cute little alien babies

March 2039 - Rachel Cooper and Genesis McCullough are 30, Zoey McCullough is 4.

It's an exciting year for the McCullough family. Little Zoey will be starting kindergarten next year, and Genesis is pregnant again with twins.

first day of school

September 2038 - Jack Cooper is 59, Jillian Cooper is 56, Jackson and Rose Cooper are 32, Darien and Trip Cooper are 8, Hadley and Christopher Cooper are 5 (Jacob Smith is 5).

Rose can't help but tear up when Hadley and Christopher get on the school bus for their first day of kindergarten.

double double

June 2036 - Jack Cooper is 56, Jillian Cooper is 53, Jackson and Rose Cooper are 29, Darien and Trip Cooper are 5, Hadley and Christopher Cooper are 2.

There's never a quiet day in the Cooper house, but things are less hectic now that Darien and Trip are 5.

"We're big kids now," Darien tells her brother. "We have to help Mommy and Grandma look after the little kids."

moving up in the world

November 2033 - Rachel Cooper and Genesis McCullough are 25.

Genesis is painting a portrait of Jillian and Jack's wedding. When they got married they didn't have enough money to have a wedding portrait painted. All they have is a photograph, which Genesis borrowed a few months ago to paint this portrait.

"It's really nice of you to do this. My mom really appreciates it," Rachel says.

"Well I want to get on her good side," Genesis says.

"She doesn't hate you..."

"No, but she'd be happier if I were a man. This is a sorry-I'm-your-daughter's-lesbian-lover-instead-of-her-husband present."

childhood sweethearts

Fall Semester 2032 - Alex Smith and Piper Cooper are 21.

Alex and Piper move out of the dorm into a house for their senior year.

They've been best friends since kindergarten, and they've been dating since ninth grade. They've been engaged since freshman year when Alex proposed one morning in the dorm cafeteria.

double trouble

September 2030 - Jackson and Rose Cooper are 24, Darien and Trip Cooper are 1 month.

Rose has always wanted to have a baby, but motherhood turns out to be a lot harder than she had expected, especially since her first pregnancy results in twins. At her father-in-law's insistence, she names the boy Jack Cooper III, Trip for short. She names her daughter Darien after her hometown. She's always thought it's a beautiful name.

love and marriage

May 2029 - Jack Cooper is 49, Jillian Cooper is 46, Jackson and Rose Cooper are 22, Rachel Cooper is 20, Piper Cooper and Alex Smith are 17.

"I can't believe your brother and sister are both engaged," Jillian sighs.

love is in the air

Spring Semester 2028 - Jackson Cooper, John Smith, Tom Smith, and Abby Stein are 21; Rachel Cooper, Madison Miller-Kim, and Pierce Phillips are 19; Jamie Smith is 18.

One spring day John suggests that he and Abby go on a date to the park.

"Shouldn't we go home? It's starting to rain." she suggests.

"In a minute." This isn't just another date, he has something specific planned.

omg drama

Fall Semester 2026 - John Smith is 20, Tom Smith is 20, Jackson Cooper is 20, Abby Stein is 20, Rachel Cooper is 18, Madison Miller-Kim is 18.

Rachel and Madison are freshman this year, and with them comes a whole heap of drama!

there are advantages to being the younger siblings

March 2026 - James and Anne Smith are 45, Jamie Smith is 16, Alex Smith is 14 (Piper Cooper is 14).

When you're the third of four kids, you don't get a lot of one-on-one time with your parents. So Jamie is surprised one day when James suggests a camping trip, just the two of them.

the Cooper family

2014 - Jack Cooper is 35, Jillian Cooper is 32, Jackson is 8, Rachel is 6, Piper is 3.

She loves all of her children equally, but differently. Jackson is her firstborn. She is a child herself when he's born, only 24 years old. Rachel comes along less than two years later, and she is overwhelmed; two cribs, two crying children, two sets of bottles to prepare. But now Jackson and Rachel take the bus to school everyday, and she's left home alone with only one child. Jillian gives her youngest her maiden name, Piper.

Piper is such a sweet, happy child. She's especially close to her brother Jackson. He loves playing with her, making her laugh.

Rachel is the middle child, the one left out by Jackson and Piper's closeness. But then she's always been her father's girl.

I'm still having a hard time getting stories out of these characters. But the kids are really cute! I'm hoping the stories will come as I get to know the characters better and as the children get older (and I have fewer diapers to change).

she waits faithfully

2005 - Jack Cooper is 26, Jillian Piper Cooper is 23.

Jillian had always imagined herself in a beautiful townhouse, surrounded by friends and family, attending elegant parties with her sophisticated husband by her side. But in college she fell in love with Jack Cooper. He was poor but ambitious, and he promised that he would give her everything her heart desired. He graduated, and she waited for him, lonely but faithful as he built his empire.

It wasn't everything she had dreamed. They get married as soon as she graduates, but it's in a small ceremony in their own yard. Her parents refuse to attend, and he refuses to invite his. He leaves her alone a lot, in a house that is beautiful and elegant, but remote and empty. When she gives birth to their first child less than a year after their wedding, she's overjoyed, not just to be a mother, but because now she won't be alone anymore.