Life After Role Play

Sophie was watching the movie, me and my family were watching the game, and my two twins were asleep. All that was missing was my sweet Harry.
I had texted Harry earlier to let him know that Sophie was having a melt down, and kept asking for him.
I was looking at my phone and saw that he responded.
“Give her a big hug and kiss. Tell her I love her and will be home soon. xx”
I smiled reading the text, and shut my phone off to watch the rest of the game with my family.
The game ended around 5:15, and Sophie had fallen asleep in my lap while watching the movie.
I settled her in the chair while I lifted my computer from her lap, and took it over to the counter.
“Well, I am going to start dinner” Lilly said,
“If anyone wants to help, they are more than welcome to. Dad and Ben will grill, and all we have to do is the baked beans, fries, and salad” she said,
“Let me answer a few emails and then I will help y’all” I said, knowing that this was one of my few quiet moments of the day, and I needed to get some of my emails done before the kids woke up.
After answering about 35 emails, mostly about my new line, I washed my hands and started helping my mom with the salad.
We chatted and cut up vegetables.
“Is Harry’s family coming to town for the holidays, or are you all flying to Holmes Chapel?” Mom asked,
“They are coming December 31st and staying for a few nights, so that Harry and I can go out on New Years!” I said,
“Oh that’s wonderful. Is it just Anne and Robin, or is Gemma coming as well?” she asked,
“I’m pretty sure Harry said that it was just Anne and Robin, but I might be mistaken” I said,
As I finished chopping the carrots, my phone started to buzz, and I knew that it was the baby monitor.

I heard soft cries and whines from what sounded like Gracey.
I walked into the room and lifted her from her pack n play.
She mumbled “Mommy” before curling up into my neck.
I brought her into my room, so that Henry wouldn’t wake up as well. I quickly changed her diaper, and put her hair into a high bun.
Since she had been wearing that outfit since 6 am this morning, I changed her into a green and red Mini Boden onsie.
I gave her a passie and put her on my hip to go downstairs.

The second I walk downstairs, I hear the soft cries of my other little girl.
“mommy” she wines,
I walked over to where she was sitting, “Hey lovie. It’s almost dinner time. Let’s go put on a different outfit okay?” I said,
She got up from her chair and quietly followed behind me. When I reached my room, I picked out a Christmas sweater for her, and green polka dot leggings. I put Sophie’s hair in a high bun as well, and snapped a cute picture of her to send to Harry.
I lifted Gracey back up on my hip and held Sophie’s hand as we all walked downstairs.
“Well don’t you two just look adorable” my mom said, coming over to say hi to her grandchildren.
Sophie was usually pretty quiet when she woke up from naps, so I wasn’t surprised when she shielded away from Nana and buried her head in my legs instead.
“Alright girls, dinner is almost ready.” my dad said, coming into the kitchen with a plate full of burgers and hot dogs.
I decided I needed to go wake Henry up so that he could sleep tonight, and get some dinner in him.
“Hey Soph, i’m gonna go get Henry, do you wanna stay down here with Nana and Pop Pop or come with me?” I asked,
“Come with mommy” she said, and followed me up the stairs with Gracey.
I walked into the room, and saw Henry splayed out across the pack n play.
“Henry. Love we need to wake up” I said, bending down to lift him up.
Sophie and Gracey were playing with each other on the floor, while I lifted him into my arms.
I ran into my room room, and quickly brushed his hair and put him in a collard shirt with a pair of khakis.
He cried a little bit, probably just grumpy that I woke him up.
I walked back into the room and told Sophie to hold Gracey’s hand down the stairs.
So down comes the Styles’, Sophie holding tightly to my hand, and also holding tightly to Gracey’s.
“Is daddy home?” Sophie asked, stopping on the stair she was on to look at me.
“No he’s not. He will be home later” I said, causing her to pout and continue going down the stairs.
When we walked downstairs, everything was set up at the tables. We said the blessing, all holding hands, before sitting down at the table.
I sat with Sophie in my lap, and Gracey and Henry on either side of me. I made them each a plate of food, before serving myself.
“Mommy we watch daddy on the iPad?” Sophie asked, to which everyone at the table looked a little confused.
“Yes we can, but he won’t be on the iPad until dinner is over!” I said,
And then explained to the family that we have a livestream account, that we can watch the boys full concert on the iPad. Sophie LOVED to watch it before bed.
After dinner and dessert, we watched some of the concert, and I left Sophie at the table to watch once everyone was getting a little bored.
“Mom do you want to help me do bath time?” I asked,
“Of course” she said, with a smile on her face.

