I groaned, awoken from my peaceful sleep by movement next to me. I rubbed at my eyes and turned to the other side of the bed, where I assumed I'd find my dead asleep husband and dozing baby boy but one seemed to be missing.

I sat up a little and looked around, before my eyes locked on a little boy, crawling halfway up the wall, he stopped beside the painting above our head and readjusted himself, sitting cross-legged.

He's never done that before. I watched with a tired smile as he looked over the painting. He wasn't doing any harm, why should I stop him?

"Pwetty horsies"

He mumbled, running his hand along the textured painting. It was a couple horses running along a big green landscape with trees and puffy white clouds, very picturesque.

Wren took his stuffie out from under his arm, letting his own horsie run wild with the others.

"What're you doing bubba?"

My voice was all groggy and from just waking up. Wren looked to me and smiled, slapping his hand on his knees.

"Papa"

He excitedly crawled over to me, not fully coming off the wall but hanging just above my head.

He reached one hand down and poked at my head before messing with my hair. I put my head back, sticking my tongue out at the spider monkey. He giggled quietly and made grabby hands at me.

I reached up and plucked him off the wall, turning him around and giving him a hug. I kissed the top of his head as wren snuggled into my neck.

"Good morning princess"

"Mornin papa"

"did you have a good sleep?"

I ran my fingers through my babies hair as he leaned against me, twiddling with my hair.

"Yeh Papa, sleepies good"

"Thats nice bubba. Have you been awake long?"

"Noh, jus woke ups, wann-ed see tha paintin"

"Yeah and I saw you sitting princess, that was very good, you're making Papa so proud"

He beamed with pride, far more awake than I was.

I yawned and looked to my phone on the bedside table and groaned a little. It was far too early to be getting up, and here was wren all awake, trying his best to sit up on my chest but he kept loosing balance and falling back into my hold.

I eventually took to wrapping my arms around him, holding him down to my chest. Which wren took as a challenge, giggling and squirming, kicking his legs a little in an atempt to get loose.

I tried to supress my laughs but it was hard with the giggly silly baby in arms.

"Wren, wren, bubba-"

I tried to reason with him.

"Its still very early. Don't you wanna try snooze for a little bit longer?"

Wren shrugged before starting to gently bang his palms on my chest, like a set of drums.

"Well why don't we try?"

Wren shrugged again and I shifted him off my chest to beside me, pulling the covers up over him to get him comfy. Wren stuck a couple of his fingers in his mouth. I tutted and wren took them away, whining with a little frown.

He then opted to stick one of stuffies legs in his mouth. I frowned and pulled the horse away from wrens maw.

"Now how do you think stuffie feels about being chewed?"

"He don' mind"

Wren lifted stuffie up into the air dancing him around.

"Well thats very nice of him, but wouldn't you prefer your paci?"

"No got paci"

Wren smiled, like he'd beaten me and I smirked.

"Where'd your paci go bubba?"

"Don' no"

I hummed, looking around wrens onesie and spotting no pacifier clip. I frowned.

"Bubba did we forget your paci clip last night?"

I gasped when wren nodded with a little giggle. Wren mimicked my gasp and I smiled.

"Isn't that very silly of us. I'm sorry bubba"

"S'ok"

"Aw thank you bubba, let's find that paci"

I sat up slightly, running my hands under the covers, trying to find the lost paci so I could maybe get the baby back to sleep.

After giving Ricky's tush a little passing squeeze, I found the paci in the depths of the duvet.

"Ohhhh, look what I found baby"

I revealed the pacifier and wren made grabby hands, squealing quietly. I popped it between his lips and he smiled.

"You ready try going sleepies now bubba?"

Wren hummed and wiggled about, getting even more comfy.

"Ready!"

I gave Wren a kiss to his hair as he snuggled into stuffie.

He shut his eyes and my sleepy self was satisfied enough. I let wren hug onto my arm, keeping it in place. I reached over the nightstand once more, this time grabbing my book and my reading glasses. I knew I'd struggle getting back to sleep, but I'd still be resting at least.

I flipped to my bookmarked page, put on my glasses and read on. Things were beggining to heat up in the story and I was eager to find out what horrifying twist would happen next.

I loved a good murder mystery, perhaps a kidnapping or some other type of horrible happenings. Usually I stuck to realism, but the paranormal tempted me occasionally.

Almost ironic considering our normal was paranormal.

