“Hey cutie,” Rosie grinned as she got into Jennie’s car outside her office. “Thanks for picking me up.”

 

“Of course I’m picking you up,” Jennie leaned over, placing a soft kiss on her wife’s lips, “today is a special day.”

 

“Hanna’s day,” Rosie smiled thinking of her little girl. “How was work?”

 

“Super hectic, I had so much I needed to get done since we were leaving early. How about you?” She glanced over at Rosie quickly, before pulling out on the road, heading towards Hanna’s kindergarten.

 

“I had three meetings today. Three! You have no idea how many times I almost fell asleep, the only thing keeping me awake was the thought of Hanna’s excited face when she sees us later.”

 

Hanna had turned three eight months prior, and she was now a self-proclaimed ‘big girl’, much to her mothers’ dismay as they wanted her to be their little baby forever.

 

But as much as Rosie hated to watch her little girl grow up, she’d also have to admit that so far three-almost-four was her favorite age. Hanna was now much more independent than she’d been even just six months ago. During the weekend, rather than waking up her mommies, she’d turn on the TV by herself, easily navigating to her favorite cartoons on Netflix. She was curious, asking more questions than Rosie knew how to answer, and while it could be annoying to constantly hear ‘but why, mommy?’, the fact that they could now have actual conversations with her, and understand what she meant was in all honesty really nice. Sure, she missed the jibber jabber baby talk she’d come to love, but it was equally nice seeing Hanna become her own little person with questions and quips.

 

And don’t even get her started on her imagination. It was as if Hanna had swallowed every single story her mothers had ever told her, and mishmashed them all, coming up with the wildest stories they’d ever heard. She frequently played with Jisoo and Lisa’s two boys, creating all sorts of scenarios for them to act out, the little boss baby that she was (she 100% got that from Jennie). And Rosie loved that they were freer now, in a way, since she no longer needed naps during the day, or a giant diaper bag in tow. Of course she could get tired and grumpy, again, just like Jennie, but instead of having to do everything around the same schedule, they could now eat whenever they wanted, give her snacks that she could eat herself in the back of the car, and actually enjoy things like the zoo without her getting overwhelmed and falling asleep after 30 minutes.

 

But then there was Rosie’s two favorite parts about having an almost-four-year-old; her sense of fashion, and the fact that at the end of the day, she was still their baby girl. She had now begun insisting on dressing herself, which had led to a lot of…interesting…fashion choices. Of course, she was Jennie Kim’s daughter, and her closet was impeccable from top to toe, but that didn’t mean that everything worked together. And, well, Hanna had a tendency to always choose something that absolutely did not work together. Jennie had tried, and tried, and tried, and tried to get Hanna to change her outfit, but the little girl was as stubborn as her mother, and refused to listen, screaming her little lungs out more than once when Jennie had tried to take off her pants to change into something that wasn’t leopard print. Rosie had hidden her laughter more than once when Hanna came down in the mornings, all ready for a new day. And she had of course taken lots of photos that she couldn’t wait to use for Hanna’s wedding or other big days. Hanna well and truly was a big girl now.

 

But at the end of the day, despite how stubborn or headstrong or opinionated she was, no matter how much she’d grown up and become independent; once those leopard print pants and sparkly shirts were in the laundry basket, teeth were brushed, fairytales read, forehead kissed, good night’s said, she’d occasionally crawl out of her big girl bed, toddle down the hall to her mommies room, and ask if she could please sleep with them. Of course they said yes, they could never ever deny a request like that, no matter how tired they were, or how badly they wanted alone time. Hanna time was always their number one priority.

 

So they’d lift her into their bed and bombard her with kisses until her giggles filled the air and they could no longer hold back their own laughs, and then they’d tuck her in between them, watching her as she fell asleep. They’d finish whatever they’d been doing, checking emails or reading a chapter, then they’d lean over Hanna, share a sweet kiss, and turn off their lamps. And while they knew they wouldn’t get much sleep, Hanna being a restless sleeper and all, they still loved every minute of it, because it proved that their big girl wasn’t always so big, and she still needed her mommies just like they needed their little Hanna bear.

 

“Well, you’re about to see her face in a minute,” Jennie pulled into the kindergarten parking lot as she did every weekday, though she was a few hours earlier than usual. “Why don’t you go surprise her and I’ll have a quick chat with her teacher.”

 

“Sure, anything we need to bring home?”

 

“Just her lunch box, water bottle and outdoor jacket.” Jennie opened the gate, letting Rosie go through first.

