Overprotective parenting

CHAPTER 5: SIX MONTHS LATER

Six months later, Hortense was exhausted from doing everything for the kids. Cornelius was six months old and was still waking up during the night. Hortense woke up every single time that Cornelius woke up during the night. Hortense needed to rest once in a while. Hortense wished that Quackmore would help a little more with the kids. Blaire helped quite a bit still with things around the house. Hortense and Quackmore were still overprotective with the kids. Hortense was a little more overprotective of the kids. He would often tell the kids to listen to Hortense. 

"Quackmore, can you please help me with the kids?" Hortense said. "Sure, what do you need me to do?" he said. "Can you finish making the children's lunches for school tomorrow?" she said. "Sure," he said. Hortense left the kitchen for a moment and came back with Cornelius in her arms. He was whimpering a little until Hortense started to feed him from her breast. "Blaire likes peanut butter celery sticks. Hortense said. He put the small plastic bag of peanut butter celery sticks into Blaire's lunchbox. Blaire came into the kitchen. "Going to bed sweetie?" Hortense said. "Yeah," Blaire said. "Alright, good night sweetie," Hortense said, gently hugging Blaire. "Night mom," Blaire said. "Night princess," Quackmore said. "Night daddy," Blaire said. "I'll be right back," he said to Hortense. The twins came in and they each gave her a hug. They left the kitchen and went upstairs. Quackmore came back downstairs after a few minutes. He gave Hortense a quick kiss. "I love you," he said. "I love you too," she said, looking away. "What's wrong?" he asked. "I'm exhausted. I need you to do Cornelius' midnight feeding," she said. "Alright," he said. "Thank you," she said. "You're welcome," he said. She finished feeding Cornelius and burped him. Quackmore finished making the children's school lunches and put them in the fridge in the process. 

"Here, I'll go put Cornelius to bed, so you can get some rest yourself," he said. "Alright, thank you," she said, gently placing Cornelius into Quackmore's arms. Cornelius started to whimper but Quackmore shushed him. Hortense handed Quackmore the light blue hand-knitted baby blanket. Hortense went upstairs to get some rest. He sat down on the rocking chair in the living room. Cornelius fell asleep in a few minutes. Quackmore smiled. 

He carried Cornelius upstairs and placed him gently into his crib and tucked him in with the blue baby blanket. He was leaving the room when he heard Blaire scream. He ran in and immediately hugged his eldest child. She tightly held onto his shirt. "Shh, shh, shh," he said while holding onto her tightly. She cried into his shoulder. He knew that she had another nightmare. He held her until she fell asleep. He tucked her in and left her room. It was almost midnight now so he made a bottle to be able to feed Cornelius. He got upstairs just in time. Cornelius started crying but stopped when the nipple of the bottle entered his mouth. He quietly started to suck the milk out of the bottle. He was quick about drinking the milk and going back to sleep for the rest of the night. Quackmore was exhausted. He understood how Hortense was feeling now. She was asleep by the time that he got into the bedroom that they shared. He held her in his arms for the rest of the night as soon as he laid down next to her.