"Mommy, Nikki kicked me!" My youngest daughter said, running up to my with tears in her big green eyes, referring to her older by a year brother, Nikki. His real name is Nicholas, but Percy got kind of obsessed with Motley Crue and eighties hair bands when he was born, so we call him Nikki.

"It's okay, Izzy. Where did he kick you?" She crawled onto my lap and pointed to a bruising spot on her knee. Her real name is Isabella, but her nickname comes from Guns N' Roses. "Aw, it's okay, baby. Do you want me to kiss it and make it better?" She nodded, so I bent down and kissed it. She gave me a watery smile.

"Nikki, Percy, come here!" I yelled to the men in my life. They came into the small living room, Nikki nervously, and Percy eating a ham sandwich obliviously.

"Nikki, do you have something to say to Izzy?" I asked in that really annoying, motherly tone that I promised myself I would never use.

"What happened?" My oh-so-bright husband asked, looking up from his precious sandwich.

"Nikki kicked me, Daddy!" My little four year old princess exclaimed, getting up and running to her dad. She always was a daddy's girl. He picked her up in one arm, the other one holding his sandwich.

He looked at my little troublemaker who looked so much like Percy, but with my eyes, with a disapproving look. "Nikki, say you're sorry to your sister."

"Sorry, Izzy." He mumbled. She smiled brightly and kissed Percy on the cheek. I smiled at them.

"Thank you, Daddy. When's Grandma and Grandpa getting here?" She asked, referring to Percy's mom and step-dad. Apparently, our children have three grandmothers and three grandfathers. More than the average person, but they can deal.

"They'll be here-" The doorbell rang, "right now." He said, putting her down and going to the door to open it to Sally and Paul.

"Hey, Mom, Paul! How are you guys?" We always enjoyed their visits. They stayed in Manhattan, but we moved to a neighborhood around Long Island Sound when we got married, six years prior. They walked in and sat next to me on the couch.

"We're good, how are you four?" Sally asked, picking up Nikki.

"We're good. We've missed you guys!" Nikki exclaimed, looking at Sally expectantly. Percy was looking the same way, so I realized what they wanted: blue cookies. Sally laughed.

"Oh, here!" She exclaimed, pulling a small, wrapped package out of her back. Nikki got to it before Percy did, so, naturally, he took the biggest cookie.

"Nope, I'm the adult, hand it over." Percy said, holding his hand out. I laughed at his childish antics.

"How come you always get the biggest cookie?" Nikki asked, pouting, but holding out the cookie anyways.

"Because, I'm older, bigger, have a bigger appetite, and if it weren't for me, you wouldn't even be able to eat Grandma's blue cookies at all." Percy said, taking the cookie and eating it in about four bites.

"Percy, savor the cookie!" I said, reprimanding him. He shrugged, sitting beside me on the arm of the couch.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, savor the cookie. I can't help it, they're just so good!" He exclaimed, rubbing his stomach. Percy may be an adult, but he will always be a kid on the inside. Not that I mind. It's quite cute.

"Annabeth is right, Percy. You should listen to her. She's a smart girl." Paul said, putting his around Sally.

The rest of the day was spent talking about random, familial things. I love my family...