Pt 2 of them (continued ver)

Chapter 245

Day 18 – A Rough Start for Carter

The morning began with Carter waking up crying in his crib. Colby, who was still half-asleep, quickly went to check on him. As Carter reached for his daddy, he lost his balance and accidentally banged his head on the crib rail. The sound was enough to wake up Malia, who rushed in just as Colby was scooping Carter into his arms.

"Oh, my baby," Malia cooed, gently rubbing the spot on Carter's head where it turned slightly red. Carter, still sniffling and teary-eyed, buried his face into Colby's chest, clutching his favorite blanket for comfort.

Colby carried him to the couch, softly rocking him back and forth. "You gave yourself quite the scare, huh, buddy?" he murmured, handing him his bottle of milk. Carter, still snuggled up against his dad, started nibbling on the bottle's nipple, slowly calming down.

Malia grabbed an ice pack wrapped in a soft cloth and carefully placed it on Carter's head while distracting him with his favorite toy. "There we go, all better," she said soothingly, kissing his forehead.

The rest of the day revolved around making sure Carter was okay. They skipped the water park plans, instead opting for a low-key day indoors. Caitlyn and Colleen stayed busy coloring while Liam kept asking why Carter was getting "extra cuddles."

"You'll get your turn, Liam," Colby reassured while balancing a now-calmer Carter in one arm and helping Liam build a tower with his blocks. Carter, meanwhile, seemed content but stayed close to Colby or Malia all day, occasionally nibbling on his teether or resting his head on their shoulders.

By bedtime, Carter was his usual self again, giggling softly as Colby tucked him in and adjusted his crib bumpers to ensure it wouldn't happen again. Malia kissed him goodnight, whispering, "No more bumps, okay, little guy?" as Carter clutched his blanket, drifting off to sleep peacefully this time.