Moments in Time

Baby Bucky and Steve

Steve didn't have the patience for this...

It was barely 7:45 in the morning, and he was already arguing. James, his husband simply smirked as he headed out the door, as if to say, "I told you that you could argue with anything."

Except...it wasn't just anything he was arguing with. It was a two year old. A two year old with James' brains, and Steve's stubbornness.

"Bucky, you will eat that, and you won't give me lip, am I understood?" Steve demanded, pointing to the spinach and cheese quiche Bucky loved just the last week.

"No! Yucky!" Bucky screamed, scowling, and glaring at Steve.

"Bucky, stop it," Steve groaned, cutting a bite off the pie shaped food, and holding it to Bucky's mouth.

Steve was surprised when Bucky took the bite into his mouth, eyes squinted in disapproval. Steve was about to utter praise but a big glob of mashed food landed on his face.

"Buck-eee!" Steve squealed, snatching a napkin up and frantically wiping his face.

The toddler belly laughed, glee and mischief written all over his chubby face. Steve was disgusted. Slobber, chewed up egg, and slimy cheese stuck to his face.

"Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew!" Steve chanted, shooting a meaningful glance at Bucky. "We do not spit at Daddy, Bucky. That's naughty."

"Silly!" Bucky disagreed, giggling.

"No, it's not funny, it's mean," Steve shook his head. "Eat your food. You're not getting out of the booster seat until you're through. And if you spit anymore, it's the naughty corner for you."

"No. No want!" Bucky stubbornly declared, pouting at his breakfast.

"Bucky, there's nothing else. We have to go to the store today, so you'll just have to live with it."

Bucky smashed a fist into the food, then shoved it to the floor. Then he banged his head on the table while screaming at the top of his lungs. Steve just rubbed his face and sighed, staring at the ceiling and wondering what his mother had to put up with when he was a child.

Once Bucky calmed down, Steve made him "help" clean up the mess, and then sat him down with more quiche (it really was the only breakfast food at the moment), which the tired toddler gratefully consumed.

"Okay, let's go do your hair and change your clothes," Steve suggested, knowing that a certain pair of pj's were going into the wash.

They washed their face and hands in the bathroom, and then Steve made Bucky sit on the couch and watch cartoons while his hair was being done. Bucky had shoulder length ringlets at two years old, which was adorable, but a nightmare to maintain. Steve muddled through it anyway.

Steve decided to do a waterfall braid since it looked amazing, and pulled back Buck's hair while leaving enough to play with. Then came a quick change from an overnight pull-up to a day one, and a change of clothes. By the time Bucky had on a green T-shirt, his baby overalls, matching socks, and his rain boots (no it was not raining, but Steve had to pick his battles or all they would do was argue all day), Steve was ready for a nap.

But. The refrigerator was nearly empty, and Bucky was on his last few pull-ups, so they had to get moving. Steve sighed, checked the diaper bag, and clipped a pacifier on to Bucky's overall strap.

Fortified with a sippy cup of juice, a pacifier, his blanket, and his favorite plushie, Bucky willingly let Steve buckle him up into his car seat. Truth be told, Bucky was a social butterfly. He talked to everyone, much to his parent's chagrin and horror, he loved going to new places and exploring new things. And the store? Well, it was a magical place of endless possibilities!