Zoe

"Anton untie your sister!" I'm trying to empty the dishwasher. It's every time I try to do something. It's every time I have to rotate laundry, make breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner and heaven forbid I have to pee. "Untie her! Do not- no!"

There's a squabble of pink human flesh and green turtle flesh rolling around on the floor and my daughter is tied at the hands and ankles with shoelaces. I look at the knots. "MICHELANGELO! I told you not to teach him how to tie knots and this is why!"

Mike looks up from where he is digging around in the fridge and grins with pride.

"What's going on?" Raph asks as he steps through the back door. He looks over at me, as I try to pry the two kids apart, at the same time struggling with the knot.

"Anton, get off her. Do not do this again." I groan. Knots are not my specialty.

"You're going to end up in the ha-shi." Raph growls at Anton, reaching over and scooping Andrea up into his massive arms. He unties her easily and she stops crying to cuddle herself up against his shoulder.

I glare in the direction of the fridge and Mike steps up. "Nah don't do that Bro, it was my fault. I was teaching him how to tie knots earlier."

Raph glares at his baby brother, "Mike I oughta-"

"Raph," I say sweetly.

He looks at me and I glance sideways at our ever watchful son. Anton's big green eyes are hanging on his father's every word. Raph sighs. "C'mon we'll practice katas out back." He crosses the room and pecks me on the cheek, "I'll keep'em busy while you finish up whatever it is your doin."

"Take Mikey with you," I grin, looking at our orange clad troublemaker.

Mike's eyes widen and he mouths the word, "Traitor."

Zoe

"Andrea, stop waving that sword around your going to hit your brother!" It's only a plastic play sword, perfect for a young ninja. NOT! I swear I love Mike but there's a reason we have a kata only rule for the little ones. He brought home two plastic katana and a set of plastic sai today and all afternoon I've done this. Referee.

Raph and I are emptying the dishwasher and prepping dinner. He just came inside from a workout and stepped right alongside me like he'd been there all along.

"Mommmyyyyy! She hit me in the eye!" Anton is sobbing and calling me from the play area. He's such a mama's boy. I won't apologize for it. He's my firstborn and I think I go easy on him, especially since his father's a little tough on him at times.

I glance in the play area in time to see young ninja moves in action. Anton throws a plastic sai past my head smacking Raph in the shoulder and it bounces off of him. "MOMMMY! Do something about it!" Anton hissed at me his eyes flinty and his nostrils flaring.

"Antonello you do not throw anything at me or anyone else, ever!" I scold my son and look in the direction of my soul mate… who has swollen in size, not good.

Raph looks down at the plastic toy weapon on the floor and growls. "GGGGRRRRR MIKEY!"

He moves toward the playroom and I follow a few steps behind him. We find Anton has disarmed his sister of her katana and is now whacking her with it. Andrea is screaming as I scoop her up, at the same time Raph confiscates Anton's katana, throwing it on the floor then making his way toward the living room.

I hear the front door open and Karai yelling, "Where ya going so fast Mike?" Echoed by the sounds of her devious snicker.