#ken is a tiger but instead of the usual tigers hes small (like the bears vs cubs sizes)

[autonomousxselves]

//Got bored and was doodling, made SEES (+ Ryoji) Animal Crossing and wanted to share my vision.

[bee-kathony]

Four Years | Year Three - “June 16th, 2016″ 

a/n: thank you all so much for reading! I will be posting a chapter on Wednesday and on Friday! xx 

Year One | Year Two

January 9th, 2016 | January 24th, 2016 | March 3rd, 2016 | March 30th, 2016 | April 10th, 2016 |  May 17th, 2016

For our one year anniversary, we decided as a family to spend it at the Edinburgh zoo. The main purpose of our trip was so that Fergus would finally stop shouting about penguins. We had a book of animals at home and one night as Jamie read it, Fergus pointed at the penguin and ever since he had carried the book around with him.

It was also his third birthday in a couple of days so we thought we’d celebrate all week.

So instead of a fancy dinner or something couples usually did on their one year wedding anniversary, Jamie and I were buying tickets to the zoo. I actually found I didn’t mind. It was nice to start to feel like myself again after so long. Seeing Fergus’ smile as we drove up to the zoo and parked — that was worth it.

“Penguins?”

“Aye wee man,” Jamie laughed as he unbuckled Fergus from his car seat. It had been a real struggle learning how to use it and quite a few expletives were said in the process of installing it into our car. Now, months later, Jamie was a pro and easily lifted Fergus from the seat and into his arms.

“There are other animals besides Penguins, Fergus,” I said as I rubbed my hand over his back. “Lions, Tigers—“

“And Bears! Oh my!” Jamie added, trying to wink in my direction.

“Yes those too.”

Fergus’ little hand flapped wildly in the direction of the entrance and he was nearly bouncing in Jamie’s arms as we finally walked through the gates, day tickets purchased.

“Should we go straight to the penguins?” I asked as I unfolded the crisp new map, trying to find out just where they were. “They look to be towards the left past the meerkats, red pandas and monkeys, then we’ll make a big circle?”

“Sounds like a good plan, Sassenach.” Jamie adjusted Fergus in his arms, “The sooner we get the lad to the penguins, the better.”

It was a beautiful sunny day, quite rare for Edinburgh and I tilted my head up to the sky, breathing in the fresh air. Fergus kept squirming in Jamie’s arms so he lifted him up, placing him on his shoulders, holding his hands. I took my phone out, snapping a few pics from behind.

“Fergus you’re so tall!” I smiled as I came up beside them.

“Da is tall,” he laughed.

“Oh yes, yer Da is very tall,” I smiled and hooked one hand through Jamie’s arm and we kept walking towards the penguins. When we reached the Penguin pool, my mouth dropped.

“This place is bloody huge!”

Fergus clapped his hands above Jamie’s head, shouting “penguins! penguins!”

We walked forward, avoiding the biggest crowd to the right to look at the sign. “Ah, Sassenach, says here this is the largest Penguin pool in Europe. It looks it.”

“Should you put him down?” I glanced up at Fergus who was craning his head forward to look into the water. Jamie grunted as he lifted Fergus off and then placed him down on the ground who immediately tried to run off towards the water.

“Ah, no no,” I grabbed his arm. “We stay with Mummy and Daddy, Fergus. You have to hold our hands okay?”

“Otay,” he nodded and reached his hands out for both of us to take. Then he led us forward, tugging us towards the water to watch the penguins dive off the rock diving board they had. They were funny little creatures, jumping up and swimming and the smallest ones were adorable.

“Did ye see that one, Fergus!” Jamie pointed to a penguin that had just jumped off the rock.

“I have one?” Fergus pointed at himself and then back at the penguins.

“Ah wee lad, I’m afraid no, their home is here wi’ all the other little penguins,” Jamie bent down to his knee in front of him. Then I saw it… the lip tremble. A second later, Fergus opened his mouth and started screeching, with tears beginning to overflow.

