One Shots | I Hate California

nap time

Taylor's POV

While I was on the phone with Tree, I heard a loud crash that came from the playroom. Still on the phone, I started running towards the playroom to find Sage shyly smiling at me as she laid flat on the ground.

"What happened?!" I asked, quickly picking her up and inspecting her body for injuries.

She hesitantly giggled as she pointed to the roof of her play house. She has the tendency to climb onto the roof of it and no matter how many times we tell her it's dangerous and she could get hurt, she still does it.

"The house pushed me off, Mommy," she frowned.

"Tree, I'll call you back," I sighed, hearing Tree laugh on the other end.

I slid my phone into my pocket and picked up Sage, walking back downstairs.

"You can't keep doing that babe. Do Daddy and I have to take away your house?" I ask, making her shake her head vigorously.

"No, no!" she yelled.

Joe walked out of the office with his eyebrows raised, looking at me. I sighed, shaking my head.

"She climbed onto the roof of her house again and fell. She's gonna get hurt one of these days," I explained.

"Baby, you can't keep doing that," Joe said, rubbing Sage's leg.

Sage huffed as she laid her head against my chest. I was soaking in every moment I could with my daughter, whether it was good or bad.

"Come on, let's play in the living room," I said, placing her onto the floor.

Sage stomped her feet as I got out her activity books. I gave her a stern look, sending her a message to not act up right now.

"I don't want to do that!" she exclaimed, pointing at the books.

"Baby, you can color and do mazes in here. You love these books," I explained, making her shake her head.

"I want to play outside!" she yelled, pointing at the back door.

I shook my head because it was literally thundering outside at the moment. If it was only sprinkling, then we would definitely be outside, but I don't want my kid to get hit by lightning.

"Sage, you know we can't. Do you need to nap?" I suggest, seeing that her attitude was only going to get worse from here.

She shook her head and her lips began to tremble as she rubbed her eyes, confirming that she was exhausted.

"Come on," I said, grabbing her hand and leading her towards the fridge.

As I grabbed the milk out of the fridge to fill her sippy cup, she instantly let go of my hand and began stomping her feet even more.

"Sage Madeline, it's nap time," Joe said sternly from the kitchen table.

Sage glared at him, shaking her head.

"I'm not tired! I'm not tired! I don't want to sleep! I want to play!" she yelled as tears started streaming down her beet red face.

I screwed the lid to her cup and picked up my trashing child, tightening my arms around her.

"No, no! Let me go! I don't wanna!" she continued to yell as I walked up the stairs.

It was hard to carry a wriggly child and her cup of milk, but after doing this a few times, you get the hang of it, knowing she can't help it.

I laid her down into her bed and she instantly crawled back into my arms. I sighed, handing her, her cup and she looked at it for a second and then started drinking as she stayed cuddled into my arms.

"Shh," I hushed, patting her bottom.

I cradled my six year old in my arms, like a baby and just smiled at her, enjoying this moment. I watched as her eyes started to flutter and she eventually tossed the cup of milk to the side.

"I love you, so much," I whispered, kissing her forehead.

She let out a sigh of relief and cuddled into my arms even more, hiding her face into my chest. I held her close and stroked her hair for a few minutes as I listened to her breathing become steady.

After a while, I tried to gently set her down onto her bed, but her grip onto me only tightened even more. I heard soft chuckling by the door and looked up to see Joe smiling at us.

"Wrapped around your finger," he whispered as we stared at our sleeping daughter.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." I smiled.