 

“Hi Mrs. Park.” A tall blonde greeted Jennie as two kids attached themselves to her legs. “Oh, I see you brought your wife, nice to see you again. You two are early today.”

 

“Hey Sarah. We decided to take a half day off and surprise Hanna with some family time.”

 

“Aww, that’s so sweet, she’s gonna be so excited. She’s on a roll today, playing house with pretty much anyone that’s willing to join her, I think you’ll find her over by the playhouse in the back.”

 

“Thanks, I’ll go get her.” Rosie’s hand grazed Jennie’s back, as she smiled softly at the two before disappearing around the corner. Hanna was running around the tiny house laughing with her friend, the sight making Rosie smile.

 

“Hanna bear!” the tiny version of herself froze at the nickname, her face lighting up when she saw her mom.

 

“Mommyyyyyy,” She ran into her mother’s arms, throwing her tiny arms around Rosie’s neck in a giant hug as Rosie lifted her off the ground. “You’re here!”

 

“I am! Did you have a good day?” She asked as she carried her daughter into the main building, putting her stuff into her tiny backpack.

 

“It was good, mommy.” But Rosie didn’t miss the look her daughter was giving her.

 

“Why are you giving me that stinky eye, Nana?”

 

“Mommy, why are you here?” No beating around the bush as she put pressure on the ‘you’.

 

“Because I’m your mommy and I’m here to pick you up?”

 

“But you’re not the one that usually picks me up, mom is.”

 

“I know that sweetie, but mommy and I wanted to surprise you with a Hanna Bear Day! She’s by the gate, talking to your teacher.”

 

“Mommy’s here too?” She suddenly sounded super excited, even though her mom picked her up every day. “And I get my own day? Mommy, is it my birthday again?”

 

Rosie laughed as she zipped up Hanna’s backpack, picking up the little girl and giving her lots of kisses on her cheek. “Nope, not your birthday. But you’ve been such a good girl lately that mommy and I wanted to treat you out to a special day.”

 

“Will I get ice cream?”

 

“Do you want ice cream?”

 

“Duh.”

 

“Duh. Then you’ll get ice cream.”

 

“Maybe today is better than my birthday!” she giggled, playing with Rosie’s hair. “Mommy!” she squealed, seeing Jennie talking to miss Sarah.

 

“There’s my little baby,” Jennie grinned, giving Hanna even more kisses.

 

“Moooom, I’m not a baby.”

 

“Well if you’re not my baby, then who is?”

 

“Lucas.”

 

“Lucas is auntie Chichu and Lali’s baby, not mine.” She still couldn’t believe Jisoo had let Lisa name their youngest son after her old cat.

 

“Okay, fine, you can call me baby sometimes, but not in front of miss Sarah, she thinks I’m a big girl.” Hanna lowered her voice, thinking only her mommies could hear her.

 

“Okay, I’m sorry my big girl.” Jennie and Rosie shared a knowing smile, today was bound to be a good day.

 

“We better get going now, say bye bye, Nana, you’ll see miss Sarah on Monday.”

 

“Bye bye Nana, see you Monday.”

 

“Bye Hanna, have a good weekend.” Sarah laughed as the little family walked to their car, Hanna chatting happily about what she’d done that day.

 

“How’s the ice cream, cutie?”

 

They were sitting on a bench by the water, enjoying some ice cream which Hanna was devouring with her entire face.

 

“So good.”

 

“You have a little something right here,” Rosie said all seriously as she took her spoon and smeared ice cream on Hanna’s already dirty cheek.

 

“Mommy,” the little girl laughed, squirming to get away from her mom while Jennie rolled her eyes at their silly antics.

 

“What? I was just covering up the one spot on your cheek that was actually clean.”

 

“Mommy, you so silly.”

 

“Yeah, babe, you so silly.”

 

“I will accept that. Now eat up, munchkin, we have something to tell you.”

 

“Even more? You already let me buy a toy, you took me to the playground and let me go on the carousel even though it makes mommy sick, we went to the movies and you let me have popcorn, and now ice cream… what’s wrong? Are we moving?”

 

“No, sweetie, nothing’s wrong.” Jennie kissed the top of her head, digging through her bag to find the wet wipes. “You’ve been such a good big girl lately that we wanted to give you a little reward.”

 

“Okay…” She didn’t sound so sure, scrunching her face up as Jennie tried to clean it and her hands. “What did you wanna tell me then?”

 

“Remember what you asked for for your birthday?”

 

“You mean the pink scooter?”