“It’s okay!” Jamie tried to hug him, to silence his screams but everyone was already looking at us. “Stop crying, I’m sorry!”

“Let’s get away from here,” I beckoned Jamie and he obliged, picking up a crying Fergus and we walked away from the crowd and found a bench to sit on. Fergus reached for me, climbing into my lap and buried his face into my neck. I ran my hand along his back, shushing him.

“It’s alright, Fergus. The penguins wouldn’t be able to come home with us because we don’t have a big enough pool for them to live,” I said over his crying.

“B-bath?” he said between sobs.

Jamie smirked, impressed with his answer and then laid his hand over Fergus’ curls. “Too small little lad. The penguins need to be wi’ their family. Like we’re a family.”

Tears still fell from Fergus’ eyes and I wanted to cry along with him. If I could buy him a real penguin, I would have done it right there and then. “We don’t have a penguin, but we do have Annie and you like her right?”

“Ruff,” Fergus perked up, barking like Annie. “Ruff!”

“There ye go,” Jamie smiled, rubbing his hand over his back. “What do ye say,” he glanced over at me, “We get ye a stuffed animal that looks like a penguin when we leave?”

“Ooo, yes! Then you can have a soft toy every night in your bed with you, sound like a good idea?” I smiled, swiping my thumb across his face.

“Mmmhhmm,” he nodded and took a deep breath, obviously crying was such hard work for a little boy.

“Shall we go look at the penguins some more before we go see some monkeys and lions?” I asked and he nodded, now smiling. Jamie picked him back up and placed him on his shoulders again.

Thankfully the rest of the time spent looking at the penguins brought no tears, only shouts of glee. Jamie took my hand and together we walked from enclosure to enclosure, learning more about each animal as we went. My personal favorite was the cute little koalas and kangaroos, while Jamie loved the giant bear.

“Roarrrr!” He growled and Fergus echoed him.

We ate lunch in the Grasslands restaurant, filling our tummies with fuel for the rest of the day. Fergus ate fish fingers, while Jamie and I shared a margherita cheese pizza and the chicken salad.

“Yum yum,” Fergus munched on his fish fingers, clearly delighted.

“I’m feeling a little tired,” I said as I drowned my pizza bite with water. “Do you think it’d be alright if we saw maybe one more animal enclosure and headed home?”

“Of course, Sassenach,” Jamie kissed my hand. “I’m feelin’ tired as well and I ken the lad must be ready for a nap.”

“A nap sounds like a good idea,” I smiled.

Stomachs full and giant penguin stuffed animal purchased, we loaded back up into the car and headed home. Just as I thought, Fergus fell right to sleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

Jamie and I both sat down on the couch, sighing as we propped our feet up. Leaning into him, I laid my head against his chest. “This was a really lovely day.”

“Aye, it was,” he kissed my forehead. “Good weather for it too. I’m glad Fergus enjoyed it, I was worried he wouldn’t.”

“I was too, but he was smiling the whole day,” I turned my face up at him, “Of course, besides the crying at the penguin pool.”

“Ye handled that quite well, mo nighean. I’m impressed,” he grinned. “I think Fergus likes ye better than me anyhow.”

“What?” I leaned up on my elbow to better look at him. “He does not! I think he likes you more!” I laughed.

“Nah, he likes me fine well, but it’s ye he calls out for in the middle of the night when he has a bad dream and tis ye he reached for today when he was upset,” he noted.

“It’s called a mother’s touch, Jamie,” I rolled my eyes. “All men want to be cradled in a woman’s arms when they’re upset. Didn’t you always ask for your mother when you were crying or had a bad dream?”

He thought about that for a moment and then nodded, “Aye. I suppose I did.” Jamie ran his fingers back through my hair, pressing his thumb against a spot where the hair hadn’t quite grown in. “Will ye hold me then, Sassenach?”

“Always,” I leaned up and opened my arms for him to lay down and he rested his head on my chest. Jamie wrapped his arms around my waist and closed his eyes. “I’ll always be there for you.”