Pt 2 of them (continued ver)

Chapter 207

Later that evening, after their shopping trip, Malia noticed Carter chewing more fervently on his new bottle. He'd been unusually fussy for days, and she began to wonder if something more was going on.

"Colby," she called out as she carried Carter to the living room. "I think Carter might be teething."

Colby glanced up from the couch where he was entertaining Liam and Colleen. "Teething? He's been nibbling on everything lately. That makes sense."

Malia gently sat down with Carter on her lap. "Let me check, baby," she cooed, carefully tilting Carter's chin upward. She opened his little mouth and noticed a tiny white tooth beginning to break through the gums.

"There it is!" Malia exclaimed softly, running a clean finger over the small tooth poking out. Carter squirmed and whined, clearly uncomfortable.

Colby walked over to take a closer look. "No wonder he's been so cranky. Poor little guy."

Carter clung to Malia's arm, letting out a tired whimper. Malia gently kissed his forehead. "It's okay, sweetheart. Mommy's got you."

Colby scratched his head. "Do we still have any teething rings or those gel packs for this? If not, we should grab some tomorrow."

"We might have a couple in the freezer," Malia replied. "I'll check." She stood up, still holding Carter, and made her way to the kitchen. Sure enough, there was a chilled teething ring waiting. She cleaned it off and handed it to Carter, who immediately began gnawing on it, his tiny fists gripping it tightly.

"There you go, baby," Malia said with a smile, stroking his hair. "That'll help."

Colby leaned against the kitchen counter, watching them. "He's going to have the cutest little smile once those teeth come in," he said, grinning.

Malia laughed softly. "Let's just survive the teething stage first."

As the night wore on, Carter seemed to find some relief with the teething ring, but he stayed close to Malia, clinging to her shirt for comfort. Both parents prepared themselves for a few more long nights, knowing that teething was just one more adventure in their journey with their energetic, growing boy.