spamalot } { of new additions and dance camp

[impetere]

Cora: [and after she finishes grading her papers and Stiles is done with his work for the day, she'll glance at the kids] Hey, can you guys come here for a sec?

Ben: [ignoring her] Boom. Boom...

Dina: [comes up from her pose and runs fingers through her hair] Sure. [and she will bounce up to them]

Cora: [sighs and reaches for her son] Hey, Benny. It'll take two minutes, okay?

Ben: But the cars need to 'splode first!

Stiles: They will explode later when Mommy is done talking.

Dina: They are toys, Ben. They don't explode. Not without fireworks in them.

Ben: Fire'orks?

Cora: [sighs] They will still be ready to explode when I finish, okay? [and she'll reach down to scoop him up] Just pause it, like a movie.

Ben: [wrinkles his nose] Hey! [he wiggles, in that period where he is on and off on being held.

Cora: [and she won't hold him if he doesn't want to be held, but she will wedge him between her and Stiles so he can't escape] We have something important we need to tell you.

Cora: We're not moving. [that much is true] But we are going to have a bigger family.

Dina: [and that is an 8-year-old huffing] AGAIN?!

Stiles: [wide eyed and trying not to laugh] Dina!

Dina: What?!

Cora: Yes, again.

Ben: [and the 2 year old is confused]

Dina: Do I at least get a sister this time? [because there are way too many boys]

Cora: That's not something I can control, sweetie.

Stiles: I don't have the same problem your Uncle Scott has, Dina. You're proof of that.

Dina: [licks her lips] Can we trade with Aunt Caroline if it's a boy?

Cora: [she laughs] No. There's no tradesies when it comes to babies.

Dina: [big sigh] As long as we don't have to move. But if it's a boy, i want another puppy.

Stiles: [just shaking his head, because yes, this is his daughter]

Cora: [she laughs] We'll discuss this when we get there.

Ben: Brother?

Cora: [looks down at him] Or sister. We don't know yet.

Dina: [and her eyes and going to count rooms] Will Uncle Parrish and Aunt Lydia be moving?

Cora: No, they haven't told us they are.

Dina: Where are we going to fit another bedroom then?

Stiles: Well, Uncle Parrish spends most of his time in Aunt Lydia's bedroom, so we will move someone into that room.

Dina: But then we are out of rooms!

Cora: For now. But since they're a baby, they'll probably be staying in our room at first, and they might also share with Ben for a little while so that we still have a guest room.

Stiles: [and it hits him] Ryan told you that Scott and Allison are moving, didn't he?

Dina: Uh huh. They needed more rooms. But I don't want to move.

Cora: Well, we have not decided anything about moving yet. We are staying put.

Stiles: And anyway, I'd probably just buy Uncle Derek's loft below us and add in another story to our house instead.

Cora: That's true. Because Aunt Fiona and Uncle Derek are moving out into their own house once it's finished being built.

Dina: That's a lot of stairs.

Cora: Lots of houses have a lot of stairs.

Stiles: And we would have an elevator too. Want to go to the third floor but hate stairs, take the elevator.

Dina: [thinks] Can we get a firepole?

Cora: We'll discuss that later.

Dina: But a firepole would be awesome and there are dancers -

Stiles: No, we do not need a firepole [yup, jumping in a bit quickly there] Nope. Maybe a slide but no firepoles.

Cora: [she laughs]

Dina: But Daddy.... [giving him the eyes]

Stiles: You have a swing and a barre in your room. You do not need a pole as well.

Cora: I kind of agree with your dad there, Dina.

Dina: You guys are no fun. [crosses her arms]

Cora: Well, when you grow up and get your own house, you can have whatever you want in it.

Dina: When I grow up I'm going to have a pole in every room in my house then.

Stiles: [is so, so glad he's not at work right now. He may be secretly recording the audio of this]

Cora: You do that.

Ben: We be firemen?

Cora: [smiles] If you want, kiddo.

Ben: FIRE! [they should all be worried about that look of glee on his face]

Cora: [yep, definitely worried, going to hide the matches later] Okay, bud.

Stiles: [yeah, same here] So that's our announcement. Either of you have something from your day to share?

Ben: Uh uh.

Dina: Can I go to dance camp this summer? They are doing tap dancing!

Cora: Give us the info on it and we'll talk about it.

Dina: I have it upstairs! [and she is going to head towards her bedroom]

Stiles: [rubs his temples] Tap shoes. We almost made it without tap shoes.

Cora: It won't be that bad. Lucy takes tap.

Stiles: I know. Why do you think Derek is up here more than he used to be.

Cora: There's also a thing called soundproofing.

Stiles: Yes, but unless we want to also take out the carpetting in her bedroom, where can she practice but in the kitchen?

