Drake was awake for a full five minutes before he finally opened his eyes. He turned onto his back, staring at the ceiling as he listened intently. All he heard was the soft in and out of Ava’s breath on the pillow next to his. He glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was nearly four o’clock.
She’ll be awake soon.
Moving carefully and quietly so he wouldn’t disturb Ava, Drake slid out of bed and headed to the kitchen to prepare Emelia’s bottle.
Just as he plucked the warm bottle from the hot water he heard the telltale squeaking sounds on the baby monitor. Smiling to himself, he grabbed the bottle and headed to the nursery.
“Hey little one.” He said softly as he reached into the crib and lifted her into his arms, cradling her tiny body against his bare chest. She let out a little squawk and he laughed. “Feisty this morning, huh? Ok…let’s just change that diaper first.”
He laid her on the changing table and immediately knew he was in for more than he’d bargained for. The smell hit him just as he noticed the stain spreading up the back of her purple pajamas.
Drake groaned. “Aw, Em…Jeez.” He wrinkled his nose at her, “You couldn’t have saved that for mommy?”
With a sigh he got to work. This wasn’t his favorite part of parenthood by any means, but the rest of it was pretty damn great, so he wasn’t going to complain…too much.
Finally Emelia was clean and dressed in a fresh pink onesie that read “Daddy’s Girl” on front.
He wrapped her tightly in a swaddling blanket and grabbed her bottle before settling into the glider chair with the baby nestled in the crook of his arm.
Ava was still primarily nursing, but she pumped every afternoon so he could have this time with his daughter. It was a win-win situation really. Em wanted to eat every three to four hours, so Ava wasn’t getting a lot of uninterrupted sleep. But now that he’d taken over the 4 am feeding, Ava was getting at least six hours of good sleep and he got…this.
Daddy Time
It was his favorite part of the day. The sun was just beginning to rise, filling her nursery with a golden glow. The normally bustling manor house was still and silent. There were no people coming and going on official Valtoria business, no phones ringing, no dogs barking. Just uninterrupted time with his favorite girl.
He bent his head and brushed his lips over the soft down that covered her head. He inhaled deeply. He couldn’t get enough of that sweet baby smell.
He gazed down at the little bundle in his arms. He knew he was probably prejudiced, but she was the most beautiful baby he’d ever seen. She had his dark hair, but unlike his straight unruly locks, hers curled softly around her sweet cherub face. Her eyes were large and a deep sapphire blue that sparkled when she smiled, just like Ava’s did. Those eyes were staring up at him now as she sucked contentedly on her bottle.
“Someone’s wide awake this morning.” He said, brushing his finger across her soft cheek. She turned her face into his touch and the corners of her bow lips turned up slightly as milk dribbled from the corner. Drake wiped at her mouth with the corner of her blanket before turning her to face him, cupping her tiny head in the palm of his hand as he smiled down into her face. “Are you smiling at Daddy?”
She cooed back at him and his heart just about melted.
Then, without warning, her smile crumpled and she pulled her knees up to her chest, letting out an ear-splitting wail.
“Whoa…okay, okay.” Drake said, bringing her to his shoulder and patting her back. “It’s just a little bubble, you’re fine.” He rubbed soothing circles on her back and bounced her up and down, but if anything her cries just got louder.
Drake stood and started walking, patting her back and whispering to her soothingly. “Shhhhh…it’s okay, little one. Daddy’s here. Daddy’s got you.”
He held her close to his chest, rocking her back and forth. “Don’t cry little one. Shhhh.”
But no matter what he did to try to calm her, she just cried and cried. He felt so helpless as he watched the big, fat tears roll down her cheeks.
He took a deep breath to quell the anxiety that was beginning to build.
Babies cry. She’s fine. Keep calm.
Drake repeated the phrases over and over in his head as he paced the room with his screaming daughter in his arms.
Suddenly she let out a huge belch.
Drake closed his eyes and groaned out loud as he felt the trickle of warm baby vomit oozing down his chest.
“Aw, come on, really? He held her straight out and watched as the congealed milk dripped down his chest and soaked into the waistband of his sweatpants.
He looked back at Emelia. “Not cool, kid.”
She smiled and cooed happily back at him.
Drake shook his head and grinned back at her.
“It’s a damn good thing you’re cute.” He said, kissing her tiny button nose
Arms still outstretched, he brought her back to the changing table and stripped her down for the second time in an hour. After cleaning her up again, he wiped down his chest with some baby wipes. He was sticky, but at least he didn’t smell like spoiled milk anymore.
Drake crossed the room and stretched out on the chaise by the window. He settled Emelia on his chest, her tiny diapered bottom sticking straight up in the air. He pulled down the blanket that Ava kept folded on the back of the chaise and threw it over them to ward off the early morning chill. She snuggled into him, burrowing her head under his chin as she reached out a tiny fist to grasp his hair.
Drake stroked her back with one hand and reached out to grab a book from the table next to them.
He nodded in satisfaction when he looked at the title.
“Oh, Em…you’re in for a treat. This is a good one.”
He tilted his head to look down at Emelia. Her eyes were beginning to droop as she gazed back at him.
Drake opened the book and began to read, his voice soft and tender “Chapter one – In which we are introduced to Winnie-the-Pooh and some Bees, and the stories begin…”