How Green Becomes Wood

Dark and Cooger were still working on the back of the house, because, frankly, Dark didn't see a purpose on only decorating the parts of the house strangers could see. Dark wasn't someone who liked to illuminate every conceivable inch of a home, because shadows are an integral part of spookifying a domicile. Instead, he lit primarily doorways and railings, and added lights where they were most likely to cast the darkest shadows as night lengthened. The rest came down to even more webbing, gnarled, twisting vines, and creatures, ghouls, or bones to hang where necessary. Fortunately, this meant they would be finished with the hard to reach stuff before dark, and the rest of the week could be saved for the easier bits which pulled the full aesthetic of the holiday together.

Inside, Daizi was sitting on the couch with Ivy, who was on her back. It was just a simple, sweet game, where Daizi was alternating between wiggling Ivy's feet, blowing raspberries on her tummy, and just making silly sounds to make her daughter nearly keel over with laughter.
 
The twins took their time examining the front of the house before heading inside.

"Mama, we're home!" Xander called as he kicked off his shoes.

"Baba was busy today, I see," Alec said, touching the salt.

The twins switched places with Xander touching the salt and Alec kicking off his shoes, and then they came in to drop their bags by the stairs.
 
"Him and Cooger, yeah," Daizi replied, sitting up straight and pulling Ivy into a sitting position as she did, "And Lex, for a little while. They're still outside, I think they're at the back or the side of the house, now. They've been out since about 10 this morning. And we've still got lemonade in the kitchen, I think, unless they've drank it all."
 
"It's been okay," Daizi replied, setting Ivy down on the floor so she could crawl over to her bothers, "It's basically just been me and her all day, since I'm not climbing a ladder any time soon. So I think Ivy has had a good day with me today, we've been having fun. When every day was just us two, it became really stressful and overwhelming, but now that it's not daily, it's much more fun."
 
Alec let out a crooning cry and bent to scoop up Ivy. "Were you a stressful little potato? Were you? Yes, you were! But you were the best potato ever, so it was worth it! Such a delightful potato! I don't know what you are now. A puppy? Are you a puppy now that you can crawl?" He lifted her up and down over his head as he spoke, drawing her close and then thrusting her away from him again as he did so.

Xander came in and said hello to Enkidu, giving him good scratches. "Nah, she's a mouse."
 
"She's definitely not a potato anymore," Daizi replied as she walked over to them, "There's so much you can do, right baby girl? What did you help mama with today? We went to take care of Mama's flowers, and we took Enkidu on a walk, and you helped mama with the lemonade!" In fact, she had grabbed for the spoon and would have spilled the pitcher if Daizi didn't have a hand on it already. "Are you a mouse, Ivy-Qadira? Is that true? Are you a mouse?"

Ivy reached out, grabbing at Alec's face, babbling at him. By the looks of things, she had enjoyed a lovely day.
 
"The cutest little mouse with the tiniest ears ever seen," Alec grinned, letting her cling to his face. He drew her in and pretended to eat her chest and belly as she grabbed his face.
 
Ivy squealed, squirming as he played with her, and Daizi went into the kitchen to enjoy the pause.

"We're finally going to a baby group on Wednesday," She told Xander as she got a snack for herself, "It's in the afternoon, so we'll probably be home around the same time as you both."
 
"Oh, yeah? Sound like it's going to be wild," Xander remarked. "Lots of squealing, wailing, and yelling. I hope you can still hear when you get back. Got hopes for this one?"
 
"Someone at the pediatrician recommended it, so I suppose it's the best hope we have so far. She said she's took all of her kids there when they were babies." Daizi replied, but after a pause said, "Her children are named Maverick, River, and Everleigh, so. I have some... concerns. Ivy won't care, though, I don't think."
 
"It may not be," Daizi sighed, "I just hope the other babies are nice to her. As far as I'm aware, most babies don't really care about other babies until they're older than they are now, but they tell me it's good for them to get to watch each other. Dark is dreading it, he says the worst possible thing is to be forced into a room with absolute strangers and be forced to socialize." She paused for a moment, "I guess I do not generally like it either, unless it is for a common interest, like for work or a hobby. I suppose our common interest is our children, but somehow I think it is less bonding than witchcraft. Anyone can be a parent, and often terribly normal people are. And those are the people I struggle to find common ground with."
 
Xander snickered. "I almost want to go just to watch you and Ba interacting. I dunno if I believe that babies don't care about each other. I mean, it would make sense, but anytime I see two babies in the same room together, they're staring at each other, and apparently Alec and I were each other's best entertainment."
 
"I meant they don't care about each other in that they don't initiate play with each other. Before they're about two years old, most don't even engage in parallel play, so they might look, but that's the extent of it. There's all this information about the stages of play. This group is all babies born last November, so they're a little ways off playfulness."
 
Daizi snorted, "No, I guess not. But unfortunately, adults tend to be fighting for dominance while disguising it as polite conversation. And that is what I really can't stand. Especially when you can tell what they think of you, but choose to be backhanded. Adults are horrible, never become one."
 
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