*7A.M.*
Nick woke when he heard Madi start to cry. “Madi go to sleep.”

“Ugh..it’s too early.” Lyndsey agreed.

Madi stopped crying, instead babbling and crawling on Nick.

“Madi..” he chuckled groggily. “Let’s go.”

Lyndsey didn’t move. “I’ll be out...in a minute honey.”

“We’ll see about that sweetie.” he laughed as he put Madi on the floor.

She took off running down the hall, Nick stretching before taking off after her. She ran too fast and fell on the floor, laughing.

“Hey you! Be careful!” He picked her up as she shrieked and laughed. “Tickle, Tickle, Tickle!!” He tickled her.

Madi laughed more and put her hands on his cheeks. He set her down and she took off running for the kitchen again.

“I’m gonna get you!” he crawled on the floor chasing her.

“Wawa!”

“Water?”

“Wawa, wawa, wawa!” she screamed loudly.

“Quiet down before you wake Lyn up.” He filled a sippy cup with water and handed it down to her. “Here.”

“Fank dada!”

“Your welcome sweetheart.” he said and kissed her on the forehead.

She took a long drink before throwing the cup on the floor and running down the hall.

“Hey you! You never stop do you?!”

She laughed and ran into the bedroom, Nick chasing after her.

“Up! Up!”

“Madi, come on, leave Lyn alone.” he grabbed her and took her back to the living room.

She looked up at him, her eyes wide. “Pay?”

“You want to play?”

“Pay!”

“I thought we were playing! Get your toys!”

“Pooh!”

Nick got Pooh and stood up. “Come get him!”

“Pooh!”

“Madi, you ready to eat yet?”

“Bi bir!”

“OK, come here.”

Madi ran to Nick clamping onto his leg. He bent down and picked her up. “I love you so much, you know that?!”

“La u!”

“Let’s go eat.” he smiled.

He put her in her high chair. “Here’s some cheerio’s. I’ll make you some toast.”

She shoved her cheerios in her mouth, watching Nick.

“Daddy has to make O.J.” He let her babble and eat her food while he made her juice, putting it in a sippy cup on her tray when it was done, along with half a piece of toast. She tipped her cup up taking a big drink.

“Is that good stuff? You’re eating awfully fast!”

“Mama!” she smiled at him.

“Mama will be here in a couple days.”

He looked away from Madi to put the TV on Sesame Street when he heard her groaning. He slowly turned to look at her. “Oh Madi!” he laughed. “Finish your deed and we’ll get those nasty diapers off you.”

She looked at him for a brief minute before dropping her cup on the floor.

“You done?”

She smiled a ‘yes’ at him.

“You done filling your pants too?”

Her smile grew bigger.

“Alright, let’s get you cleaned up.” He took her out of her high chair and set her on the floor. She took no time in running away from him.

“Get back here you stink bomb!” he called. When he caught up to her he picked her up and she gave him a kiss. He took her to the bathroom and lay her down on the floor, changing herdiaper before getting her dressed.

“All pretty!” he said sitting her on the living room floor and laying down next to her. She crawled over to him and laid down on his chest.

“You tired too little girl?”

“No!” she screamed, got up and ran around.

“Bummer!” he laughed. She plopped herself down on the floor and started playing with a puzzle. “OK, you play with your puzzle and I’ll lay here.”

She played with her puzzle quietly, Nick watching from his spot on the floor.

“LYN YOU’VE SLEPT LONG ENOUGH!!!” he yelled, startling Madi. “Sorry Madi.”

“Ugh...I’m coming!” She crawled out of bed and made her way to the living room. “Morning Carters!”

“Morning sunshine!”

Madi smiled up at Lyndsey and babbled something no one understood.

“You like Lyn, don’t you Mad?”

She turned her attention to Nick. “Dada.”

“You hear that Lyn? She knows who I am...at first I just thought she was saying it.”

Lyndsey smiled at him. “I think she knows it’s you.”

“Me too.”

“She learned quick. I wonder if Ray talked about you a lot?”

“I don’t know, I’ll have to ask her.”

“You should.”

“I need a shower, wanna watch her?”

“Sure!”

“OK.” he stood up and headed to the bathroom.

“Mads, what are ya playing with?” she asked, sitting next to her on the floor.

“Puddo.” she said, throwing it.

“Careful with the puzzle sweetie, you could hurt yourself.”

