The day of the christening has finally arrived. Over the past couple of days there have been so many people dropping into the house and visiting, from Cory's family and even the vicar who will be performing the service. When there hasn't been strangers popping into the house, we have been kept busy with the remaining few bits to plan and organise.

Erin seems to be enjoying the fuss though. Every time somebody new comes over to see her, she breaks out into a big smile. She won't let anybody hold her though. She doesn't like them that much.

"I think my parents are coming over before we go to the church," Cory tells me while he fastens the top button of his shirt.

"I assumed they would be seeing as they have the christening gown for Erin to wear," I say back to him.

"Oh yeah, I'd almost forgotten about that. Is she still asleep?"

"Yeah, she conked out after she'd eaten her breakfast. I'm just hoping that means she won't be restless throughout the service," I answer him as I finish getting ready myself.

About ten minutes later there is a knock on the front door which I assume is Cory's parents arriving. I hurry down to answer it while everyone else is busy.

"Kwisten," Missy practically jumps into my arms as soon as she sees me.

"Hello you. Look how smart you look. You are ever so pretty," I tell her and she then spins around in her new, purple dress.

"Thank you. Mummy said I could get this one 'cause it's a special day," she carries on spinning around until she begins to tumble over.

"Missy go sit down before you break something," her father then tells her as the rest of the family walk into the living room. Even Cory's Gran has come over.

"What a lovely home you have sweetie," she tells me.

"Thank you. Can I get anyone a drink?"

"Chocolate milkshake," Missy jumps up and down on the spot.

"Sorry, I don't have that. I was thinking more of juice or coffee or tea," I tell the girl who sullenly sits back down on the sofa.

"I'll have a tea please dear. One sugar if you don't mind," Cory's Gran tells me.

"I'll have the same, thanks," his dad replies.

"Nothing for me," his mum says.

"Okay, I'll start making them soon. I'll just go see where Cory is," I tell them before hurrying off upstairs.

"What are you doing up here? Your parents are here and so is your Gran," I tell him.

"Sorry, I was just finishing getting ready," he tells me

"How has it taken you longer to get ready than me?" I question him as all he had to do was put a suit on.

"Easy, you are already gorgeous and don't need to do anything," he replies smoothly.

"Good answer," I say just before I give him a kiss on the cheek. "Now come on, don't leave me alone with them any longer," I say dragging him by the hand.

We leave Erin sleeping in her room for a while longer as we go back downstairs. Just as she did with me, Missy jumps straight onto her brother when she sees him. I even overhear her ask him for a milkshake which makes me laugh.

I leave Cory in the living room to talk with his family while I make the drinks. Just as I've nearly finished, I hear the front door open again, signalling the return of my mum.

"I got the cake so I think that is everything ready. I noticed that Cory's family have arrived," my mum says to me while carrying a huge box.

"Do you want help with that?" I ask as I grab the other end of the box. "Yeah they haven't been here that long. Only about five minutes. I just need to get Erin changed into her gown and then we are ready to go," I tell her.

We put the box down on the dining table (although I don't know why my mum didn't just leave it in the car) and then join everyone else in the living room. For once, the conversation between everyone seems to flow quite easily and time soon passes. It's not long before I am waking Erin up and getting her changed, a task which is quite hard as she continually kicks her legs around.

The next thing I know, we are piling into the two cars and are making our way towards the church. By the time we get there, a crowd has already formed outside as people are waiting to get in. I recognise some of the people as Cory's aunts and uncles who have visited over the last couple of days but I can't remember everyone's name. I also spot my own friends and their families in the crowd as well, all talking amongst one another.

Taking Erin into my arms, I begin to walk down towards the crowd with Cory by my side. People continue to talk amongst themselves and only stop when we approach them. Erin kicks her legs while she is in my arms which causes some people to laugh.

"Will everyone please make their way in and take a seat," the vicar asks everyone, raising his voice so he can be heard over the crowd but not in a harsh way.

We make our way into the quaint church, taking our seats in the front row. It takes a few minutes for everyone to be seated but as soon as they are, the service starts.

"Welcome on this fine Sunday to St Joseph's Church. We are here to welcome Erin Eliza Mason-Stevens into the world of Christianity with the support of her friends and family," the vicar continues to talk, even doing a reading from the bible.

"For the next part can I ask the parents and Godparents to stand up at the front," he then asks.

Cory and I make our way to the front of the church along with Adam, Maddie and Lotte. At this point we are asked to make some promises and then put the sign of the cross on Erin's head.

