You Make It Easy

Restructure.

"I mean, I usually don't but I saw it and clicked on it."

"You're not going to make everyone happy. You're going to go out and play baseball the way you know how to and it's going to be good enough for your team and myself. If fans are going to bitch about your contract and whatever else, they're not real fans."

"Oh, I think I like it when you're overprotective over me. You should do that more often."

I laugh, "I'm always overprotective of you, you just don't realize it because I keep my mouth shut."

"I like it though."

Getting home, Christian takes Amalia out of her car seat. She wants to be put on the floor immediately to start trying to walk again. She has been all for it. She will hold our hands and walk around the house. It makes me so sad but I also love it so much.

I hold the door open as Christian walks with her. Christian lifts her over the step before walking her to the living room. I put my bags on the couch and join them on the floor. I find her favorite stuffed bear and toss it to Christian. She can stand so well.

He turns around and faces me, "Come here," I say, wiggling my fingers toward her.

Christian tosses me her bear. I set it closer to me, holding out my hands, "Come on."

She takes a step but falls to her butt and starts crawling toward me. I pick her up and turn her around, "Go back to Dad."

I toss the bear back to him. He holds his hands out and she goes to him, falling on her knees after the first step. "Try again. You've got it."

She comes back to me, taking her time before taking her first steps. She wobbles around, taking her time when taking her first steps. "Come on."

She starts walking toward me. I get to my knees and move back so she will keep going. "Good job. Come here."

I shake her bear and she holds herself up, coming toward me. She gets to the couch and I pick her up, "Good job!"

I hold her and reflect on her life so far. She is the best thing that ever happened to us. She makes our days better. I think she makes us better people too.

She lays her head on me, "I love you," I tell her.

She smiles at me as Christian gets up and sits behind me on the couch. I lean back on him after letting her go. She'll take a few steps and then fall but gets right back up. She's determined and I'd like to think that I gave her that trait.

I can't wait to have a few more of those. Kids lighten up your world in a way you didn't think it could be lightened.

Christian messes with my hair. I lay my head on his leg and look up at him, "What's up?"

He smiles, "Nothing."

He kisses me but we're interrupted by our adorable daughter giggling. We look at her, "Is that funny?"

She laughs to herself, making her fall onto her butt. She lays back and stays laughing. I get on my knee and go over to her, tickling her neck and belly. Her laughs echo throughout the house.

She walks over to Christian. He picks her up and sets her in his lap. She's getting too big too fast. She'll be one in two months. Her first year is going by way too fast.

Christian walks into the bathroom as I put mascara on. He's holding Amalia in one arm and has flowers in his other hand. I smile at the gesture, "Happy first Mother's Day," he tells me.

I take the flowers from him, "Thank you."

He kisses me, "I love you. We're so lucky to have you."

"I love you too. Thank you."

I take Amalia after finishing my mascara. "Come here. I want to show you something."

I take the flowers with me as I follow him into the kitchen. There are a couple of boxes sitting on the kitchen island. "What's this?"

"I want you to open them."

I sit in one of the barstools. He takes Amalia back as I start with the big box since it was numbered. "I should tell you now that this one is for me but I want you to see it first."

I laugh at his bluntness, "Okay."

I give Amalia the tissue paper as I take the gift out of the box. She crinkles it and laughs every time it makes a noise. I open the smaller box and see the light pink and grey outfielder's glove. "This is sick," I tell him.

I put the box on the counter as I looked at his new glove. I noticed the stitching on the thumb and could not help but become emotional. He put mine and Amalia's initials on his glove.

"Christian, this is so sweet."

I look up at him, "Don't cry," he tells me.

"I'm not- I just- It's so sweet."

He smiles as he turns the glove around, "Input her birthday over here. I'm going to use it today. I wanted something to remind me of my girls while I'm playing."

I run my fingers along the stitching, "This is so cool."

"I'm glad you like it. Open the rest. These are actually for you."

I smile and take the second box. I unwrap it and come face to face with the Louis Vuitton logo. "Christian."

"Nope, just open it."

I slide the box out and open the protective cream bag to reveal a wallet that I've had my eyes on for a while. I had no reason to actually pull the trigger to buy it. "Just because I say I want it, doesn't mean you have to buy it."

"I know. But I know how long you've been wanting it and have yet to buy it. Plus, I think you deserve it. You don't spoil yourself enough and then I have to do it."

"Thank you."

The last one is an envelope. I open it and find one piece of paper in it. Ask me about it.

I turn the paper around, "What's this?"

"I know we haven't planned our honeymoon just yet but I've been looking at a few places and I want your input. But this is for a full day of relaxation. We can do it together or not. It would consist of couple's massages, beachside dinner, and maybe even a day alone on a private island. I'll let you think about it. I don't need an answer right away. However you want to spend this day, I'll make it happen."

I smile, "Really? Anything?"

"Yeah."

"Where?"

"I have a lot of places in mind. Fiji, Bali, Anguilla, Tahiti, and St. Lucia."

"Well, I want to hear all about them."

"I'll present them to you later. We're going to need to get going soon."

I smile, "Okay. Thank you."

"No, thank you. You are the best mom to Mali Lou. She's so lucky and I'm so lucky to have watched you become the best version of yourself."

I hug them, "I love you both so much."

"We love you too."