The best ones were always awfully dark, but it usually worked out in the end, the detective catching the criminal, status quo resuming, despite the couple of victims.

Ricky says I'm disturbed for how quick I go through them, but he'll more than happily sit through the TV adaptations.

I looked briefly over to my husband and smiled, he's my king, my everything. Sometimes I find it baffling how well things have worked out.

Here I am, coming from a pretty dodgy background, enjoying a good book next to my perfect family, on holiday from my pretty good paying job that I enjoy.. its all worked out rather well. And I don't think I would've been lead to any of this without him.

He'd probably say the same about me, sappy idiot. I focused back in on my book and read on a little more till I felt movement at my side.

I stopped mid page and turned my attention to wren as he wiggled his way under my arm, definitely not sleeping.

"Papa stowy?"

Wren peeped his head up, looking over my book, then to me with a hopeful look. I smiled.

"Uh huh this is my story wren"

"Chu wead?"

"Yeah I love reading bubba"

Wren frowned a little, grabbing at his paci and saying.

"Nooo i mean uh- Papa read ta wrenny an- an stuffie.. peases"

He took his paci back into his mouth and shoved stuffie forward to my face for moment. I gently pushed the horse out of my face.

"Princess I don't think you'd like this book-"

Wren whined quietly, but I refused to budge on the book. Wren didn't need to hear about the definitely not safe for little baby ears contents of my book. Sadly that didn't stop wrens heart wrenching face. I kissed his forehead.

"Sorry bubba, it's just a bit grownup for you"

Wren took another look at the open page and mumbled.

"Lotsa words"

"Hmm you're right bubba. Why don't we try one of your books? I'm sure they're alot nicer than this wordy thing"

Wren smiled a little and nodded, so I gave him a quick cheek kiss and momentarily left him with Ricky to grab a book. I was only out of the bed a second when wren started fussing.

He sat up in bed holding his hand out to me, bouncing a bit.

"Papa"

He whined. I grabbed the first baby book I could find and jumped back into bed. Wren immediately clung to my shirt, fussing more.

"Shsh bubba Papa's right here, no need for fuss huh?"

I leaned back up against the headboard and wren snuggled under my arm back into the position from before, nuzzling into my chest. He made adorable little gurgling noises.

"Are you happy now princess? All ready?"

Wren quietly squealed, slapping a little hand on my chest.

"Aw happy little princess, ok here we go.... The Gruffalo"

I opened up the book and began reading to wren in a hushed voice. Not necessarily for any reason, certainly not for rickys sake, he wouldnt stir if I was reciting it through a megaphone. I think wren just preferred the feeling of gentle speech, and I was more than fine with that. It was all very comfy feeling.

As we went along with the story, meeting everyone in the woods and describing the gruffalo, wren hung on every word. We'd read through the book it felt like a million times before but it never got old and would always be a classic pick come storytime.

Just before we actually met the gruffalo, wren piped up and asked.

"Papa, are gruffalos real?"

I hummed in thought for a second.

"I'm not sure bubba, I've never met one before"

"Has Daddy? Daddy likes the woodses"

"Oh he does, well have to ask him when he wakes up"

"Daddy sleeps foreverrr"

Wren giggled before zoning back into the story. I read on.

"...But now my tummy's beggining to rumble, and my favourite food is gruffalo crumble!"

I made roaring sound, catching wren off guard and making him giggle. He covered his mouth but they continued to spill over.

I gave his sides a little tickle and he squealed and wiggled about. Wren tried to tickle me back, and while it didn't really tickle, I laughed just as much.

The book was forgotten as we delved into a tickle fight. In our little scuffle wren started kicking his legs , and anciently kicked Ricky.

We both froze.

Ricky groaned, and turned over. Wren scrambled into my lap and we watched Ricky's eyes slightly open, then close, then open again.

He looked at us and groaned, pulling a pillow down closer to him and shoving his face in it.

"Five more minutes"

He grumbled, before wiggling a bit to get comfy. Funnily enough, in a similar way to how wren does.

I chuckled and reached over, brushing through his bed head.

"Mornin Ricky"

He hummed and leaned into my hand. Wren scooched off my lap and copied me in brushing Ricky's hair.

He put stuffie down for a second and dove both his hands in Ricky's hair, messing it all around and increasing the bed head ten fold, giggling all the while.

