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As you promised Frankie, you took the girls for a walk around the neighborhood after dinner. He wanted to surprise the three of you with a nice set up for movie night. With a stop at the playground several blocks away, you gave him a good hour and a half before even heading back. When you walk back through the front door, Frankie smiles and crouches down to his oldest daughter’s level.
Vivi smiles and runs into his open arms, “Daddy! I went on the swings and saw a frog!”
He happily stays engaged with her as he starts to unzip her little jacket, “You did? Wow! How big was the frog?” Frankie gently pulls the jacket off her arms and tucks it into the crook of his elbow. Rosie starts whining from the two-seater stroller as she watches her dad interact with her sister and not her. The way his girls adore him always makes your chest ache with happiness. You unbuckle her and lift her up into your arms, speaking excitedly but softly to her.
“This big!” Vivi swings her arms out wide as she describes a frog as big as a small puppy. Frankie laughs but nods as if he believes her, “That is so big! Did you pick it up?” He asks next, innocently trying to figure out if tiny hands need to be washed.
She shakes her head and leans against his arm, “Mommy said no,” she pouts. Frankie glances at you with a warm grin, he knows the only reason you told her no was because she’s been putting her fingers in her mouth a lot lately and that wasn’t a risk you wanted to take.
He gives her little stomach a rub with his index finger, “That’s because Mommy wanted to make sure the frog got home to her family. Just like you needed to come home.”
She doesn’t seem entirely convinced but she gives a little nod anyway and then moves her tiny arms to circle his neck in a bid to be picked up, “I wanted to pet it,” she quietly protests. Frankie’s hand spans her whole back as he kisses her head before standing up with her in his arms, “The next time we see her, we’ll see if she has time to play with us. That sound good, mi florecita?”
Watching the interaction between your husband and oldest has a sweet smile on your face. And when his eyes catch yours over her shoulder with a quick wink, you feel your cheeks heat up. It’s just ridiculous how he still makes you feel like a girl with a crush when you’ve already vowed to spend the rest of your lives together. Rosie’s hand accidently hits your chin drawing your attention back to the little curly-haired cutie. You start gently swaying her side to side as a little dance to make her giggle some more.
Frankie’s eyes shine bright at seeing you be the most fantastic mom. The corner of his mouth slowly pulls into a loving grin as he watches the two of you laugh and smile. Vivi draws his attention back when she answers his question with “Okay.” She still seems sad about the frog so he tickles her belly this time, “Where’s that smile, mija? Huh?”
The change is instant from a pout to her little smile as she giggles and tries to push his hand away.
“Ah, there it is!” he beams and kisses her cheek.
“Did Daddy finish his surprise for us?” you ask, getting Vivi’s interest with the word ‘surprise’.
Frankie nods, “I did. Take a look,” he motions to the other side of the living room that you didn’t even take notice of when you walked in.
What he set up was a blanket fort facing the television. You notice he has brought in just about every blanket in the house, including Vivi’s comforter, as well as all the pillows. The couch and the kitchen chairs provide the support beams for the blankets. It’s just magical.
Frankie sees your huge smile as you look at his work and Vivi wiggles to be put down to inspect it more.
“Baby, it’s awesome!” you praise him.
“Thank you, mi Girasol,” he’s so proud with your excitement.
Vivi wiggles when her dad doesn’t put her down, “Dad-dy,” she whines at him and grabs his arms.
Frankie still doesn’t put her down, “Not so fast, Vivi. You and Rosie need to take a bath and get into your pajamas first and then you can explore the tent before the movie.”
“Wanna see it now!” her lower lip quivers and tears line her lashes. Ever the calm man, Frankie just tenderly touches his finger under her chin, “You can’t right now, sweetie.”
“Por fafour!” she whines with a few tears.
Frankie shakes his head slowly, “No, mija. Primero, un baño y pijamas, first, a bath and pajamas,” he repeats in English for her learning.
But she’s getting temperamental still as evident when she swings her head side to side, “No!”
One-handed you manage to unzip and take off your own jacket by shifting Rosie from arm to arm. After hanging it up, you slowly slip Vivi’s jacket from Frankie’s arm as he deals with the terrible twos.
Frankie wipes sweetly at her tears with the back of his knuckle. Voice still patient and soft, “Once you take a bath, you can see the tent. How about we sing during the bath?” He quickly adds to try and distract her from her initial disagreement. He’s a clever man, your husband, because it works.
Vivi’s eyes go wide and she nods. Frankie uses the pad of his thumb to erase more of her tears as a kind smile sits on his face, “¡Bueno! Good! Daddy already has one. You want to hear it?” he asks as he slowly starts heading towards the bathroom. He looks to you and puts his hand out before looking back to Vivi as she nods.
As soon as you slip your hand into his, he slips his fingers with yours and leads you and Rosie with them to the bathroom as he starts singing, “Splish Splash I was taking a bath…”
The girls were now in their pajamas – Vivi in her Moana pajama set and Rosie in her onesie dotted with ladybugs. You had also changed, dressed now in cotton shorts and a white t-shirt while Frankie pulled on black sweatpants and a grey t-shirt. He was in the kitchen, starting to pick out the Gerber snacks safe for the kids when he hears you excitedly shout for him. He leaves the cabinet doors wide open as he rushes back into the living room.