Madi shakily stood herself up. Once she was up she laughed and ran off.

“What a handful!” Lyndsey laughed and chased after her. “Madi! Madi! Where’s Madi?”

She could hear Madi laughing from the bedroom.

“Madi! Where are you? I can’t find Madi!”

“Boo!” Madi stuck her head out from behind the door.

“Ahhh! There you are!” she pretended to be scared. She grabbed Madi and threw her up in the air. Madi greeted this with screams of laughter.

“Wanna play airplane?” She held her out and ran down the hall, turning in the kitchen and heading back where she had come from.

“Pane?” Madi asked through her giggles and babbling.

“Let’s fly Madi! Wanna land on daddy’s bed?”

“Fie!” she laughed. Lyndsey flew her down the hall and dropped her on the bed, pulling up her shirt and tickling her stomach. Madi laughed more, throwing her head back.

“You like me Madi? I’m so happy you came to visit us!”

Madi jumped and gave Lyndsey a hug, reaching her arms as far around her neck as she could.

“Dada?”

“Daddy’s in the shower...wanna go suprise him?”

“Yay!”

“Let’s go.” she picked Madi up and carried her into the bathroom. “Say ‘dada’.” she whispered.

“Dada.” Madi said so quietly Lyndsey could barely hear her.

“Say ‘boo’ Madi.” she said a little louder.

“Boo!” Madi yelled, smiling.

“Madi you scared me!” Nick poked his head through the shower curtain.

“We missed you.”

“Aww...”

“And she was asking for you.”

“She was? Mad, I’d bring you in here for a shower, but I’m not sure what your mother would think of that.” he tapped her nose, leaving a trickle of water that hung at the tip.

“Why? Cause she’s never seen a guy before...?

“That’s what I was thinking.” He pulled his head back behind the curtain.

“Maybe we should wait and ask her.”

“Yeah.”

“OK, we’re gonna go play! Hurry out!”

“I will. Have fun!”

“Oh, we will!” she laughed as she put Madi down and let her run out of the room.

“Ge me!” She ran down the hall, looking back at Lyndsey and bumping into the wall, falling down.

“Madi! You OK sweetie?” She ran to her.

Madi laughed from her spot on the ground, then got back up.

“Phew! Had me worried for minute!”

“No!”

“You little monster!” she chased her into the living room.

“Ahh!!!” Madi screamed.

“Loud one you are!” she laughed.

“No.”

“Wanna sit and read a book?”

Madi looked at Lyndsey and shook her head innocently.

Lyndsey took a seat on the floor. “Come on Mads, I’ll read “Pooh and Friends” for you.” Madi quietly tiptoed up to her.

“What are ya doing cutie?” she whispered.

Madi said nothing, but instead jumped into her lap. “Ahhh!!!”

“You scared me silly goose!” she laughed.

“No.”

“Why do you keep saying ‘no’ to me little one?”

“You two having fun?” Nick appeared in the living room having just gotten out of the shower.

“Of course!” They both smiled up at him.

“Good. Let me get dressed quick.” he laughed.

“Dada!” Madi yelled running down the hall after him.

“She’s coming for you Nick!”

“Madi! Lyn, come get her off me!” he laughed from the bedroom.

“Coming! Madi, what are you doing?!”

Madi shrieked and bounced on Nick.

“We shouldn’t be climbing on Daddy when he’s nakie Madi.”

“No.”

“Come on, let’s let Daddy get dressed.”

“No.”

“Madi. Wanna play with Pooh?!”

“Pooh!”

“I knew that would do it! Come on, he’s in the living room.”

Madi took off down the hall, with Lyndsey close behind. “What a bundle of engergy! How does Ray do this alone?!”

She reached the living room and found Madi on the floor. She took a seat next to her. “Whatcha wanna do pumpkin?”

“Pooh.” she said, holding Pooh out to Lyndsey.

“Thanks Madi!” She put Pooh in front of her face.

Madi smiled and put her hands between her legs, watching.

“Hey Madi! This is Pooh!” Lyndsey said in a 'Pooh voice.' “How are you? Pooh loves Madi! Does Madi love Pooh?”

Madi stared intently at the stuffed animal and nodded.

“Nick hurry up! This is so cute.”

“Coming!” he yelled from the bedroom.

“Pooh likes honey, what does Madi like? Does Madi like honey?” she continued.

“What are my girls doing?” Nick smiled as he came into the room.

