It was getting late by the time Howie and the children finally arrived back at their Memphis home. He struggled to unlock the door as he set Olivia down on the porch and propped Cash's infant seat against his hip. When the key finally clicked and the door opened Olivia burst past him and ran inside heading straight for the playroom.

"Bath in 10 minutes," he called out behind her as he unbuckled his now screaming son from his carseat and grabbed a bottle from the fridge. He flipped on the television and curled the baby into his arms as he sucked down his bottle at warp speed.

"Goodness," He laughed as he lifted him onto his shoulder for a burp when the bottle was empty only moments later, "do you think we're trying to starve you or something?"

Cash wiggled on his shoulder and let out a soft belch. He stood and placed him gently in his baby swing before walking towards the playroom to wrangle Olivia into her bedtime routine. "Bathtime big girl," he said as he rounded the corner to find her sitting on the floor quietly working one of her favorite jigsaw puzzles.

"Okie dokie daddy," She said as she jumped up and into his arms. He gave her a million kisses and thanked God silently for giving him such wonderful children.

The two of them walked out to the living room to check on the baby as the bathwater ran. He was thankfully fast asleep in his swing. Howie grabbed Olivia's pjs off the back of the couch and they headed back towards the bathroom together. He plopped her down into the warm water and sat on the side of the tub watching as she splashed around with her tub toys and showed him how she could hold her breath under water.

"Watch me daddy!"

"Did you see me daddy?"

"Look how big I am daddy!"

She was so excited and he smiled proudly at his daughter's newest feat. They grew up way too fast. He missed the days when she curled into the crook of his arm and drank her bottle. Unlike Cash she had been a slow and picky eater, quick to vomit on his shoulder when she'd finished her bottle. He hadn't minded though. He loved those little differences... all of them. He silently noted to himself that Maria was right -- they would have to try for another one pretty soon... before the chance passed them by.

"Did you have fun tonight?" He asked her as he washed her hair with her favorite lavender smelling baby shampoo.

"Mmmhmm." She nodded. "Mommy doesn't let us eat Old McDonalds when she's home."

He laughed. He loved when she called it that... and she was certainly right. Mommy didn't let them eat at McDonald's very often. It was definitely a special daddy treat.

"Did you have fun at the park?"

She nodded again and smiled up at him. "Daddy can we go to the park again tomorrow?"

God... when had she grown up and turned into a person? And how had he missed it?

"We'll see baby." He rinsed her hair and pulled her out of the tub before wrapping her in a fresh towel. He checked on the baby again... still sleeping... and carried Olivia into her bedroom to get dried off and dressed. He changed her into her pjs and dried her hair with the towel. She yawned and big yawn and he yawned along with her.

"Daddy will you sleep with me tonight?" She asked giving him the biggest puppy dog eyes he'd ever seen. He laughed and shook his head. He was going to be a sucker down the road when she used those eyes to milk the money out of him.

"Not tonight sweetie, daddy needs to do some work." The look on her face nearly broke his heart.

"But daddy'll ready you a story," he added quickly hoping to cheer her up a bit.

She grinned and bounced over to the shelf to pick one out. Madeline. His favorite and hers.

She was asleep before the story was even over. Before Ms. Clavel had a chance to turn on the light. Before Madeline even said "Poo poo" to the tiger in the zoo. Howie sighed and rolled her carefully off of his chest before tucking her in under the covers. He kissed her forehead and stood there staring at her for several minutes. He loved these moments. They were by far the type of moments that made parenting completey worthwhile. He walked to her bedroom door and turned out the lights. He could hear Cash cooing in the living room before he even reached the end of the hall. He scooped him up out of his swing and tossed him lightly up into the air as he giggled.

"Come on big boy," He said as he gave him the same million kisses he'd given Olivia, all over his face and under his chubby neck. "We'll take a bath together and then it's bedtime."

Cash let out a small whimper and Howie laughed.

"Don't get any ideas son. You're far too young to argue!"

He snuggled him close and they headed off to the bathroom together.