The next part is the part that I have imagined that Erin will make a fuss about, the part with the water. The vicar takes her into his arms and carries her to the back of the church where the font is. She starts to tear up when he first takes hold of her but when she sees me she begins to calm down again, much to my relief.

The rest of the service goes really well and Erin luckily remains calm throughout it. At one point she even crawls to the front of the church and sits in front of the vicar, listening to what he says.

When the service is over, we take family photos in the front of the church, something that is easier said than done because all Erin wants to do is play. The majority of the photos are probably going to turn out blurred.

"Shall we make our way towards the other venue?" Cory asks when the last photo has been taken.

"Yes, I think a lot of people have already made their way over," I say to him as we make our way back to the car.

"Someone will have to help me carry the cake in," my mum says and Cory tells her that he will help.

It only takes us five minutes to get to the other venue which turns out to be the backroom of a pub. The decorations make it feel like something else though. There are pink, white and silver balloons hung in every corner of the room along with being centre pieces on tables. There are also banners on the wall and a table which is currently empty but soon will be full with food. The room is also a lot more spacious than what my house would have been and everybody has plenty of room to mill about.

"It actually looks really nice in here," I comment as I look around the room.

"You say that like you doubted it would," Cory says as he brushes past me with the cake.

"I never meant that," I say, adjusting the way I am holding Erin.

Music is faintly being played in the background and children are dancing to it while adults seem to group together just talking. I place Erin on the ground and immediately the children swarm around her, wanting to play. Missy gets to Erin first and wraps her arms around her in her hug.

"Hi," I feel a tap on my shoulder and see Lotte standing beside me.

"Oh hi. You look different," I say to her.

"I cut my hair and dyed it darker. I felt like a bit of a change," she tells me and I can't help but think she reminds me of Snow White.

"You look nice."

"Thank you. I just want to say thank you for letting me be a Godparent. It means a lot," she says to me and then suddenly pulls me into a hug.

"Oh, you're welcome," I say when she finally lets go.

"I'll leave you be. You've probably got a load more people to talk to. See you later," she says to me before walking off to talk to Maddie who is standing with Leigh.

Next to where the food table is, there is another table being piled high with presents. There are so many that people are also having to place them on the floor.

"Have you seen all these?" I ask Cory when he has finished with the cake.

"I know, there are so many," he says to me.

"I don't even think we have room for all of these," I say, thinking back to how only a few weeks it was Erin's birthday.

"We just won't get her anything for Christmas," he says to me with laugh.

"You're joking right now but wait until we have to take everything home," I tell him.

I leave his side and I wander around the room, talking to more people as I do. Everyone has enjoyed themselves so far today which I am glad to hear. I'm just glad that everything has managed to go according to plan without any hitches.

About half an hour into the party, the pub staff begins bringing the food out which gets the children even more excited. They quickly leave the dance floor and begin queuing at the table with paper plates in their hands. I pick Erin up, who is crawling towards the children, and carry her to the table where my mum is sat along with Cory's parents.

"I think it's time she was fed," I say to no one in particular as I dig through my bag for her food.

A few minutes later she is sat in her high chair, eagerly awaiting her food. I spoon feed her while she pats her hands against the table, enjoying every mouthful.

"She looks like she is enjoying that," Cory's Gran says.

"She is. She loves her food, don't you?" I ask Erin who has food all over mouth.

"Mama."

"What did she just say?" I ask, wondering if I have herd correctly.

"I'm pretty sure she just said 'Mama'," my mum replies looking just as shocked and pleased as I feel.

"Aren't you a clever girl," I coo at her, still not believing what I have heard.

"Mmm ma," Erin then garbles to herself with a huge smile plastered onto her face.

"What is everyone talking about?" Cory asks when he walks over to the table with Missy tagging along behind him.

"Erin said her first word," I tell him before anyone else can.

"Really what did she say?"

"Mama,"

"I can't believe I missed her saying that. Can you say it again?" he asks Erin in a sweet voice but all she does instead is put her hand on the side of his face, leaving a sticky handprint there. "Well that's not what I had in mind," Cory then says as he wipes his face.

"I'm sure she will say it again soon," I say to him.

Erin soon finishes her food and looks as though she is going to fall asleep as her head keeps falling closer and closer towards the table. I get her pushchair and let her sleep in there for a couple of hours while the party continues.

A year ago my life was completely different and if you would have told me then that this is where I would be now, then I wouldn't believe you. I don't think I would have ever thought that I would have thrown a christening for Erin, let alone the fact that she was ever ill in hospital. I was barely coping this time last year and even though everything is still tough, I feel better. I just hope that life continues to get better.

THE END

OF BOOK TWO