2. The Babies First Swing

^Look at little Rumi looking like a fine gentleman^

*LUCA POV*

"Papa up!"

Rumi cried out as I pushed my happy boys in the toddler swings as they rode for the first time. Although we wanted to go to the zoo, we knew it would be packed since it's Father's Day so we decided to take the kids to the park instead and save that adventure for next week.

While Nova was running on the playground with her big sister and Thomas, Matthias had gone to the car with an extra fussy Mika-Ji who just wasn't having it, and I had Rumi and Nakoa who were in an extra good mood today.

"It's not up Rumi, you have to say higher. Can you say higher? What about you Koa? Can you say higher?" I asked the babies as I stood in front of them and held the swings when they came back to me making.

"Hijah!" Nakoa squealed and I let him go and turned to Rumi.

"Come on buddy, say higher," I coaxed him and he lifted his hands in the air.

"Hi hi!" He called out and I shrugged deciding I'll take it before letting him join his brother as they swing again and go off into fits of adorable giggles that always make my day just that much better.

Although I've never seen myself as much of a great dad, even when we had just Jaydean, I stopped doubting myself when the quads were born just because I love them so much. I've been so busy that my PTSD has basically dwindled to having one or two flashbacks every few months instead of every day.

The combination of my amazing husbands and five beautiful children has given me such unlimited amounts of happiness that I never thought I would get to enjoy that I couldn't even imagine a life any different from this one.

"Oh you boys are such sweethearts, you're going to steal so many hearts when you're older, just like your mommy and daddy," I warn the charismatic toddlers.

"Papa hijah!" Koa calls out on his own this time and I continue pushing him at the same height, giving him just one little boost that sends him into another fit of giggles.

"Oh aren't they just adorable! Twins?" A woman's voice comes up behind me and I let the boys fly on their own as I turned to her.

"Hmm? Oh yeah," I lied to the woman who was holding a small sweatshirt that must belong to her kid on the playground. The three of us had quickly realized that it's easier to skip the explanation and go along with whatever people say, whether they be twins or triplets some days if one or two babies stay behind.

"Oh my gosh, I just want to pinch their cheeks. What are their names?" She asked and I winced. I disliked it when anyone asked for more information about my kids but it couldn't hurt.

"Ah, this little fellow on the right is Nakoa and the giggling troublemaker on the left is Rumi," I tell her and she instantly fawns over them, which is fine from a distance but if she tries to touch my precious little ones them I'll swear I'll hurt her. I don't even care if she's a woman or not.

Matthias worked hard to make sure these five little ones got into the world safely and now it's Thomas and my job to make sure they stay safe.

"You know I'm actually looking to higher a Manny my kids and you must be one of those expensive British ones I read about in magazines. Do you know where I can find one like you? You seem to do so well with the kids." The woman asks and my mouth drops just a little.

"Huh?" I manage to get out and she rolls her eyes.

"A manny? You know, like a male nanny? That's what they call you right?" She asked and I was a little shocked.

"I'm not a nanny ma'am. These are my boys," I tell her and she pauses, looking at Koa and Roo then back at me and switching back and forth.

"Oh...sorry, I just assumed since...you know,"

"What? You assumed that since they're black their not mine? Well, you know what Americans say about assumptions," I scoffed and she awkwardly shuffled away.

"Sorry, have a nice day," She said and finally left me alone.

"Papa?" Rumi called out to me and I looked up to see the boys were now barely swinging.

"Ah! Sorry guys, Papa got a little distracted! Ready?" I asked them as I pulled them forward and let go.

"You guys are so adorable," Matthias says as he hugs me from behind wrapping his arms around me and snaking his hands into the pocket of my sweatshirt.

"How's Mika?" I asked him as I pushed the boys who were now saying 'Weee' with every push.

"He threw up, like a lot. All over the parking lot at least and after that he was feeling better so I just changed him and put him in the stroller," Matthias sighed as he burried his head into my back. I looked down to the side to see Mika was in the stroller in a little jacket instead of the furry onsies the rest of his siblings had on that made the quad squad look like squishy teddy bears.

"Aww, my poor baby. Maybe he's not a big yogurt fan," I mention as I pushed them higher.

"Papa all done!" Nakoa cried out with his hands up and I stopped pushing him.

"You're all done swinging baby? Want to get out and explore?" I asked him.

"Yes," he stuttered and Matthias let go of me so I could take him out and he took out Rumi. Together, the boys held hands as they walked the playground until they reached the sandbox.

I pushed the stroller with my sickly little Mika-Ji while Matthias sat on the wooden edge of the box as the boys took an instant interest in the sand. I noticed Matthias was shivering a bit, his shirt now changed to one of the spares I kept in the back of the van and I unzipped my sweater.

"Aren't you cold love? Here," I gently offered as I wrapped it around his shoulders and he took it.

"Thank you, babe," He yawned and I sat right behind him so I could just snuggle my Matthias while he was tired.

"I love you and you're the best mommy our babies could ever have," I whispered in his ear, knowing somehow in my heart that he really needs to hear that.

"I love you too but isn't it Father's Day? I should be telling you that, not the other way around," He muttered as he leaned into me and I gently kissed his cheek. Watching Rumi and Nakoa cover each other in the sand and keep each other occupied.

"I know, but we wouldn't be having a Father's Day if it wasn't for you," I mention and he twirls the strings of the hoodies I was wearing.

"Mmm sometimes I feel like I'm still not good enough," he tiredly yawns and I pulled him as close as I possibly could, giving him a small squeeze.

"Me too," I confessed and he nuzzled his head against my chest.

"What did that woman want?" He asked and I laughed.

"She wanted to know where she could higher a nanny like me," I told him and he also laughed a bit.

"Do they even make nannies as beautiful as you? Men would probably hide their wives and their kids," he comments and turned his head to me so I could finally kiss him.

"No, I didn't think so either,"

*************************

Why the fuck do I love this family so much?

These are probably the most realistic characters I've ever written to the point where they don't even feel like characters anymore. They feel like I'm documenting the story of real people.