When I open my eyes, I find Vidar still sleeping. Soft snores escape from his peaceful form as he holds me to his chest.

With soft fingers, I caress along his chest, tracing the tattoos in intrigue. A low groan fills the room, as Vidar rolls over onto his stomach, pinning me down beneath him. His arms tighten around me and I feel like a teddy bear. Nestled against my chest, I stroke the thick tendrils of his hair as he begins to snore again.

Vidar seems absolutely exhausted, in all honesty he is incredible with the night feeds and the cries for attention that occur from our children. I had almost a year to adapt to it with Liam before Eira arrived, but Vidar just threw himself into it. He deserves to sleep in a bit today.

After a little while of simply admiring my husband, I feel a sneeze coming on. I desperately try to hold it in, but I can't.

The sneeze wakes Vidar with a mild start, he looks up at my and then smiles when he realises where his head is. He snuggles further into my chest and mutters a husky 'morning baby'.

"Morning Vi."

We lay there for a while, lazily touching and stroking one another, nothing sexually charged or heated, just exploratory loving.

"Vi?"

"Hmmm." He mumbles before rolling off me and laying beside me instead.

"I want a dog." I suddenly exclaim, breaking the silence as the random thought pops into my head.

He looks at me with a surprised laugh at my random, impromptu outburst.

"A dog?"

"Yes. I have alway wanted a dog. And now it will complete our family."

He nods and shifts onto his stomach.

"Sounds good baby, whatever you want. A puppy or a rescue dog?"

"You want a puppy as well as a newborn and an one year old?" I cackle with unattractive laughter as his face suddenly falls in horror as he imagines our crazy life with a puppy as well.

"Perhaps not."

I giggle in agreement before beginning to stroke my nails along the skin up his back. He stretches out like a cat, I swear he almost starts purring.

Our lazy morning is cut short by a knock at the door before the sound of it opening and Lila's voice fills the house.

We both groan with morning muscles before standing from bed and searching for clothes. We both pull on sweatpants and a hoody, as the mornings are still chilly and the fire has not yet been lit.

"You ready?"

"So ready!" I exclaim perhaps a little overzealously as Vidar looks down at me, a mock impression of hurt on his face.

"Not because I haven't had an amazing time just the two of us..." I stand on my tiptoes and he bends so I can whisper in his ear. "My boobs are killing me, I need to feed Eira."

A dark look of mischief over takes Vidar's face and he bends down to whisper in my ear.

"I could've helped with that."

I let out a squeak at his dirty innuendo and slap his chest lightly.

"Another time then." He murmurs right before he opens the sitting room door to greet his parents. I'm left blushing at his filthy words.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Vidar? Where are we going?" I question as I watch I'm strap Liam and Eira into the car seats. He merely taps the end of his nose with a teasing smirk. Rolling my eyes, I follow his direction and get into the passenger seat.

He sits down in the driver's seat and reaches a hand across the console to squeeze my thigh possessively before he starts the car. Vidar, at some point, must have created a playlist for Liam and Eira, as the car is blaring with baby tunes.

I sing along to some of them, pulling silly faces at Liam and watching him laugh along with me. Vidar looks at me incredulously as I sing directly at him, trying to get him to join in.

Eventually, I get him to break and he joins in with a few of the choruses that he's heard a few times. When we pull into the town Vidar tosses a sleeping mask onto my lap. I frown at him and flick it onto the floor.

"I'm not wearing that."

He pouts at me. "Please baby, I just like surprising you."

The dejected look on his face hurts my chest, so I reluctantly place it over my eyes. All I can see is darkness, I have no idea where we're heading, which is kind of the point I suppose.

When the car finally pulls to a stop I go to take off the mask: but a hand playfully slaps mine away. I whimper and place my hands back on my lap. A car door opens, the car judders with the impact of it closing.

With my ears pricked, I am almost sure that I can hear a motorbike roaring nearby. I feel slightly uneasy with the mask over my eyes, but I trust Vidar with everything. He would never do anything to frighten or hurt me.

Then a chill of air blows against me as the car door is opened. Once again I try to remove my mask, I am slapped away with a warning chide.

"Do you trust me?" I nod my head and feel Vidar unclip my seatbelt and tug me from the car seat. With slightly unsteady legs, I wobble to stand before what I assume is Vidar appears against my back.

A gentle hand is placed at my back and another on my arm as Vidar guides me in the direction he wants me to go. I halt and push against his hand. "Vi! The babies, you can't leave them in the car alone!"

I'm angry he would even think that was acceptable.

"Astrid baby, would I do a thing like that? Mouse and Viper followed us, they're holding one each. Going to take them to a toy shop for a minute."

"Oh," I mumble, "sorry, I shouldn't have doubted you."

Now I just feel silly. A door opens with a ding and I can hear a feed hushed voices, but nothing that I can make out. Remind me to tell Vidar I am not a fan of this secrecy business. Slight pressure changes in Vidar's hand tell me the direction I need to go. Another door is opened and then I'm guided to the floor. Still, I haven't been told I can remove this stupid mask.

The door opens once again and then I hear a frantic scraping of claws on the floor. Vidar takes the mask from my face and my eyes open to a most perfect sight.

This is Maggie," The woman holding her lead explains, "she's a rescue dog whose owner unfortunately passed alway. She has a friendly and loving demeanour, perfect for families with young children."

By this point I am being smothered in kisses by Maggie, I can barely breathe for laughing. My Vidar has done it once again with the most perfect surprise. I can't stop petting her soft, silky ears.

"Is she ours?" I ask after dragging my eyes away from the gorgeous dog. He nods over at me before making his own greeting Maggie.

"Viper and Mouse are in the process of buying everything she could ever need."

I bite my lip as Maggie presses her face into my neck and huffs contentedly.

"You're awfully good at these surprise aren't you Vi."

He smirks in pride before helping me to my feet. Once I'm standing Maggie's lead is handed to me and we leave the room with the latest addition to our growing family.