"Morning Daddy"

Ricky chuckled, reaching an arm out and hooking wren in beside him for a hug. Wren squeaked as he was pulled in for snuggles.

"Morning baby bear"

He mumbled, sleep lacing his voice. Wren babbled hapily back at him, before reaching a hand out to me.

I joined in on the other side of wren, snaking my hand around the both of them and getting in on the snuggles.

The moment of peaceful cuddling wouldn't last very long as wren was awake as can be. He started squirming in the cuddles.

"Stuffies hungry"

Wren declared.

Ricky huffed a bit, sleepily asking.

"Are you sure he's not more sleepy than he's hungry?"

"No he's hungy... An-an I am too"

Wren sheepishly whispered and I squeezed him a little tighter.

"Ok bubba, good job letting us know-"

I removed myself from the wren sandwich and sat up, stretching, my neck cracking loudly.

"Ricky are you ready to leave bed yet?"

Ricky was still submerged in the pillow, but I saw him shake his head no. I rubbed his back and sarcastically said.

"Oh you poor pet, you stay in bed as long as you need"

He cracked one eye open and wholeheartedly replied.

"Oh I will darling~"

He then yawned, and shoved his face even further into the pillow. Wren puffed out his cheeks and struggled out of his Ricky's tight grasp.

Ricky whined at the loss of his baby and wren frowned, before quickly crawling around the bed to gather his other 2 stuffies. He pushed the prized stuffies towards Ricky and they were immediately embraced as an acceptable replacement.

Wren smiled, happy with his working, then crawled back over into my lap, his main stuffie held securely in his own arms.

"Hungy"

He mumbled and pulled at my t-shirt.

"How about we get changed first, then we'll run ourselves down to breakfast so so fast"

"Super fast?"

Wren asked as I stood up, going over to our half unpacked bags and squatting down.

"Oh super duper fast baby, now what are feeling today?"

Wren thought very hard for a second.

"Um... d'ess?"

"Ok-"

I rifled through Wren's bag and pulled out a nice dungaree sort of dress. I showed it to wren and he smiled and nodded.

I repeated the process with socks and a jumper, then got out the changing mat, laying wren down on it on the floor. Wren didn't fuss much as I changed him. I disposed of the dirty diaper then wrapped him up in a clean one.

Once I got wren into his jumper and dress, I clipped his paci to the dress.

I set him down on the bed and got ready myself. Wren busied himself poking Ricky some more and giggled when he'd groan and shuffle.

I chuckled and picked Wren up off the bed.

"Lets leave daddy to his slumber, breakfast is calling"

Wren settled happily in my arms and I headed for the door.

"Sleep well my love"

I called to Ricky as we left, wren adding on.

"Bye Daddy!"

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

Papa and I walked down the hall, I wanted to walk myself so he'd let me down. I walked in circles around him, giggling as his head followed me.

Papa said we had to try be quiet in the halls cause people were will sleeping, so I was going around on my tiptoes. Having no shoes and only stipey socks on made it alot easier.

I tripped over myself at one point, nearly falling flat on the carpet, but Papa caught me before I could

"Careful bubba- how about I just-"

He threw me into the air and I yelped, but promptly burst back into giggles when he caught me.

"Papa, Papa!"

"Yes princess?"

"Can I do some climbing?"

Papa stopped walking

"Now?"

I nodded and pointed up to the ceiling above us. Papa bit his cheek, looked up, then looked back to me.

"...ok, but only a little bit. And tell me when you're dropping princess"

I nodded excitedly, handing off stuffie for papa to hold. He balanced stuffie on his shoulder like a pirates parrot.

Stuffie wasn't very happy being called a parrot, as he's obviously a pony, not a parrot. I told him to shush inside my head so I could focus.

Papa lifted me up high till I was just at the ceiling, I stuck my arms out and got my grip on it, before pulling myself up there. I looked down at Papa and giggled as he waved.

"Lets keep moving, come on follow me bubba"

Papa took a few slow steps away from me and I crawled along to keep up.

Papa beamed at me, seeming very proud, I smiled too.

'Look at you go, youre doing so well"

He laughed quietly. I crawled down the whole corridor before deciding I wanted down.

I sat down on the ceiling, careful to always keep at least one part of me touching the surface, and made grabby hands at Papa.

"Down peas"

"Alright-"

Papa shifted about for a second, to get directly below me, then said simply.

"Drop bubba"

I pushed off the ceiling, falling for a second before landing right in Papa's arm. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled myself up, snuggling in. Papa's neck was so snuggleable.

