Temporary Nanny

Chapter 9

"Here what about this one? It's soft and flow-y." Mia holds up a little pink dress from Stella's closet. "We can try but I'm thinking it's not the material she isn't liking." I hum, bouncing the baby in my lap.

"Just try it, she has to like it right? It is her dress after all." Mia hands me the dress off the hanger.

This is now the third dress we'll attempt to get Stella to wear for Michael's release party and, well, I was just hoping third times the charm.

"Stel, please stop moving around you have to wear something." I sigh at the squirming baby putting up a fight the moment I start to get the dress over her head.

As soon as I get her left arm through one of the holes she looks up at me with big emerald eyes, her lip already starting to quiver. "Don't you start with that look. You Cliffords and your looks." I power through it and get her other arm in.

She starts letting out little huffs of breaths like she's on the verge of tears and I'm positive she'll follow through on the threat.

"Char, I think she's gonna cry." Mia says warily. "Well it's the only dress that she hasn't grown out of." I huff. "Maybe if we tell her how cute she looks and distract her she wont mind it." I suggest, gazing at the little girl with eyes glassing over.

"Oh my goodness look at you, you look so cute Stella!" Mia starts in a high pitched voice. Stella blinks over at her but it only starts the lip quivering again.

"Hey look, your favorite stuffed animal." I hold up her mini shark she doesn't go anywhere without since the last time Mia and I took her to the local aquarium.

Even that doesn't help.

"She's going to start crying Charlie." Mia worries. She's usually good with babies and tantrums but for some reason she can't handle Stella's. I think it may have something to do with the fact that she can't seem to calm her down when she does start.

"Oh! I know! The cat. I have to get the cat!" I dart out of the room, Mia calling out a faint disapproval of being left alone.

As soon as I get one foot out of Stella's room the waterworks start up. As hard as it is, I ignore it and quickly head to Michael's room to retrieve the kitten he'd stolen to nap with.

The kittens laid in her bed in her little pen, Michael now in the shower. I snatch her up and rush back in the direction of the now full on screeching baby.

"Look Stel, look who I've got." I hold up the kitten and attempt to show the crying baby in Mia's arms. She wants nothing to do with the kitten, instead reaching out for me with tears staining her rosy cheeks.

I set the kitten in Stella's crib and effortlessly take her from Mia who looks as relieved as Stella is to have me back. "Shh, it's alright. We'll find something else for you to wear." I coo defeatedly, rubbing Stella's back as she sniffles into my neck.

She doesn't let me set her down after that so Mia helps get the dress off her while she's in my arms.

"I don't know what we're going to put on her." I mutter, sitting on the rocking chair near her crib with Stella laying across my lap. "Well she definitely hates dresses thats for sure." Mia lets out a breath and sprawls out on the floor.

"Who knew dressing a baby could be so hard. No wonder why she's always in those onesies." "She's just not a fan of dresses." I wipe at Stella's leftover tears. "Speaking of dresses, what are you going to wear?" Mia turns her head in my direction.

"I forgot about that." I groan, letting my head fall back against the cushioned chair. "I know, wear that dress you wore to my birthday and that matching set of cute lingerie you have."