“No.” Madi answered Pooh’s question.

“Playing Pooh.” Lyndsey smiled.

“I see. Having fun?”

“Of course! Sit.” she patted the floor next to her.

“No.” he mimicked Madi.

“Like daughter, like father! You two.” she shook her head and laughed.

“Go take a shower already so we can get her a bed.” he sat down next to her.

“I was having fun!”

“We can have more fun after you take a shower.” he smiled.

“I know, I know.” she giggled. “I’m going.” She stood up and headed to the bathroom.

“Madi...”

“Pooh!”

“I’m not Pooh! Where is Pooh? Is he hiding?”

“Foor!”

Nick put Pooh behind his back to hide him. “Foor? What’s foor sweetie?”

“Foor!”

“Get Pooh!”

“Pooh!”

“Come get Pooh! Find him!”

Madi crawled behind Nick’s back and found her favorite toy.

“Dada! Pooh!”

“Yeah! You found him! Yay for Madi!” he smiled and picked her up and laid on his back, holding her in the air.

“Yay Ma-i! Pane!”

“Plane?” Nick stood up and started flying Madi around making airplane noises.

Madi shrieked with excitement, holding her hands out.

He crashed her into the wall lightly, setting her on the stomach on the floor. “Uh oh! Madi crashed! BOOM!! What do you think of them apples?”

“Cash! Ma-i cash!”

“Yup, Madi crashed.”

“Dada! Pane!”

“No more plane. The plane is broken!”

Madi lip started to tremble.

“No no, don’t cry! Let’s watch a Pooh movie!” Nick picked her up and put in a movie. He sat on the couch, holding her on his lap.

She turned around and shot him a concerned look.

“Pooh! Watch!”

"Pooh!” She put on a big smile and pointed to the TV.

“Yeah!” he said, letting his head tip back. “I am so tired...” he mumbled.

“No!”

“No what?”

“Mama!”

“Mommy’s not here.”

“No!” she yelled smacking her hands up and down on her legs.

“Madi! What?”

She stopped and looked at Nick. She slowly put on a smile. “Pay?”

“Play? Again?”

She nodded her head up and down.

“It’s 8:30 and I feel like I’ve ran 30 miles!” He put her on the floor and laid down to watch her as she played contently with her puzzle. A few minutes later Lyndsey walked out, dressed from her shower.

“You look tired babe.”

“Hey sweetie. I am.”

“She should take a nap in a while you can sleep with her.”

“We should get a bed, before she falls asleep.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll grab her diaper bag, you get her shoes on.”

“OK.” He lazily stood up and walked to the bedroom, grabbing Madi’s shoes as Lyndsey gathered things to take. “Let’s put your shoes on Madi.”

“Go?”

“Yup we’re going. Wanna get a new bed?”

“Go!”

“I got diapers, powder, extra clothes, some orange juice and a teething ring. Anything else?”

“I think that will do it. Maybe some crackers.”

Lyndsey grabbed some crackers from the kitchen cupboard while Nick put Madi in her car seat.

“Ready?”

“Yeah.” he said as he came back in to grab the keys. “Let’s go.”

Lyndsey shut the door and climbed into the Durango. Nick backed down the driveway, stopping at the end. “Will you grab the mail?”

“Sure.” She reached out and grabbed the mail from the box.

“Here we go...where are we headed? USA Baby? Baby Warehouse?”

“Baby Warehouse. Turn on the AC I’m dying.”

“Baby Warehouse it is.” He cranked the AC.

Madi babbled to them all the way to Baby Warehouse. They pulled into the parking lot, Nick cutting the engine. He walked around and got Madi out of her carseat.

“Let’s get you a bed, sweetie.”

They walked into the store and headed straight for the crib section.

“I like this one.” Nick said almost immediately.

Lyndsey looked and saw the one he was pointing to. It was big, dark oak. She liked it.

“Let’s see if she likes it.” He held Madi up to the front of the crib. “You like it?”

Madi approved by pointing at the crib and shrieking.

“I think we have a winner!”

“OK, let’s get this on the cart and go.”

“Want me to take her?”

“Yeah.” He handed Madi to Lyndsey and grabbed the box, putting it on the cart they had gotten when they came in.

Lyndsey followed Nick to the front of the store, through the checkout line, to the Durango and from the Durango into the house, where he laid down on the couch and took a nap; Madi laying on his chest, her butt up in the air.