Papa rubbed my back and handed me back stuffie as we finished the walk to the breakfast hall.

We walked into the large dining area type place and looked around for a moment. There were loads of round tables everywhere, with 4 chairs surrounding each of them. Stretching along 2 walls was a super long table covered in food. Papa said it was a buffet, I thought that was a funny word.

There was only a few people in the hall, a couple of couples, no kids, must've been too early. Papa and joined in with the couples and headed straight for the food.

"Shout out if you see anything you want baby"

I nodded and papa, holding me on his hip, took a plate and began moving down the line.

There was so much food, it seemed impossible to choose. However Papa very easy easily fixed himself some bacon, eggs and weird little discs called pudding.

For a while we stood beside a big metal box, that Papa put some bread into. The bread disappeared and wasn't coming out. Papa puffed out his cheeks in annoyance and i asked.

"Whas dis?"

"It's a toaster princess"

"Doesn't look like a toaster"

Suddenly the two bits of bread slipped out the bottom.

"Mhm not a very good toaster either" Papa went for them but frowned as he picked them up.

"Barely warm"

He scoffed, begrudgingly putting the warmed bread on his plate. I giggled and he nuzzled the side of my head. We walked on past even more food, fruits and not hot things.

"Wren?"

Papa asked, and I suddenly realised we'd reached the end of the buffet, and I hadn't chosen anything. I whimpered and grabbed at a fistful of my hair, about to start sniffling when Papa interupted my thoughts. He gently took my fingers out of hair, stopping my pulling.

"Do you want me to pick for you?"

I nodded greatfully, Papa always seemed to know when I was ok with being pushed a little, and when things were just too hard.

"How about some cereal or maybe fruit"

Papa pondered as we walked a bit and he put his full plate down on a table, claiming it. We walked back to the buffet and he picked out some food for me.

He got a small bowl of cereal, some fruit and a chocolate croissant.

We returned to table, Papa considered grabbing a highchair but decided it was too much effort, so I sat on his lap. I certainly wasn't complaining. Stuffie got his own chair though, he'd certainly kick up a fuss if he didn't.

"Is stuffie comfy?"

Papa asked and I nodded.

"Does he want some cereal too?"

I giggled, nodding again.

Papa took a saucer from an unused cup and scooped a few cereal bits onto it, then placing it infront of the spot stuffie was sitting. Stuffie decided to forgive papa for sitting him on his shoulder like a parrot.

Papa poured some milk into the remaing bowl of rice crispies and began feeding me little spoons. He alternated between feeding himself and me, I even got to try a bit of Papa's breakfast. It was nice, but I think I preferred my fruits to the weird pudding disks.

Then, Papa cut up the croissant. Chocolate spilled out the side and my jaw dropped.

"Does that look nice wren?"

I nodded, bouncing a bit in Papa's lap, eager for the melty chocolate.

Papa picked up a piece with his fingers and fed it to me. My heart stopped for a second. I didn't react for a moment and papa asked in concern.

"Everything OK bubs?"

I looked to him, grinning and nodding wildly. I reached out and grabbed another cut up piece, shoving it into my mouth. Then another, and another. It was just so good! Papa chuckled watching me, until he gently stopped me from eating the last few bits.

"Hold on hold on baby, I've got an idea-"

Papa got some chopped strawberries on the piece of pastry as well and held it to my lips. I eagerly ate the piece.

'Is it good bubba?"

"Mhm Hmm!!"

I clapped my hands, wanting more of the chocolatey strawberry goodness.

Papa kissed my cheek as I squealed, then grabbing onto his face and giving him a kiss too. The chocolate on my face got all over Papa's cheek. He laughed.

Two men, two tables over whispered not very quietly.

"Look at that, fucking adorable. This is why you have you kids"

I blushed,

"Oh now you want kids?"

"Don't push me George."

George then, using a spoon, catapulted a banana piece right onto the other man's face. They both laughed.

Papa tried not to laugh, so he wouldn't reveal we could hear them, but I couldn't stop myself from giggling.

"Are they being silly bubba?"

I giggled more, nodding to Papa.

"Yeah, vewy. They like chu an daddy"

Papa seemed to delve into his thoughts for a moment, looking at the young couple and smiling openly. He then looked down to me and smile got a little wider, his gaze soft and kind.

"They are aren't they baby"

P