Hudson got up in the morning feeling very refreshed. He rushed over to the crib he had set up a few days earlier to meet his new daughter.
Everyone else had to stop by for nooboo snuggles. Hadley even had company when all the adults were busy, since a distant relative had sent her a cute doll.
Over the next few weeks the Phoenix household was bustling with energy as Meadow and Hudson planned party after party. Of course, before any of the parties was Meadow’s birthday – she insisted on skipping the party and just celebrating with Hudson, just before bed.
“No woman wants a bunch of young kids around watching as she turns into an old lady” she told him.
Meadow was disappointing to see the wrinkles, saggy skin and slumped posture that had accompanied her transition to an elder, so she didn’t spend much time at the wardrobe and just grabbed the first things she saw in green or floral prints.
—-
Winter had come to Riverview. Hudson looked back in reflection on his arrival to Riverview in the middle of summer – the day the sun was so hot he literally burst into flames just standing outdoors because he’d been alone and too poor to afford a real house. Now, only a short time later, he was surrounded by family and friends – his beautiful loving wife, a gorgeous daughter, sweet Elaine, thoughtful Norman, and charming Prescott – in their perfect home.
Hudson decided they needed to throw a Gift-Giving party, and asked each member of the household to invite someone over to celebrate. The next morning, the guests arrived, and everyone opened presents, sang seasonal songs, stuffed themselves full of delicious food (prepared by Hudson of course), and chatted about the coming new year.
Prescott had invited a girl he barely knew from school, Anita Lobos, and he was shocked she had actually shown up. They chatted for a while and hit it off. Unfortunately, when Hudson left to go to work, Anita lost interest in Prescott and hurriedly left the party. Soon after, the other guests trickled out.
Hudson’s birthday was that evening, and everyone had been planning special presents for him. Fortunately Meadow managed to get that ice sculpture of Hudson done she’d been asking him to pose for, after which Elaine grabbed him to do a portrait. Prescott had a surprise for Hudson as well – since he’d become a teenager he had gone every day to the consignment shop, looking for a decent camera, and finally found one, which meant he was able to get a nice photograph of Hudson.
That evening, when Hudson got home from work, he didn’t even have time to change out of his uniform before his family was ambushing him with birthday well-wishes. He commented after his birthday that he didn’t feel much different.
“Just wait until it’s time to become an elder” Meadow griped.
Next up was little Hadley! For the baby of the family they had to throw a party, and the house was full of people excited to see the littlest Phoenix mature into a toddler. Meadow blew out the candles for her, and everyone cheered as Hadley twirled around and left the caterpillar stage of life.
Of course the first thing she did was crawl over to the family’s wardrobe to pick out her new “big-girl” outfits.
After they had finished clapping and cheering for Hadley, Prescott grabbed Anita for some flirting. She was definitely more receptive this time.
Not wanting to let her get away, this time when she left the party, he ran after her and asked her to be his girlfriend – fortunately she agreed.
After the guests left, Meadow immediately started on an ice sculpture of little Hadley. She followed it with a new one of Hudson of course.
“Dear, try and look dignified” she giggled.
“I am! This is my dignified pose!” He said with a grin.
