How We Met Juliette

Infinite Season Ep. 9 Duel responsibility

Barney's POV...

When you were around 8 months old, I started thinking about going back to work at GNB. I didn't want to burden mommy with being the only source of income. I don't know how I would be able to live with myself if I put all of that pressure on her. So, I told her of my plan. But before she could say that she was on board with it, she told me that there were more things we had to take into consideration; such as deciding who would take care of you.

But then our prayers were answered with a simple knock on the door. The knock on the door woke you up from your nap, so mommy went to get you while I answered it. I insisted that she get the door while I soothed you, but she felt as if she hadn't been around you for so long. So as not to start a war with her over something so minor, I obeyed her wishes.

Knock Knock Knock.

"Hey, Katie. What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I just really needed a break from home. Oh, I'm also considering moving here again. Where's Robin? I still can't believe she married you" Katie said with a sneer. 

"It's nice to see you too" I responded sarcastically. "She's just upstairs with the baby. They should be down soon... hopefully".

Katie is actually your aunt by blood; unlike Aunt Lily and Aunt Tracey. We are just really close to Tracey and Lily that they are more like family to us than anyone else. Katie is mommy's younger sister. The last time mommy and I saw her was when she was 16 years old and she was considering making a move to New York and a move on something else (but that's a tale for when you are older).

Two minutes later, you and mommy came down from the nursery. You were sucking on your purple Nuk pacifier; which we deemed was your favorite one and clutching your pink personalized blanket that was sent to us from your mother's side of the family in Canada. It still surprises me that there isn't a Canadian flag on it or at the very least a maple leaf. But I guess the polar bear in the corner makes up for that. Mommy was more shocked to see her than I was.

"Katie? What are you doing here? Where's Kyle?" mommy asked.

Kyle was your Aunt Katie's boyfriend who came to New York with her the first time. They were considering moving out here together. But mommy was less than enthusiastic about it.

"Kyle didn't feel like coming" Katie answered.

After we explained everything, mommy started to considering letting Aunt Katie stay with us for a while. But then Aunt Katie added something that I hadn't heard before.

"Dad said that the only way he would let me fly out to New York for a while was if I helped you out with the baby. He thinks it would be helpful for me to have a sense of responsibility" Katie revealed.

Upon hearing this, I had an epiphany. I glanced at mommy and I could tell by the smile and the wink she gave me that she was thinking the same thing.

"Katie, how long are you here for?" I asked.

"Dad and I never settled on a definite date. All he said was for as long as it takes for me to learn how to be a bit more responsible" Katie answered.

Mommy and I thought that this could work to our advantage. I could go back to working at GNB and Aunt Katie could watch you. Ever since we found out we were expecting you, mommy and I had to make a lot of alterations to our work schedules. We managed to negotiate successfully with each of our bosses and we only had to work from 7AM to 5PM.

The night before both mommy and I went to work, we were up all night creating a type written outline of your schedule on a daily basis.

6 :45AM-7:15AM (Wake up)

7:30AM- (Breakfast)

11:00AM-12:20PM (1st nap)

12:20PM-1:05PM (Lunch)

2:30PM-4:00PM (2nd nap)

4:30PM (Barney and Robin get off work)

5:00PM (Barney and Robin arrive home)

7:00PM (dinner)

8:15PM (Bath time)

8:30PM (bed time)

*Diapers, extra clothes and comfort items are all in the nursery (door has her initials on it).

*Keep an eye on her at all times.

Robin's cell # (555-4382)

Barney's cell # (555-6573)

*call if anything goes wrong and we will be home ASAP

I left it on the side table of the guest bedroom, hoping that Katie would find it before or after mommy and I left for work. I think mommy and I can both admit that we suffered a certain amount of separation anxiety that night as we thought about leaving you with Aunt Katie. If we were leaving you with Aunt Lily or Uncle Ted then maybe we would be a bit more at ease. But this was Aunt Katie. We just didn't think she was the responsible, child care-giving type.

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Katie's POV...

It was my first time babysitting you or anyone for that matter. I'm the one who is used to being whiny and needy and self-centered. I could not believe that your mom and dad would trust me with such a major task. When they first pitched the idea to me, I didn't know whether to feel honored or insulted. I was extremely nervous about this because I had never been responsible for another life before. Fortunately, your mom and dad had not left the house yet when you woke up.

The guest bedroom that I was staying in was located across the hall from your nursery, so your cries rang as clear as a bell. I had gone to sleep pretty late the night before because I was up all night talking to Kyle on Facebook. We had been together for almost a year and a half, and I could not have been happier.

If I am being completely honest, I had half the mind to try and get you back to sleep by myself. But your parents warned me that it would be impossible. Your dad's one rule was that once you were awake, you were ready for the day. Your mom got you out of bed and we all headed downstairs to have breakfast. One thing I was able to learn about you right away at breakfast was that you have very limited patience for things that you want; which, your mom and I consider to be a Scherbatsky trait. Your mom, grandmother and I are all very set on getting something when we want it. I'll assume she told you about the time she anxiously searched for a locket she buried in Central Park when she was a teenager.

During breakfast, you were calm and collected for the most part. But I had an unsettling suspicion that it would end as soon as your parents left for work. Your mom showed me all of the foods that you loved to eat while your dad fed you. We continued the tour for about 5 more minutes until your parents announced that they had to leave for work. Your dad lifted you out of your high chair and all four of us walked toward the door.

"Just remember that if she gets fussy, you just pick her up and play with her. Okay, Katie?" your dad says as he kisses your cheek and hands you off to me.

"Alright" I replied as I carefully took hold of you. I had never held a baby before, so the feeling was oddly unsettling. I've had experience, I guess, from when I was a little girl. But it didn't take long for me to realize that this was real life. I couldn't just leave you unattended whenever I felt like it.

Within a blink of an eye, your parents were out the door and taking a cab to work. It was just you and me.

As I sat you down on the couch so we could watch some TV, I started to have some doubts about taking care of you. But I had to assure myself that the feeling would pass.

"What could go wrong?" I said to myself as I grabbed hold of the remote and flipped through the channels until I found something age-appropriate for you.