue eyes.

"What do you wanna do tonight?" I asked her.

"Uhm... when will James wanna play?" Lily asked me.

"Maybe tomorrow once he's more healed." I told her.

"Well, tonight... can me, you and Daddy watch a movie?" She asked me.

"Of course we can." I smiled, kissing her forehead.

"Momma... I liked playing outside with you today." She said to me.

"Really?" I asked her.

"Yeah. It was fun... when you don't work we can do that more, right?" She asked me.

"Of course, baby. And if you ever want me to take a day off, just let me know and I can." I told her.

"Mommy, do you like being a doctor?" Lily asked me.

"I do." I smiled. "Because I can help people feel better."

"Like you made me feel better?" She asked.

"I made you feel better?" I asked her.

"Yeah... you always made me feel better. Because my Mommy is strong and she takes care of me... like how daddy always says how strong you are and how you take care of us. He's right." She smiled.

"You're strong too, baby. So, so, strong." I smiled, kissing her forehead as we both laid down on our sides on the couch.

"Are you guys really gonna be my Mommy and Daddy forever?" Lily asked me.

"Of course, baby." I said to her.

"Am I your real daughter?" She asked me.

"Yup. You're our real daughter." I told her.

"Why do the people at that place ask me if my foster parents are nice? What does foster mean?" She asked me.

"It's like an in between step for adoption... so when there are people who want to adopt a kid, they foster them first so they can get used to them, if things work out, they adopt them and they are officially the kid's parents forever. And if things don't work out, the kid can go with another foster family." I smiled.

"But I don't want you to be my foster parents... I want you to be my parents. Only parents, without the foster part." Lily said.

"You want us to adopt you?" I asked her.

"Yeah... didn't you say that those people said you could keep me because we were doing well together?" Lily asked me.

"Yeah." I nodded.

"Then can you adopt me now? You want to be my parents forever, right?" She asked me.

"Of course. Why don't we do that soon... as soon as possible, your Daddy and I are going to go sign all the papers and you'll come with us to the court and we'll wear nice outfits, take pictures and then come home. Our home." I smiled.

"Yes please." Lily giggled.

"Let's tell Daddy what we decided." I said to her.

"Ok, but don't interrupt him, he's making us yummy food. After he brings the food, then we tell him." She giggled quietly.

"That's my smart girl." I chuckled.

She giggled as I tickled her a little.

"Momma... I think you're very pretty." She told me, playing with my hair.

"Aw, baby. You know you're one of the prettiest girls I've ever seem in my life." I said to her.

"You really think so, Mommy?" She asked me.

"Yup. Those pretty blue eyes and your pretty hair... so beautiful." I smiled, kissing her little nose.

"Mommy..." Lily said, her mind seemed to be on something that she wasn't sure she wanted to bring up.

"What is it, baby?" I asked her.

"How come you and Daddy sleep in the same bed?" She asked me.

"Well... couples like your dad and I... they sleep in the same bed when they become comfortable." I told my daughter.

"But why?" She asked me. "Is it because Daddy wants to kiss you?"

"Yeah... kind of." I nodded.

"And you guys get to cuddle." She giggled.

"Yeah. We love each other a lot... and we both have jobs and lots to do during the day, so sometimes we don't get to cuddle a lot until we get to bed." I said to her.

"Is that why Daddy can be grumpy sometimes?" Lily asked me.

"Why?" I asked her.

"Because he doesn't get kisses and cuddles from his lady?" Lily giggled.

"Maybe." I laughed.

"And can I ask you another question, Mommy?" She asked me.

"Of course, baby." She said to me.

"How come I'm not your baby? How come I grow in your belly and come out as a baby?" She asked me.

"You are my baby... but I don't know why you weren't born into the family, sweetheart..." I shrugged.

"Do you wish I was?" Lily asked.

"No. I think everything worked out the way it was supposed to. It doesn't matter that you weren't in my belly." I said to her.

"Are you sure? You wouldn't love me more?" She asked me.

"Of course not. I already love you so, so, so, so, so much... if you had grown in my stomach and been born into this family, I would love you just as much, but not more. I'm not even capable of loving you anymore than I already do. I don't think it's possible." I said to her.

"And if you get me a sister or a brother.... you won't love them more than me?" My baby girl asked me.

"No, I could never." I said to her. "You'll always be my first precious baby... you'll always be super special to me."

"I'm not special." She said, shaking her head and snuggling closer to me.

"Of course you're special. One of the most special girls in the world." I said to her.

"But how? I'm just Lily, Mommy." She said to me.

"You're Lily. The little girl who doesn't like people very much. She wasn't born into the right family but she found them. Now she has a Mommy and a Daddy that love her because she's Lily. She's the girl that loves her books and wants to eat strawberries all the time. Her dad is a good cook and a great teacher and her momma is a doctor. She has a new puppy named James and she's such a big, brave girl. She's gonna get to play with James and her Momma and Daddy are going to adopt her so, so soon! She's a special little Lily. There's no other Lily in the world that's like her." I said softly, kissing my baby on the head.

"You're special too, Mommy! Daddy said so. There's no one like my Mommy. She's smart and she has a big heart. She wants to help all the sick people feel better. She can do so many cool things and look at weird pictures that make no sense and make sense of them. She's a little bit goofy when she gets comfortable with you and she dances like a superstar!" Lily giggled.

"Aw, My Love." I smiled down at her, my eyes watering again.

"It's true, Mommy. Maybe that's why I'm so special... because I have a special Mommy." She giggled.

"And a special Daddy." I insisted.

"Special? How am I special?" Gabe asked, setting down a tray of delicious dinner in front of us.

"Of course you're special Daddy. Y-you're the man who's so brave and so se-self... Uhm, what's that word you taught me, Mommy? The one about putting other people before yourself." Lily said.

"Selfless." I said, pushing Lily's hair back as we both grabbed our food, sitting up and letting Gabe lay down on the couch.

"Yeah, you're kind and selfless and brave and super super talented, Daddy. You're smart and you teach all of the little kids in your class all sorts of stuff! And if there's someone who's different like me, you don't force them to be the same as everyone else. You bring breakfast and lunch for your class and make sure no one is hungry or sad... then you come home and you make sure me and Mommy are happy too... You're the sweetest Daddy in the whole wide world!" Lily said, leaning down and kissing her father on the cheek.

"I guess we're all special then." I chuckled.

"Yeah. But I think maybe everyone is special in their own way." Lily said.

"I think you're right, baby." I smiled, tying Lily's hair up so she could eat properly.

"Oh and Daddy... me and Mommy were talking and we were thinking maybe you guys could become my parents forever, now." Lily said.

"I think we can make that happen as soon as humanly possible." Gabe laughed.

"Good. Because I wanna be Lily Morelli, the girl who has a teacher for a dad and a doctor for a mom and she loves them both very much and they love her too and they even got a little puppy named James." She giggled.

Gabriel and I both smiled and planted kisses all over her little face. We are our dinner and then we got our princess ready for bed. She went to bed in her own room as usual and we got some time alone, allowing me to sob into Gabriel's chest because my baby finally called me Mommy.

We had some time to cuddle and talk and kiss a lot. In fact we were making out with my shirt on its way off my body when Lily decided it was time to walk in and sleep on our bed with us.