Pt 2 of them (continued ver)

Chapter 209

The morning started with a whirlwind of activity as Colby and Malia prepared the family for an outing to the mall. Carter was particularly fuzzy, nibbling on the edge of his bottle every chance he got, while Liam, ever the copycat, mimicked his little brother by chewing on a toy.

Malia packed Carter's bag with precision, adding his bottle, formula, extra clothes, diapers, bibs, teething rings, and snacks. Meanwhile, Colby double-checked the stroller, ensuring all the toys he'd set up yesterday were secure and ready to keep Carter entertained.

"Alright, let's go, everyone!" Colby announced, holding Carter in one arm while maneuvering the stroller with the other.

Carter fussed, squirming in his dad's arms. "I know, buddy," Colby murmured, bouncing him gently. "We'll get you settled once we're there."

At the mall, Carter's mood didn't improve much. As soon as Colby strapped him into the stroller, Carter began to whine, reaching for Malia. Liam, noticing the attention Carter was getting, threw his hands up dramatically. "I'm fuzzy too!" he declared, flopping onto the nearest bench.

Malia sighed, crouching next to Liam. "Liam, come on. Let's not start this, okay? Be a good boy for me."

Liam huffed, but he followed them into the first store, where Colby immediately wheeled Carter toward the children's section. Carter, now distracted by all the colors and toys, perked up, grabbing at a stuffed dinosaur.

"You like that, huh?" Colby said, adding it to the cart.

Liam, not to be outdone, grabbed a similar toy and tossed it into the cart. "Me too!"

Malia raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything, knowing it wasn't worth the battle.

As they moved through the mall, Carter alternated between moments of calm, chewing on his teething ring, and bursts of fussiness. During one such moment, he managed to toss his bottle onto the floor, prompting Malia to pick it up and clean it with a wipe.

Liam took this opportunity to grab the stroller and start pushing it. "I'm helping!" he said loudly, despite the fact that Carter was now glaring at him.

"Liam, let Daddy push," Colby said firmly, taking over before Liam could accidentally run into someone.

By lunchtime, Carter was tired and cranky. They found a family-friendly café, where Malia tried to feed Carter some mashed potatoes. He refused, turning his head and fussing. "Just his bottle, then," Malia sighed, handing it to him.

Liam, meanwhile, decided he didn't want his food either. "I want what Carter's having," he whined, pointing at the bottle.

"You're too old for a bottle, Liam," Colby said patiently.

"But Carter gets one!" Liam argued.

Colby shot Malia a look. She shook her head and mouthed, "Not today."

After lunch, they visited a few more stores. Carter had calmed down slightly, now content to nibble on his new teething ring. Liam tried to grab it at one point, but Colby was quick to intervene. "Liam, let Carter have his toy. You have yours."

By the time they got back to the car, Carter was dozing off in his stroller, clutching the dinosaur toy. Liam climbed into his booster seat, pouting. "I'm tired too," he muttered.

"We know, buddy," Malia said, fastening his seatbelt.

As they drove home, the car was finally quiet. Carter snoozed peacefully in his seat, his fuzzy morning forgotten, while Liam stared out the window, already plotting his next move to steal the spotlight. Start writing your story