1.10 So lucky

Every moment that Adaleigh was not with the toddlers, Adaleigh was in the garden. She was determined that the 8 perfect plants would be completed before the triplets finished grade school. Their birthday into the child stage loomed over her head and she knew after that she only had 13 days to complete her objectives.

She was so concentrated on the garden that when it was her own adult birthday she had completely forgotten. After tucking the toddlers into bed, she had just changed into her own bed clothes and was getting ready for bed when she heard the tapping at the window.

Laurent had said he was going to take on an extra catering and she didn't expect him home until late. Stepping cautiously from the house, she was amazed to see Laurent's signature cake on the table and Laurent was standing out in their front yard singing at the top of his lungs.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOooOOOooooUUUU!!"  he finished off-key and out of breath but it was the most wonderful sight she had ever seen.

"What are you doing?" she whispered. "You're going to wake the triplets."

"That's why I'm singing out here. And what am I doing? I am wishing a most amazing wife a very happy birthday." he said charmingly. "Make a wish."

She shook her head and turned to look at the cake. It was very beautiful and so much prettier than the cake she had made for him not two days before.

She thought very hard for a long time, she could wish for the garden, but that was something she felt she needed to do on her own. She could wish for the kids to grow up smart and strong but they would. Laurent and she would make sure. So finally she decided and blew out the candles.

Wish made she walked down the stairs to Laurent.

"Did you plan all this by yourself?" she said smiling as she took his hand.

"Well, judging from my own birthday it was very difficult to wrangle the triplets into helping. Besides I really did have a catering. I just used the kitchen to make your birthday cake afterward."

"You are the most thoughtful husband ever. How did I get so lucky?"

A smiled stretched onto Laurent's face and he pulled a small notebook from his back pocket.

Laurent struck a dramatic pose. "Well, let me list the ways."

Adaleigh giggled and clasped her hands like a dramatic damsel from a Shakespearean play. "Oh please do."

"One you had the fortune to marry a man as obsessed with perfection as you. Two, you were gifted with three of the spunkiest toddlers to grace the planet. Three... well I don't really have three but there are three toddlers so that... again?"

The  both laughed. "Honestly Adaleigh, you are so passionate about this garden and about what your vision for Newcrest, it's difficult not to get caught up in the waves of your enthusiasm. Come on, let's eat cake before the triplets really do wake up. One sugar rush in three days is enough for me."

The each grabbed a slice and dug in in silence. He was right, the sugar rush was not so much the problem but when there was a crash... oh boy, those toddlers were angry when they had a sugar crash.

"Speaking of the toddlers, in a few days its going to be their birthday."

Laurent hesitated in his next bite. "Oh, that's right, wow. Seems like just yesterday they became toddlers..."

Adaleigh smiled. It really had passed in a blink of an eye but with the garden project and everything else. The triplets' birthday had been at the very top of her list of things. She didn't want her project to make her miss out on her children's lives.

"I'm thinking, its time I got rid of that Cowplant skeleton. I want to get a bigger table too and set up a little display for the cake and the rest of the food."

"I can make some of our favorites, like macaroni and garlic noodles. I'm sure the kids will love them..." Laurent began thinking deeply. "I should make them a blue confetti cake too. Laura and Collin both really like turquoise and I'm sure that Cameron will like it as long as their are lots of sprinkles. He's always so easy-going."

The two of them spent the rest of the night planning the party together. They decided on decorations and in selling the toddlers high chairs in favor of a family table to eat together at. And balloons, there would most definitely be balloons.

That night, as she slipped into bed next to her husband and saw all three toddlers were still sound asleep, Adaleigh thought, she really was so lucky.