Cora: Derek's loft has hardwood floors. Maybe we can talk to him about renovating one of the communal rooms so the girls can practice together and not bother anyone. Or we give her strict tap practice times where we can anticipate when she'll be loud and when she won't. Or we'll get you some noise cancelling headphones. [leans in closer to her husband] Or she may not even like it at all, and it'll just be for camp.

Stiles: Let's just hope.

Ben: [and he is going to just wiggle himself free because time to go back to boom boom if no one is talking to him]

Dina: [comes running down with the camp flyer from her last class] Here it is.

Cora: [takes the flyer from her and inches over so she can sit down next to them] It's not too expensive.

Stiles: [looks over at it] I think that's actually halfway between here and work.

Cora: So it's certainly doable. And even if it wasn't, I'd be home then.

Dina: So I can go?

Stiles: If you're good and bring home good grades, yes. [he has the money, but he looks to Cora to confirm]

Cora: [she nods] Finish out school strong and it shouldn't be a problem.

Dina: [bright grin and goes to hug them] Thank you thank you!

Cora: [hugs her back warmly] You're very welcome.

Dina: [and she will squeal and go run back upstairs to dance around her room for awhile]

Cora: [smiles at that before inching to curl into Stiles a bit] I think camp'll be good for her.

Stiles: And it's not that far. [and there is a moment of hesitation in his voice, and he takes a deep breath] Yeah, it'll be good for her.

Cora: [glances up at him and frowns] It'll be okay, Stiles. It'll be safe.

Stiles: I know. It's been years now but that fear just never seems to go away.

Cora: I know. But this'll be a good step for both of you.

Stiles: Just remind me that every morning so that I actually drop her off.

Cora: I can take her if you want. And then you can pick her up?

Stiles: We can figure it out. Could always see if they take five year olds and convince Derek to send Lucy too, and then we can all take turns.

Cora: Sure. There are lots of options.

Stiles: And options are good.

Cora: Yes, they are.

Stiles: [and he was about to say something when there is a loud crash from the living room and when he stands up, Ben is sitting there laughing with all his cars having been thrown against the dvd rack, and the dvd's went spilling to the ground]

Cora: [groans] C'mon, Benny.

Stiles: [gets up] Ben, come help Daddy put these back up.

Ben: Big boom!

Cora: [sigh] Yes, and when we have a big boom, we need to clean it all up again.

Ben: Clean up time. [and he will crawl over to Stiles and hand him dvd by dvd]

Cora: Very good.

Stiles: I think I'm going to see if Scott and Allison have the foam toys from Noah's toddler times.

Cora: Probably a good idea.

Ben: Boom! [and he tosses the dvds a bit]

Cora: Ben, we're cleaning up remember?

Ben: Sowy. [hands another one to Stiles]

Cora: [makes her way over and kisses the top of his head] What do you want for dinner?

Ben: Dinosaurs!

Cora: I can do dinosaurs. What do you think, Dad?

Stiles: Dinosaurs stomping on baby trees.

Ben: Baby trees!

Cora: Got it. I'll get started.

Stiles: [and once the dvds are up he will get Ben to change to coloring and go to help he]

Cora: [and soon there will be chicken nuggets and broccoli for all] Dina! Dinner time!

Dina: [and she will come down] I would be able to get downstairs faster with a fireman's pole

Cora: Dina.

Dina: Just saying!

Cora: [sighs] Wash your hands?

Dina: [which she does, going to sit next] Ben’s turn to choose dinner I guess.

Cora: You get tomorrow, okay?

Dina: Awesome. [and she is going to bite off one of the dino heads]

Cora: [and she'll pour everyone drinks before sitting down]

Stiles: [and he's cutting Ben's food [

Cora: [and yay family dinner]

Stiles: [and one without food throwing!]

Cora: [success!]

Stiles: [and he will go and do the dishes while Cora relaxes with the kids]

Cora: [yep! Story time!]

Dina: [and she still sneaks in to listen to stories for Ben's bedtime because mom is a great storyteller]

Cora: [which she doesn't mind, because Ben usually passes out before the end anyway]

Dina: [snuggled up against Cora's knee] I like that story

Cora: [glances down and smiles] I'm glad. Let me tuck Ben in, then we can go to your room and I'll read you another one?

Dina: Okay. [and she will slide out of bed, and go pick up a few of Ben's toys and put them away while she waits]

Cora: [and she will shift Ben back into his bed, tucking him in and making sure his guard rail is in place]

Ben: [and he will curl around his stuffed puppy and mumble in his sleep]

Cora: [smiles softly as she leans down to kiss his forehead] Night, bud.

Ben: Wuv you.

Cora: Love you too. [and then she'll pull back and head over to turn down the lights] C'mon, Dina.

