Clowning Around

Snowflakes drifted gently down from the sky from morning to sunset. It was very fitting considering that it was Snowflake Day. It had come on a Saturday this year so it was easy to get a large group together for a celebration. Elioviel, Morti, Elediril, Milmarion, Noril, Raradia and her husband, and all the children's fathers save for Christopher were the ones who came. Christopher still had work to do, and didn't have the time to make it over. I cleared out the television area so we could have the space for a proper gift giving party.

The celebration went on for most of the day. We made out well in gifts. Niphredil received three brand new art easels if you can believe it. Three! What are we supposed to do with them all? The other children got some toys, and I ended up with an alarm clock. I suppose it would be useful if Linnatiel and Rorion's crying wasn't already my alarm clock.

We had two more birthdays during the winter break. Now there are four teenagers in the house as Delenmir has joined Niphredil, Elvaran, and Analinde in the adolescent stage of life. It is strange. Delenmir is more particular about his appearance than Niphredil and Analinde are. He says he has big ambitions to be an actor so that's why he constantly has to look good. Delenmir truly spends a lot of time in front of the mirror.

Linnatiel's birthday followed. What is there to really say at this point? You just have to look at her. I'm happy I seem to have a talent for bringing especially beautiful and gifted children into the world. Linnatiel is no exception. Her skill for absorbing what is taught to her has not lessened as she had grown. She's right on par with Lomaraniel.

She has remained her age though instead of being like Lomaraniel who grew up very maturely.

Elvaran and Analinde were spending the weekend with Isaac so he could teach them to dive. Niphredil didn't want to go outside in the cold. She agreed to watch Rorion while I took Delenmir and Linnatiel to the winter festival. It was another bright and sunny day despite the colder temperature. Everything was going well. I made use of the skating rink as Delenmir and Linnatiel wandered about doing their own thing. We had lunch together afterwards.

Then we met Mr. Penn Wiser.

All I knew was that Linnatiel suddenly ran up to me and clung onto me in fright because of the "clown-man". I didn't have to look far to find him. I spotted Delenmir making silly faces with a man indeed dressed in the fashion of a clown. I comforted Linnatiel. There was no need to be afraid of the man. She still clung tightly to me as I went to introduce myself to Mr. Wiser.

He apologized for scaring Linnatiel. She warmed up to him slightly as he and I talked, but she eventually left with Delenmir so they could take pictures in the photo booth and get some hot chocolate. I kept chatting up Mr. Wiser. He temperament is certainly what you would expect with the clown get-up. The make-up was a bit off-putting for me, but Mr. Wiser was an amusing conversationalist. We continued our conversation for a while. I also knew I needed another man to assist me in becoming pregnant. I got the impression Mr. Wiser would be that man.

I was right. Delenmir and Linnatiel wanted to go ice skating at the actual lake so they went off on their way. Mr. Wiser accepted my invitation to come over to the house. Blessedly, Niphredil was playing with Rorion downstairs. I asked Mr. Wiser to take off his make-up before we did anything, but he refused. It was somewhat frustrating. I felt as if I couldn't see who he truly was through all the stuff he had smeared on his face. I didn't push my luck trying to convince him to take it off though. The last thing I wanted to do was run him off.

We spent the next half hour or so warming up from the cold.

There were more birthdays that week. They never stop coming.

Rorion's was first. I was nervous he would finally start asking the questions I didn't have answers to. He has always known he is not biologically related to the rest of us so that's not the issue. Rorion has also been comfortable and happy with no signs of curiosity as to who his biological family is. I keep worrying despite this. Some part of me is scared he'll want to find his birth mother one day and want to live with her instead. I'm now more afraid of him wanting to leave than his birth mother coming around to snatch him away even though there's be no signs that either of those fears will ever come to pass.

Niphredil's birthday was the following afternoon. For whatever reason, she wanted to spend it at Elioviel and Morti's house. I think it's because Niphredil has become close to Gilberto, Tosha, and Ashley recently.

She stayed over there for a good long while eating cake and hanging out with the triplets. Niphredil did give us the courtesy of coming home so we could have our own little celebration with her before she moved in with her friends down the street.

Christopher came over to spend the night with Linnatiel since he couldn't make it to the gift giving party. He kept her up late reading book after book to her for what was supposed to be a small bedtime story. I let it slide. I love seeing my baby girl and her father together. They're so similar it's adorable watching them interact, but I have to be careful Chris doesn't catch me calling him adorable. He became quite irritable the last time I called him that.

I called Penn over when I discovered my attempt at pregnancy had been successful. It was harder than it should have been to tell him the news. He kept acting like his goofy self so it was difficult to find the appropriate moment to say anything. Penn could have even figured it out himself. The bulge of my stomach was clearly visible if one looked properly. That I was carrying his child escaped him until I finally had no choice but to blurt out the truth.

A thumbs up was the response he gave me. I couldn't tell if he was serious or joking again. That's always the complication with Penn. He did then eagerly feel my stomach and listen to the baby so I knew he was truly excited.

Penn and I weren't the only ones with exciting news though. I have spent the past couple days over at Elioviel and Morti's house. Despite being a little on the older side and the triplets being teenagers, they decided to try for another child. This time they ended up with twin sons named Marvin and Harold. They really are "lucky". Things have definitely been easier for them this time around given that two children are easier to take care of compared to being first-time parents with triplets. They also have Gilberto, Tosha, and Ashley around to help.

Even the birth of my new grandsons wasn't the end of the exciting news. I received a call from Elediril one afternoon. He happily told me that Genevieve, who he had gone ahead and married, was pregnant with their first child. I was amused. It looks like our family is slowly going to take over the town.

My turn came to give birth. As it would happen, Elvaran walked into the room right as my water broke. He panicked having no idea what was going on. He feared something was really wrong with him. I did notice when he, Niphredil, and Analinde were having their competition his worst grades were in health. Otherwise, what was going on should have been quite obvious. I explained the situation before politely kicking him out. Whatever he had wanted to tell me obviously was going to have to wait.

Renia was born while the other children were having dinner. I could tell by the fair hair on her head and adorable little pointed ears that I had another adorable mini-me in the house......