The herbal tea killed whatever virus was plaguing Alex because the next morning she was bubbling with energy.  She got the girls up, made them breakfast and baked a delicious carrot cake for them as they giggled about “silly boys” in Koi’s room.  Today, however, was an important one.  Alex promised the woman she met in Willow Creek that she would bring her a harvest of fruit.  Alex held true to her promise and the woman told her a package should arrive soon.  She also slipped Alex a little extra fertilizer since Alex was enjoying gardening so much.

Mission accomplished.

Alex was coming down with a cold again.  She figured it was from all the traveling she had to do to find all those eggs.  Larry tried to take her mind off of it by informing her that they had a trip to plan.  Although Alex was very excited to introduce her daughters to the mountains, her appetite was completely gone and all she could think about was lying down.  When the girls came home she and Larry helped them with their homework before feeding them and sending them off to bed.  Larry went to work while Alex brewed some tea and settled down for a movie.

Feel better soon Alex. 

Alex’s hard work paid off when she saw the sheer joy in the faces of her daughters upon presenting them with the big surprise.  Lauren in particular was ecstatic.  They absolutely loved the big ol’ bunnies.  A sweet treat of leftover pie and milk waited for them.  The rest of the evening was the usual homework, extra credit, art and music practice.  Lauren and Koi are such amazingly sweet girls.

Alex searched high and low for the final egg.  She thought perhaps it was hidden in the streams, so she looked there and even caught a fish or two.  She was completely exhausted and figured since it was the last egg, it must have been in a really tough spot and she’d try again tomorrow.  By the time she arrived home, the girls were fast asleep, Larry was working and she could barely keep her eyes open.  When she was finally sleeping, Larry slipped the last egg on top of the display and unwrapped the two huge boxes that were left on the porch.

You’re a sly one Larry.

Lauren made sure to give Koi all the details about Windenburg Academy.  She told her everything about the mean girls, the crazy dean of students and the old music room that is more than likely haunted. After school they did their homework together and played well into the evening.  Larry had some monkey bars installed in the backyard for his baby girls who couldn’t get enough of climbing and swinging.  The two sisters are completely inseparable.

Koi Alondra Lakes was ready to grow up and nothing was stopping her.  No matter how much her loving parents wanted her to stay little for as long as possible.  She’s a rambunctious little girl who loves climbing on things and, of course, being outdoors.

Alex was still on the hunt for those elusive eggs.  She was determined to make her daughter Lauren the happiest girl at Windenburg Academy (happy WITH bragging rights of course).  Alex took the ferry off the island back to Willow Creek where, while digging in the dirt and searching flower bushes, she happened upon a mysterious and magical tree.  She was very curious as it was like nothing she’d ever seen (and that’s saying a lot for someone who knows everything about the great outdoors).  She soon found herself surrounded by the most beautiful scenery she’d ever seen.  It smelled of lilacs and rose water.  The water was crystal clear.  She couldn’t wait to tell Larry what she’d discovered.

She also couldn’t wait to get her hands on that last egg….

Alex had a busy day planting and enjoying being outside.  She wondered why she hadn’t started gardening before, she loved it.  Meanwhile, Lauren had a rough day at the academy.  All of the other girls were bragging about how many eggs they had found and teased Lauren because, no matter how hard she tried, she could not find any during recess.  Larry had a way of making it all better of course.

Lauren had no idea that her mother had all those bragging little girls beat.  Eight down, four to go.

Alex was completely exhausted by the time she made it back home. She was determined to get whatever surprise Lauren kept talking about.  She also remembered the woman she met who told her about the eggs, she gave Alex something to plant with some very important instructions.

Alex didn’t do too bad today.  Only seven more….

Instead of going to bed after working all night, Larry decided to stay up and wait for Lauren and Alex to wake up.  Larry was able to enjoy breakfast with Lauren before she went off to school.  When Alex woke up she was in very good spirits.  She was excited about finding some surprise for Lauren and wanted Larry to help her look for more eggs.  But poor Larry couldn’t even keep his eyes open.

It was well after midnight on the island, however Koi was nowhere near sleepy.  Instead of sleeping, she decided to stay up a while and keep daddy company as he finished his work.  Larry enjoyed these nights with Koi.  She never lasted too long before it was time to eat and sleep.  Larry was working on a new mobile app that was sure to take a few days.  He grabbed a slice of pie before heading off to bed himself after looking down at his watch and realizing it was almost 5am.

Since becoming a husband and father, Larry’s time with his boys had been drastically reduced.  Larry’s old roommates had been practically begging him to get out of the house.  So while Alex was out egg hunting with Koi, and Lauren was away at school, he headed out to drink beer, talk sports, play cards and hang out until eventually (it’s been the same ending for years) someone gets kicked off the card table for cheating. 

Larry made sure to shoot a text to his wife to let her know he’d be back before dinner.

