"Come on buddy, let's go for a walk." I call out as I fetch Maggy's lead and search for Liam.

Astrid could do with a bit of time to rest, Eira is with my parents and Liam is being a noisy talking demon at the moment.

My poor Astrid is exhausted, Eira has been a bit under the weather recently which has caused many sleepless nights, both for me and for Astrid but more Astrid because she has been sneaking out to go to her while I keep sleeping, unaware of reality.

"Baby, I'm taking the boy out so you can have a nap!"

"Mmm thank you Vi." Her sleepy voice wafts down the stairs and I chuckle.

"Now Maggy, where could the boy be?" I tease, playing along with Vidar's little game of hide and seek that he plays every time we go out together. He loves it and if I'm telling the truth, I love it too.

At my words I hear I tiny giggling from under the sofa. I make my footsteps huge and heavy as I stomp towards the sofa. I drop to my hands and knees, looking under the sofa I find Liam curled up in a little ball and stifling giggles in his palm.

He still hasn't noticed my presence so I decide to keep playing along with this little game. His peals of laughter will be worth all the games, I'm so proud of my family.

Silently, I reach my hand under the sofa and grab his little ankle. He screams in delight and shock as I drag him out from under the sofa. I look down at him and he's given himself the hiccups from his excitement.

"Found you." I smirk and growls at him, kissing his cheeks and blowing raspberries on his tummy. Finally, I stop and pick him up and onto my hip.

"We're going out for a walk now, ok buddy?"

"Mummy too?" He mumbles from through his fingers that he's currently sucking on.

"Not mummy this time, she needs to go sleepy."

He nods his little head in understand and Maggy whines and scratches her claws on the door, she's desperate to go for her walk.

Still carrying Liam, I open the door and lock it behind me. Even in the compound I'm not taking any chances while Astrid is sleeping, I've got keys with me so I can let her sleep in safety.

"Can we go to the field pa?" Liam begs as I carry him through the compound, I will put him down once we get to the field but it takes too long to get there if I let him walk on his little legs himself.

"Sure buddy, I know you and Maggy like to chase each other there."

It's their favourite thing to do together, I have more recordings and photos of their interactions on my phone than I ever thought possible.

Maggy is old and slow, Liam is young and unsteady so the match is perfect. More than anything Maggy adores Liam and always plays so gently with him that neither Astrid nor myself have any worry about them playing.

"Shall we also go out and get mummy some treats?"

"Yes yes! Treats for mummy! Chocolate for me?"

Chucking I ruffle up his hair, "sure thing Li, treats for mummy and treats for you."

He bounces in my arms, he isn't allowed to eat chocolate very often as he is still too young really. So when we promise him chocolate, Christmas comes early.

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

Maggy is panting as I open the door to the cabin, she gives my hand a little lick before she pads into the hall and immediately lays down for a nap. Seems like two of my three girls are wiped out today.

Liam has plonked himself on the porch floor and is ripping up a leaf he found happily. I grab my car keys and then lock the door again. We're heading into town for flowers and the ingredients for Astrid's favourite dinner, my lasagna.

"Come on the buddy, time to cheer up mummy."

He claps his little hands as I scoop him up and lift him high into the air as I walk towards the car. He whines as I strap him into the car seat, he arches his back as he tries to resist my intentions.

"Liam..." I warn, "do you still want chocolate?"

He huffs and goes floppy so I can strap him in but he keeps a pout on his lips and grumbles slightly. I give him a little kiss on the cheek and his grumbles silence.

Walking back round to the front of the car, I sit in the driver's seat. Turning around I stroke Liam's nearest leg.

"I love you Liam, you always remember that ok."

"I love you too pa."

My heart warms and I squeeze his little leg in my massive palm affectionately. I turn back around and press play on the playlist I created for Liam on my phone.

His favourite song comes on and we both sing along together as we drive out of the compound together

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

Liam kicks his legs as I push the trolley around the shop, he reaches out and grabs lots of things that catch his eyes from the shelf. The only problem is that he is not very good at holding them so he tends to drop them on the floor. I have to be very careful when going along aisles with jars.

"Well that looks like everything for mummy, let's get going then Liam." I tease him, trying very hard to hide the smile as I play with him. I have deliberately not gone anywhere near the treat aisle and Liam knows that.

"W-what but papa you promised." His lip trembles with disappointment but it quickly disappears as he sees the grin on my face.

"Choco- chocolato?" He gets the word a bit muddled in his mouth and he huffs before trying again. "Choco-late!"

"That's right Liam, chocolate time."