 

“Nope, not that one. The thing you wanted the most out of everything.”

 

“The talking teddy bear?”

 

“What have you wished for every birthday and Christmas for as long as you can remember?”

 

Hanna’s eyebrows creased as she thought long and hard. “A little brother or sister?”

 

Jennie and Rosie smiled at her; Rosie barely able to contain herself any longer. “What if we told you that you’ll get a baby brother or sister later this year?”

 

“REALLY?” Excitement was evident on her little face, eyes lighting up just like Rosie’s does.

 

“Mhm, mommy has a tiny little baby in her belly,” Jennie tenderly put a hand on her not-yet-visible baby belly.

 

“I’m gonna be a big brother, just like Logan?” she was practically bouncing in her seat. Logan was Lisa and Jisoo’s oldest.

 

“I mean, you’re gonna be a big sister, but yes. Are you happy?”

 

“So happy!” She threw her little arms around her mom’s neck in a big hug. “Where’s the baby?”

 

“In here, sweetie.” Jennie pointed to her belly.

 

“I don’t see it.”

 

“That’s because it’s on the inside. He or she will come a little bit after your next birthday.”

 

“But that’s so far from now.”

 

“Your birthday is in about 4 months sweetie, and the baby will be here in 6 months. You know how all the trees are losing their leaves around your birthday?” Hanna nodded. “The baby will be here when it starts getting cold, around the time you have your winter holidays.”

 

“But that’s so long from now, can’t the baby come now?”

 

“I wish so too, Nana,” Rosie hugged her little girl. “But we have to wait a little bit longer so the baby can grow big and strong.”

 

“But the baby is still coming, right?” She eyed her moms skeptically.

 

“Baby is definitely coming.”

 

“I’m really gonna be a big sister?”

 

“You’re really, really gonna be a big sister.”

 

“Yaaay! Can I have more ice cream now?”

 

Typical almost-four-year-old. Attention span of a goldfish.

 

“No more ice cream, but if you behave and eat all your dinner, maybe you can have a Jell-O cup for dessert.”

 

“Hmm, okay. Can I go play now?”

 

“Sure sweetie, you can play for a little bit.” Hanna happily ran over to the small playground right by where they were seated, going straight for the slide.

 

“Do you think she’ll even remember?”

 

“Yes…but also no?” Jennie laughed. “I don’t think she’ll care as long as I’m not showing. It’s not something she can see or touch, so it probably doesn’t feel real for her.”

 

Rosie moved next to her wife, lovingly putting her hand on her stomach. “It feels very real for me, I’m so excited to do this again with you.”

 

“We’re so gonna have our hands full. But I’m so glad I’m doing it with you.”

 

“Imagine if we’d ended up adopting?”

 

“That still would’ve been very nice, but with the exception of morning sickness, I do enjoy the experience of being pregnant.” They’d talked about adopting for a while, even going so far as to talking to an agency and getting a case worker, after several failed IUI attempts, but then one had suddenly taken, and Jennie had gotten a positive pregnancy test.

 

“I think Hanna’s gonna be a great big sister.”

 

“She already is to Lucas,” Jennie laughed, thinking back to when Lucas was a baby, and Hanna all but refused to let him out of her sight. He was almost two now, but she was still overprotective of him.

 

“We should head home, get some proper, nutritious food into her.”

 

“She definitely needs a bath too, she’s one sticky baby.”

 

“Ah-ah, she’s a big girl now. She’s even a big sister.”

 

“She’ll always be my baby,” Jennie whispered with a smile, watching her daughter play with a little boy.

 

“Our little big baby,” Rosie whispered back, pulling Jennie in for a back hug, placing a kiss on her cheek. “C’mon, let’s go home.”

 

“Hanna bear, we’re going.”

 

“Coming,” She went down the slide one final time before running over to them, holding onto their hands. “I’m a big sister.”

 

“You sure are, Hanna banana.” Jennie and Rosie beamed at each other, both thinking of the ultrasound photo in their wallets. This was gonna be great.

 

 

&

 

 

“I put your lunch box in the fridge, and you have two jackets hanging here, please remember to put them on if it starts raining or you get cold, ok?”

 

“Mhm,” Hanna was more focused on getting her shoes off so she could go play with her friends than she was listening to her mom.

 

“And sweetie?” Jennie crouched down in front of Hanna, helping her with the Velcro on her light up shoes. “Today is photo day, so can you please, please stay clean until then at least? I beg of you.”

 

Hanna gave her a mischievous smirk that was oh-so similar to her