How Green Becomes Wood

"I've never read it, it's just something I've heard about. Maybe I will read it," She smoothed Ivy's soft, black hair while she, Ivy, cooed and reached out to touch Alec, "Would you like to hear the book about the fish, habiti? You like stories. Do you know what today is?"
 
"You can if you like," Daizi said, carefully removing Ivy from her little kangaroo pouch and handing her to Alec, "It's Saturday the 13th of April. And that means Ivy is exactly six months old. She's actually a few hours closer to being a year old than she was to being born, because I had her not too long after midnight. We've had her in our arms for half a year, already."
 
"Well!" Alec grinned at Ivy and snuggled her close before allowing her to touch his face or whatever else she wanted to do. "How does it feel being six months old, eh?" He sat down and situated himself and Ivy so he could eat.

"Are we marking the day somehow?" Xander asked around a mouthful of food.
 
"It seemed a bit silly to plan any special event for a half birthday, but it still felt special," Daizi said, joining them at the table although she had already eaten, "but it's really special. She's so big already, and still so small, because somebody," she reached over to nuzzle Ivy's cheek with her finger, "decided she wanted to make her debut six weeks ahead of schedule. And that mean's she's not even technically five months yet. But her doctor says she's slightly ahead of the curve for someone who isn't quite five months."
 
"She is special!" Daizi agreed, leaning in with a bright smile on her face, which made Ivy squeal and grin right back at her, "She's the most special baby girl in the whole world, aren't you, Hummingbird? Yes, you are! Oh, I love you so much... I really love her..."

For a few moments, Daizi paused, deeply aware of how frail she was six months ago, and how far they had come since then. Those emotions hadn't dimmed, much, although now they were matched with so much joy they were beyond it all. So she took a deep breath, allowing her hand to linger on Ivy's chest to feel the rise and fall of her breaths, and then said, with as much joy as before, "And I'm sure she was very jealous she didn't get to go to the party last night! I heard what Xander thought about it, how did you like it, Alec?"
 
"Oh, it was amazing!" Alec said, smiling. He saw Daizi's reaction and how she felt Ivy's chest, but he chose to move on rather than dwell on the thoughts that were likely going through her head. Though it was only a guess, he figured he would be right in guessing it had to do with Ivy's early days. Instead, he launched into an exhaustive description of everything that had happened that night, all the people he'd talked to, the food, and, of course, the dancing.
 
Occasionally Daizi interrupted with questions, or to politely and respectfully suggest that, perhaps, he eat some more of his breakfast before it got cold, but mostly she just listened with a big grin on her face.

Near the end of Alec's story, Dark came into the room like a bear just waking up from hibernation. He had combed his hair, but he still wore his pajamas, and in the extra-deep 'just woke up' voice he had, he mumbled a sleepy, "Sabah el kheir."

"Good morning?" Daizi asked, "It's almost noon."
 
"Daizi always cooks excellently," Dark murmured, sitting down, and Daizi leaned in and hugged him loosely about the waist. She couldn't help it, he was such a big sleepy guy when he was groggy.

"Thank you, Goose. Let me make you some coffee," She kissed the top of his head, squeezed him once, and then got up.

"Mm... thank you..." He rubbed his face with one hand and spotted Ivy through one open eye, and the look on his face shifted, "Well. Good morning, Hummingbird. It is a very normal day for you, hm?" He gently grabbed her little foot, "Nothing special at all, my darling."
 
"Half a year," Dark asked, resting his cheek in his hand with the echo of a smile on his face as he looked at the way his daughter's face truly lit up to see him, "No, that is impossible, do not be silly, habibi. How could she be so old already? Ivy, you must tell Alec he is lying." Of course, he knew exactly what day it was, and when Ivy cooed happily, he widened his eyes, "Wallah! Six months, so soon?"
 
"Six months!" Alec confirmed cheerfully. "She's been here for six months! And after you finish breakfast, you get to hold her. But for now, she's mine to snuggle." He held her close, making funny noises and pretending to eat her shoulder.
 
"You are being cruel," He replied, shaking his head but unable to hide his quiet happiness was Ivy giggled and squirmed, nor could he when Daizi brought him coffee and then hugged him from behind before sitting back down with him. It was a good morning.
 
Alec giggled and Xander shook his head at him, not quite hiding his smirk. It was a good... nearly afternoon. Everyone agreed. Even Ivy. So, he cleaned up the breakfast that Daizi had made, taking great care to scrub everything as clean as possible. Alec finally gave over Ivy and joined Xander in cleaning the kitchen. Later, they'd head outside and enjoy their Saturday, but for now, it was nice to be with family.
 
When Dark had Ivy in his arms, he snuggled her in closely, murmuring sweetly to her and choosing to stay right where he was rather than carrying her off somewhere.

The weekend was over much too quickly, and since it was the last week before break, it lingered too long. But, finally, it was the day of the talent show. And Daizi was waiting patiently, sitting on the steps leading up to their house with the carseat on one side of her, the diaper bag on the other, and she was lifting Ivy up into the air and kissing her tummy as she waited for Ciara to arrive and get the two of them.
 
Ciara pulled up in a sleek, black car, not that it would have mattered to Daizi what it looked like, but it was surprisingly roomy and luxurious with leather seats. The type of car that one would not eat ice cream in. It was not her first choice in vehicle as she would have preferred something less conspicuous, or at least looked less like a government vehicle. As it happened, it was her work vehicle, but as long as she didn't try to take it on a cross-country trip and bill the company, they didn't car how much she drove it outside of working hours. Why pay for a second vehicle when the more-or-less free vehicle was perfectly suitable?

She got out and walked up to Daizi, perfectly put together in a navy blue skirt suit and white shirt this time with her hair up in a tight roll at the back of her head. "Good evening, Daizi. Ivy," she greeted them both. "I hope I did not keep you waiting long?"
 
"Marhaban, Ciara," Daizi replied warmly, rising to her feet and turning Ivy so she faced outwards, and moved her hand like she was waving, "Say hi to your Auntie Ciara, Ivy! Don't worry, we were just outside enjoying the nice day. And I've been trying to keep her awake so she can sleep through the show, because I don't want to bother other people in the audience." Ivy babbled passively, looking curiously at Ciara while Daizi bent at an awkward angle to pick up the diaper bag, "I don't know what's the best way to get everything situated. Thank you so much for helping us."
 
"Oh, it is my pleasure," Ciara assured Daizi. She picked up the car seat and studied it for a moment before carrying it over to the car for Daizi. "Will you be sitting in the back with Ivy, or up in the front?" She leaned over and took a few moments to wrestle things into place, highly unfamiliar with even the easy-to-install car seat. Once she had it properly buckled in, she tested it a few times just to be sure.
 
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