Dina: [and she will follow, and there is a dog asleep on her bed already]

Cora: [smiles a bit at that, before nudging her towards the book shelf] Go pick a book.

Dina: [and she is going to look for a moment, and then grab an Angelina the Mouse dancing book]

Cora: [and she will take it, before settling on the bed with her and Chewie and starting to read]

Dina: [and it's just two girls and their dog for awhile, and she's happy to still have this time with just two of them]

Cora: [yep, so is Cora. And she'll keep reading until Dina is falling asleep next to her]

Dina: [she will as the story is almost over]

Cora: [and she will finish reading through to the end, before she shifts over to tuck Dina in] Time for bed, sweetie.

Dina: [and she will shift but look up at Cora] Mom, why did my other mommy not want me?

Cora: [she tips her head to the side as she stays crouched down next to her, tucking her in] I don't know, sweetie. I didn't really know her.

Dina: Was I not good enough? Is that why she didn't like me?

Cora: No, baby. It had absolutely nothing to do with you. You're perfect just the way you are.

Dina: One of the girls noticed I don't look like you and said you can't really love me because you're not my real mom.

Cora: Well, she doesn't know what she's talking about. Because a) you don't automatically look like your parents. [she pushes up and sits on the edge of her bed] There are these little things inside you called genes, and you get them from your parents, but they also get them from their parents, and you know who has blond hair like you?

Dina: Dad says it was my mom.

Cora: Yes, but so does your Grandpa John.

Dina: He has a lot of gray hair.

Cora: He does, and your dad put a lot of it there. But when he was younger, his hair was blond. [she reaches up to brush her fingers through her hair] And b) there's a lot of mommies out there who don't have babies of their own, and instead will take care of babies who's mommy's can't take care of them. There are a lot of different reasons why, because sometimes, you can't be there to love a baby like you're supposed to. It doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with the baby, or the mommy. It just means that there's another mommy waiting to love them somewhere else.

Dina: I know that. Aunt Fiona loves Liam and Lucy a lot. And I know you love me. But you keep having babies and I don't know if you sometimes just love me because of daddy.

Cora: [she nods once, before leaning down and kissing the top of her head] I know it can be weird and complicated, but we don't keep having babies because I'm trying to replace you or anything. You know how I come from a big family, right?

Dina: Uh huh.

Cora: Well, I want my second family to be a big family too. I want you to have a lot of siblings you can count on, so that no matter what happens, you'll never be alone.

Dina: Oh. [she smiles a bit at that] But I'll always have my own room, right?

Cora: [she laughs] We will do our best. But would you mind sharing if you had a little sister?

Dina: Maybe. When she's not a baby anymore. And won't break my stuff.

Cora: I think we can work with that.

Dina: Good. [and she will snuggle back down into her bed] Don't tell daddy I asked. I don't want to make him sad.

Cora: [she nods, brushing her and over the top of her head] It'll stay between you and me. I promise.

Dina: Thank you.

Cora: [she smiles and leans in to kiss the top of her head] Sweet dreams, kiddo.

Dina: I love you, mom.

Cora: I love you too. [and with that she will shut off the light and close the door, before heading to find her husband]

Stiles: [and he finished the dishes and went to go pick up toys in the living room and is just reorganizing the dvds now]

Cora: [and she'll just make her way closer and slide her arms around his waist from behind] Hi.

Stiles: [smiles and goes to hold her arms, leaning his head back against her cheek] Hey.

Cora: Everything back in it's proper order?

Stiles: Mostly. Though it'll maybe last a week.

Cora: [smiles softly] We could put them in a cabinet.

Stiles: Probably going to need too. A fireproof one, apparently.

Cora: Yeah, I hid all the matches.

Stiles: Good.

Cora: I'm sure he will find other ways to be a fire fighter though.

Stiles: Just as long as we never, ever bring a pole into this house.

Cora: No, we will not.

Stiles: I swear I almost fell out of my chair with that one.

Cora: [she laughs]

Stiles: That is not happening. Ever.

Cora: No, it's not.

Stiles: I would rather she tap dance for the rest of my life off being a pole dancer

Cora: Then good thing she's going to camp.

Stiles: Yeah. Its a good thing. I just need to make my paranoia believe that.

Cora: Just think of it like her going to school.

Stiles: [nods] Yeah, I can do it, and I have time to get used to the idea.

Cora: [she nods] Yep. We'll be fine.

Stiles: [and he will turn to kiss her] You doing alright?

Cora: [she nods as she kisses him back] Yeah, I'm good.

Stiles: Good. Want to watch something before bed?

Cora: I would love to.

Stiles: [and he will guide her to the couch and they can cuddle up and watch something on tv]