"Kids! Could you come downstairs for a moment!" Lynn Sr. called to his children. Hearing this, Leni rushed over and grabbed little Lynn into her arms. The toddler was always running around and could easily outrun any one of her family members. That's why her siblings came up with the idea of sneaking up on her, catching her by surprise so they could lift her. She always squirmed around but she seemed happy to have Leni hold her in her gentle arms.
"Can you say I love you Leni?" the five-year-old asked her. Lynn just looked at her blankly, even so much to the point that she actually stopped squirming. That was the only unfortunate thing with the youngest Loud. No matter how much anyone tried, Lynn Jr. never said a word apart from basic baby sounds. Fortunately, the family had managed to figure out her 'gotta go potty' dance quickly.
Lori came from another room with a dazed expression on her face.
"Luan fell asleep, she's taking a nap, and I'm not going to wake her up for anything," she said. The two blondes walked to the stairs, Leni still carrying Lynn, mentioning to Leni that Lynn still refused to talk.
"I don't get what the problem is. Even though they didn't know a lot of words at the time, Luan and Luna were talking up a storm at that age," said Lori. They reached the family room where they saw their parents sitting on the couch. Luna was sitting right next to Rita, her arms wrapped around her pregnant belly while she gently sang. Lori took a seat next to her father and Leni sat down on the chair with little Lynn on her lap.
"Luna, the baby appreciates your singing, but I need you to pause for a moment, just so your father and I can say something," said Rita when everyone settled down. Luna stopped singing, nodded understandingly and folded her hands upon her lap.
"Where's Luan?" asked Lynn Sr.
"She's taking a nap, I don't feel right waking her up," answered Lori.
"I wish Lynnie here would be that willing to take a nap," said Rita, gesturing toward the toddler in Leni's lap.
"She won't talk," said Leni blankly. Luna stifled a giggle.
"That we don't have an easy answer for Leni, we've taken her to the doctor. He's told us that her hearing is perfectly fine. Her motor skills are developing a little faster than most doctors consider normal. He says she's perfectly healthy. She could be mute, but we'll just have to wait and continue trying to coax her and see what happens. Well, we'll just have to have this meeting without Luan I'm afraid," answered Lynn Sr.
"Girls, your father and I went to the doctor today. We got to see a new image of the baby," Rita added.
"Is the baby okay?" asked Luna, a little worried as she gently placed a hand on Rita's belly.
"The baby is fine Luna. But we have some surprising, but wonderful news!" said Lynn Sr.
"What is it Daddy?" asked Lori.
"Well, as it just so happens. We're actually not having another girl. The baby is going to be a boy," said Lynn Sr. proudly.
"A boy?" asked Leni her eyes a little wider than normal.
"That's right, pretty soon, all of you will have a baby brother," said Rita with a smug look on her face. Luna and Leni smiled widely, but Lori just looked nervous.
"Brudder!" an unfamiliar voice suddenly piped up. Everyone seemed to have been struck dumb as they all turned their heads to little Lynn.
"Baby brudder!" she said again. Tears of joy began to form in the parents' eyes as Leni smiled at her youngest sister.
"That's right Lynn! You're going to be a big sister!" she said proudly.
"Big sister Wynn!" exclaimed the toddler happily as she clapped her hands together. Rita put a hand right over her mouth as tears poured down her cheeks. Luna and Lori rushed over and each hugged the toddler as Lynn Sr. went to get the camera from the kitchen. Lynn managed to say everyone's name as they hugged her and said they were very proud of her for finally choosing to talk.
That evening, Rita and Lynn Sr. tucked their youngest daughter into her crib, she was never much for stuffed animals and they didn't feel safe keeping balls in her crib so she was alone.
"Now, get some sleep Lynnie. Someday you'll be a big sister, and if you're good, we might let you bunk with the baby," her father said gently.
"G'night Mommy. G'night Daddy," said Lynn who then reached through the bars of her crib to touch Rita's tummy.
"G'night brudder," she said before falling asleep. Her parents were filled with joy as they exited the room. But, later that night there was a storm, that woke the toddler up and she cried. Leni was leaving the bathroom so she heard her cry as she rushed to the aid of her sister.
"Aw, does the storm scare you? It's okay, you can stay in my bed tonight," said Leni who gently lifted Lynn into her arms again and rushed her to her bedroom where she gently tucked the two of them under the covers.
"Someday you might have to do this when you're a big sister," said Leni with a smile. Lynn nodded nervously as she just hugged Leni.
"I wuv you Weni," said Lynn before falling asleep. Leni smiled as she fell asleep herself.