The next morning Lauren was going on and on about something she’d heard about in school.  Apparently, her friends were finding these really cool eggs around the academy.  Rumor had it that if you get twelve different kinds you’ll get a huge surprise.  Alex was curious and decided to try her luck while Lauren was away at school.

She wanted to get her baby girl whatever that surprise was. With the help of baby Koi, Alex is two down with ten to go.

After a wonderful dinner (complete with sweet potato pie) and an amazing story around the backyard campfire, Larry, Alex and Lauren decided ice cream and a movie would be the perfect end to the night.  Despite the frequent brain freeze, they very much enjoyed the ice cream treat.  The movie? Not so much. 

Lauren fell asleep on Larry as the movie came to an end and he carried her off to her bedroom.  He then carried his wife to theirs.  The night was still young for them.

After dinner and dessert, Alex, Larry, Lauren and Koi headed back outside to play and hear one of Larry’s epic campfire stories.  He learned from Alex who, of course, tells them the best.

For a family who loves being outside, it only makes sense to have as many dinners as possible in the backyard.  Larry loves to grill and when he gets those steaks on the grill Alex and Lauren go crazy.  For dessert, Alex tried a new sweet potato pie recipe that everyone loved.

When it came to his baby girls, Larry didn’t trust anyone but Alex to care for them.  However he knew that he and his wife desperately needed a night out. So he caved and called in a sitter. They walked the boardwalk, had drinks (well, just Larry since Alex was still nursing), laughed and enjoyed that small bit of freedom.

It was on this night that Larry promised to take Alex and the girls back to the mountains just as soon as Koi was old enough.

Alex is enjoying being a mother.  She started fishing again and nothing could beat roasting food for dinner under the sky with her daughters.  The evenings consisted of listening to Lauren’s school adventures and enjoying Larry’s wonderful stories at the dinner table.  After putting the baby to bed, Alex and Larry retired to their bedroom while Lauren finished up  some extra credit.

Don’t stay up to late now Lauren.

What a Tuesday typically looks like when Lauren is away at the academy and Larry finishes up his freelance work for the day.

Alex loved the fact that Lauren enjoyed the same things she did.  Lauren loved being outside and doing yoga with her mother.  Alex wanted to stay on top of the postpartum blues so she made sure to surround herself with love, stay centered and take her herbal supplements each morning.  Lauren was also doing very well at school.  However, even with all of this, Alex would sometimes get lost in her thoughts.  She was now responsible for two little girls that would be looking up to her. 

She really needed to get back to the mountains.

This time labor was very quick, however much more painful for Alex.  Larry was over the moon about it (even sneaking in a picture of his wife’s bulging belly).  They had already reverted their third bedroom (used for Alex’s office for writing) into a new nursery and were very prepared.  At 2:56 that morning, Alex gave birth to their second daughter:

• Koi Alondra Lakes
• 8lbs, 3ozs
• 19in
• Healthy and happy

Although thrilled about his newest child, Larry wondered if he’d ever have a son and was ready to start trying for one.  Again.

Slow down Larry.

Alex and Larry had spent most of the day extremely happy.  Incredibly excited.  Overjoyed.  Ecstatic.  Perhaps the thought of that new baby smell permeating their home again caused such excitement.

That is, of course, until Alex was awakened from her slumber at 4:45 in the morning feeling intense contractions and the sensation of her bladder about to burst…. It’s time.

The Lakes family portraits featuring Lawrence, Alexandria and Lauren.

Baby number two is due any day now.

All that practicing paid off and Alex announced to her husband that they would be expecting a new baby soon.  Larry was overjoyed.  Meanwhile, Alex had the morning sickness bug again but this time it was combined with the overwhelming urge to bake brownies at 3am (and eat the entire pan).  Larry decided that if he was going to have two little ones running around he’d better get caught up on his bills and maybe get back in shape.

Maybe…

Speaking of Lauren, Alex and Larry had done wonders transforming her room from a nursery to a room fit for an outdoorsy little girl who loves to draw and paint.

Lauren has a beautiful and robust personality, very inquisitive and insightful.  Conversations with her were always the highlight of Alex and Larry’s day.

Second to those conversations were their attempts at trying to give Lauren a baby sibling.

Alex and Lauren spend the evening enjoying the outdoors.

The Lakes family.  Lauren with a wonderful personality and silly sense of humor who looks like the perfect combination of her mother and father.  Larry, surrounded by the two most beautiful girls on earth and enjoying every moment.  Alex, devoted and caring, loving her new family and would pull the moon from the sky if they so wished. 

Larry is thinking he’d like to expand his family.  Alex is thinking the same.

Family photos to celebrate how fast Miss Lauren Estelle Mariana Lakes is growing up.  She is now enrolled in the Gifted Early Learners program at Windenburg Academy.  She is a lover of the Outdoors like her mother and father and is quite creative.  Alex and Larry are thrilled that Lauren chose them to be her parents.