She lifted Henry and Gracey while I grabbed Sophie.
After playing in the tub for a little bit, I washed all of their hair and bodies and got them ready for bed.
Mom went back downstairs to finish cleaning up the kitchen.
I put Henry in his “rock on” onsie that Lou Teasdale had gotten for him, and put Gracey in her matching onsie. I put Sophie in her monogrammed t-shirt and shorts pajamas. I brushed all of their hair and teeth, before giving the twins passies, and laying them down in their bed.
They fell asleep right away, much to my surprise. I took Sophie downstairs with me, seeing that it was already 9:30, and Harry should be back home in the next hour. I knew it was way past her bed time, but I also knew that she wouldn’t want to go to sleep until she knew that her daddy was home.
I took a quick shower while Lilly hung out with Sophie, and changed into my pajamas.
Ben went to bed, along with my dad. Downstairs was just the girls, and we were all watching an episode of Kardashians. Sophie was drifting in and out of sleep, she had her arms wrapped around my neck and her head buried into my shoulder.
Around 10:45, I got a text from Harry saying that he was on the way.
About thirty minutes later I saw lights flash outside, and the door bell rang.

Sophie immediately perked up, yelling “daddy” as loud as she could.
Lilly and I walk to the door, and I set Sophie down.
Harry is standing at the front door, with two suitcases and his work bag.
He drops his suitcases to pick up Sophie who is running to jump into his arms.
“Hi Soph” he says, and pecks her cheek.
She wraps her small arms around his cheek.
“Daddy” she keeps saying.
It was so cute.
With Sophie still in his arms, Harry envelops me in a hug, quickly pecking my lips.
“Lilly, its so good to see you” he says, kissing her cheek and giving her a quick hug.
Lilly and I drag his stuff in the doors, and show him in towards where my mom is sitting.
Sophie perks up,

“Daddy this is my Nana.” she says and points to my mom,
Sophie is seriously the cutest.
“Hey Elizabeth, how are you” Harry says, walking towards my mother and pecking her cheek.
“Harry we are so glad you could join us for a few nights.” Leah said,
“I’m so glad we could work this out. It’s great to see you all” he says,
He walks around the kitchen, and grabs a water bottle from the fridge. He then sits down in the chair that Sophie and I were sitting in.
Sophie and him are in their own little world, talking about whatever, while she plays with his curls.
“Aud does Soph need to go to bed soon?” he asks,
But before I can answer Sophie yells a huge “no!” to which we all laugh at.
“Mommy come sit with me and daddy” Sophie says,
There wasn’t much room in the chair, but somehow I manage to sit in Harry’s lap, while Sophie sits on the side of my lap.
My mom snaps a quick picture of our cute family, before saying her goodnights.
“We are following right behind you” I say to her.
I kiss Lilly and my moms cheeks goodnight, before tucking Sophie into bed.
“Goodnight lovie, I say kissing the top of her head”
“Night mommy. Wuv you” she says.
Harry kisses her goodnight too.
“Night daddy.” she says, starting to rub her eyes.
“Night my love” he says,
and as we are walking out, Sophie yells, “Daddy. Don’t leave anymore. I miss you” and with that, I pause and stare at her.
It made me realize how hard it must be for Sophie who is only four. She misses her daddy, and doesn’t understand why he isn’t there. At school, she sees her friends dads pick them up, and as much as Harry and I try to make things work while he’s gone, its not the same as when he’s here.
Harry grabs my hand, before whispering an “I love you Soph" and shutting the door.

Notes