“We have a crawler!” you throw your arms up with joy as you all watch Rosie crawling across the floor towards the kitchen. She’s huffing out excited baby noises as she keeps moving towards Frankie.
A huge smile spreads across his face as he gives a big clap, “Yes baby girl! Look at you go, sweetheart!” He takes some steps back and kneels, arms out as he smiles at his littlest who’s looking right at him as she makes her way towards him, “That’s it, mija! Come on, Rosie!” His face is so animated for her as she crawls her way to him. When she makes it, she pushes on his thighs to stand herself up, something she learned to do before crawling. Her little body sways and is about to fall backwards onto her butt when Frankie’s hands wrap around her tiny waist to steady her.
“Yay!” he smiles at her and lifts her up causing her to giggle. He’s peppering her cheek with kisses as he stands up with her in his arms. You’re clapping in excitement as you walk over and rub her back as you kiss her other cheek.
“Oh, my little Rosalyn, you did so good, baby!” you give her little leg a shake, “I can’t believe she finally did it!” you look to Frankie, tears in your eyes at your pure happiness. He takes notice and wraps an arm around your waist, kissing your forehead with a grin.
Vivi joins in the excitement more when Rosie is crawling again, but this time being enticed by her sister who’s leading her back into the living room using one of her favorite rattle toys.
You can’t help but laugh, “She’s treating her sister like a puppy.”
Frankie’s placing some snacks on the island as he chuckles, “It’s not completely far off. Babies and puppies are both freaking adorable, both can’t talk, and both just need to eat, sleep, and shit.”
Your first reaction to chastise him for agreeing that his daughter is like a dog, but then you can’t help but agree.
“Oh my god, you’re right,” which only makes you both laugh harder. As you watch your girls with your back to him, you feel his fingers dip into the back of your shorts and tug you backwards where his arm then slides around your waist, “Which do you want? Apple Cinnamon puffs or Cheddar?”
Turning in his hold, you wrap your arms around him, “Cheddar.” As he slips his hand down your shorts to mindlessly knead your ass, he reaches up to the shelf with his other and grabs the Gerber Cheddar Baby Puff snacks. The both of you have taken to enjoying the same baby snacks your kids like because they’re still too young to enjoy popcorn and candy which is really what you two would rather be eating. To prevent any tantrums, you just eat what they can when it’s family movie night.
As he brings the container down, he tips his face over yours in a silent request which you grant when you lift your chin to kiss him. You slip a hand under his shirt and give his lower back some soothing rubs as the kiss trails into a few shorter ones that are still just as sweet.
The four of you are settled in Frankie’s cozy tent, blankets draped across your legs and bodies propped up with a mountain of pillows. Vivi settled in your lap as Frankie pulled up Encanto on the streaming service. With Rosie cushioned in his one arm, leaning against his chest, he presses Play and places the remote down. As soon as the movie starts and all the fabulous colors paint the screen, the girls are wide eyed as they become entranced by it. Every motion of Vivi’s hand into the container of yogurt drops is as slow as a sloth as her full attention is on the movie. With only seconds into the first song, Rosie’s body is already wiggling to it which happens to be in time with your foot tapping at the air. Frankie’s eyes glance at both before looking back to the screen, a tease of a smile on his lips.
Mirabel comes on screen and her shorter, curly brown hair gives her a resemblance to Violeta. Frankie’s about to say the same as he turns to you, but Vivi beats you both, “Me!” she points with excitement and looks at the two of you before turning back to the movie. It makes you so happy to have her see herself on screen like that.
It turns out, Mirabel isn’t the only character with a resemblance to someone in the family. When the backstory of Alma and her husband play out, you notice that the husband looks like a Disney-fied version of Frankie. It’s pretty cool until the story takes a turn for the worse and the husband dies for his family. You bite your lip to stop from sobbing as tears roll down your face watching Alma’s heart break right in front of your eyes. Soon enough, you’re being pulled against Frankie’s side, his lips against your hair as you quickly wipe at your eyes.
Rosie falls asleep in Frankie’s arms three-quarters into the film. He pushes off one arm to keep her steady as he stands up and carries her to their bedroom. When he returns, Vivi’s snuggling into your side more, your arm around her as you gently rub her leg. Frankie settles back down, closer to you both.
Vivi starts clapping at the song being sung and wiggling in her spot, trying to fight her tiredness to keep enjoying the music. You and Frankie share a smile at your daughter’s personality, clapping along with her which makes her smile even bigger.
She almost makes it the whole movie, but with fifteen minutes left, Vivi’s fast asleep against your chest, having had pulled her into your lap ten minutes earlier when you noticed the telltale signs of her being close to conking out.
With a tender touch, you brush the curls from her forehead and kiss the revealed skin, nuzzling your nose in her hair with a grin.
Frankie watches you with adoration. No movie could hold his attention the way that you do. Whether it’s you alone or you mothering the daughters you share – you will always have his attention.
He shuffles close to your side, earning him one of your cute smirks, and finally can put his arm around you. Together, you finish watching the movie, both with tears in your eyes.