It took awhile, but Alex finally came back to her old self.  Postpartum depression can be debilitating for women.  As hormonal shifts and the realization that life has officially changed hit you, it can truly test your sanity.  Alex was able to bounce back with time, some herbal remedies, targeted yoga, meditation and the love and patience of her husband.  Her husband, who whispered “I’m so glad you’re back”, as they embarked on their first walk as a family along the shoreline.

Larry had found a routine and was becoming very good at the whole dad thing.  It still hurt him when Alex would wake up in the same clothing for days in a row and walk past him without speaking. Alex was hurting too and decided that she needed to center herself in order to get out of the darkness and enjoy her new family.

Alex is drowning in the depths of post-partum depression. She expected it, she read the books. What she didn’t expect is how much it would consume her. Larry is hurting as there really isn’t much he can do for her.  He keeps trying anyway, putting his tech business on hold to take care of his wife and daughter. He never thought he’d ever be needed so much in his life. 

With baby Lauren nursing every hour it seems, Alex rarely has time to eat or bathe.  She snuck in a quick shower, managed to take her braids down and eat before the shrieking began coming from the nursery.

The time is currently 3:42 in the morning.  Alex has had 45 minutes of sleep in the last 24 hours.  Poor thing.

After hearing the most disturbing sound he’d ever heard come out of his wife, Larry came running.  Alex had been laboring for most of the day but didn’t notice until it was too late.  The contractions were back to back and there was no time to get to the hospital.  With the support of her husband, Alex was able to bring their very first baby into the world:

• Lauren Estelle Mariana Lakes
  
• Born at 7:54 in the evening
• Weight: 7 pounds and 9 ounces
• Length: 20 inches long

Baby Lauren Estelle is perfectly healthy, alert and beautiful.  It was a lot of work for both mom and dad.  Speaking of which, Larry encouraged his wife to rest and insisted on taking the first night duty.

He lasted twelve minutes.

Larry spent the whole day in the baby’s nursery.  He hand painted a mural, he put together all of the baby’s furniture right down to the last screw and he carefully buffed the floors and laid down the rug.  Larry was pleased.  He wasn’t so much a fan of the flowers on the baby blanket but he could live with it.  What was most important to him was that his wife loved it.  Alex fell in love with the room right away.  All that was left to do now was have the baby.

Good luck you two.

With very little time to spare, Alex decided to get started on what would be the baby’s nursery. It was a room used for storage and the occasional meditation session.  She wanted Larry to take a look at her progress.  Although he applauded her for her effort, he told her he would take over and suggested she get something to eat and rest.  However I don’t think Larry meant “eat everything”.

The same photographer that captured their engagement and their wedding was able to capture some special moments as Alex entered her second trimester.

While Alex was trying to figure out which type of fish she may be allergic to, Larry was picking up on her cues.  After a massage he made himself breakfast with a knowing look on his face.  Alex was looking up her symptoms while Larry suggested she take another pregnancy test.  Alex was apprehensive, assured that it was only a stomach bug.  With a little pushing, she took the test.

She returned ecstatic.  Larry was right all along.

Lawrence and Alexandria Lakes, ladies and gentlemen, are expecting.

With symptoms like this, Alex is beginning to think this isn’t a typical virus.

It appears Alex has fallen ill again.

Later that evening, Alex realized her error in snapping at her husband earlier.  She was very apologetic.  Larry, however, would not let her apologize.  Yes, he was still a young man with friends who liked to go out and buy rounds of beer.  He was also a husband trying to start a family.  He told Alex that he was irresponsible and would be more aware of the time when he was out.  Alex still felt bad about it.  She didn’t want to be “one of those wives”. 

They slept it out.  Falling asleep to the sound of their synchronized breathing.

Larry woke up, took a shower, got dressed and started eating.  No word about him wandering in as the sun came up.  Alex waited, and waited, and waited.  Nothing.  So she did what any hormonal woman would do after seeing several negative results on her pregnancy tests: She snapped.  Larry still had a bit of alcohol in his system so he kept his mouth shut.

Knight-Night at the bar meant two for ones all night.  Larry’s old roommates called him down for drinks.  Larry enjoyed the time around his friends, perhaps a bit too much.

He arrived home at 5:30 am completely wasted.  Alex chose not to disturb him and kicked around a number of reasons why she shouldn’t confront him about it.  She decided to see if he would acknowledge it himself.  That is, once he woke up from his beer-induced coma.

Alex didn’t realize the process of starting a family would be so frustrating.  Larry was able to calm her nerves by reminding her they could practice every single night.  He suggested caramel corn and a bad movie to get her mind off of it.

Before the flight back home, Alex and Larry took one last walk along the stream.  Larry confessed to his wife that he was ready to start a family. 

The feeling was mutual. 

And on their last night in the mountains, celebrating their honeymoon, Alex told Larry he could do whatever he wanted this time.

On their last day in the mountains, Larry told Alex they could do whatever she wanted.  It was the mountains after all and Alex wanted to fish.  She showed Larry all that she knew.

If you teach a man to fish…..

Another beautiful evening comes to an end for Alex and Larry on their honeymoon.

Goodnight you two.