A Different Reality (Lasting Love)

Things Toddlers Do

Justin's POV:

Jen is on set this whole week, which means I'm home with the kids.  Normally when I'm home we're both home and it's much easier because we can split things.  Today, I got the chance to wake up at 5 with Ben, have Kayleigh wake up from a nightmare a few minutes later, make them each breakfast, and now, the best part is watching weird children shows with Kay so she doesn't destroy anything.

"Who is that one?" I ask Kay pointing out different characters on her show.  I know them, but I love hearing her try to say their names because it's adorable.

"It Cwifrd." She answers hitting me in the mouth slightly so I hopefully stop talking to her.  I laugh at her and go to pick up Ben.  He just woke up from his nap and is looking around at everything, trying to find out what he might want to reach.  He's a really calm baby though, so as long as he has a toy he's happy.

"Do you wanna play a game?" I ask once her shows over.  I need something to do other than watch this.

She thinks about it for a while before finally answering me.  She jumps off the couch running over to where her books are and grabs a coloring book.

"We cowr."  She says handing me my own book.  I take it from her and help her get the crayons over to the coffee table.

"Which one should I color?"  I open the book going through the pages.  She stops it at a princess that is already half scribbled in.  I take the purple crayon that she picked out for me and start to color.

"Daddy!"  She shoves her picture in front of my face telling me to look at it.  It's a different princess that has every color of the rainbow scribbled over it.  She pretty much just drew a bunch of lines.

"I love it, princess."  I take it from her to hold it "We can hang it up if you want."

"Yeah!"  She jumps up and down almost hitting Ben where he is laying on the floor. 

"Be careful, you don't want to hurt him."  I pick him up and follow her out to the kitchen "Do you need help?"

"No. I do it."  She pulls her stool over to the fridge and puts it with all her other drawings.  They all look basically the same.  I help her get the magnet and she jumps off the stool to look at it.

"I think we're going to need a bigger fridge soon."  I look at everything with her "Your drawings take up all the room."

"And Bens!" She points out the paper we have with his hand print on it.  Of course, it also has Kay's finger on the corner because she wanted to help.

"You look tired, baby."  I notice her yawning and trying to keep her eyes open.  She tries to fight a nap, but I make her go over to the couch.  Ben falls asleep right after he finishes his bottle.

A few minutes later, Kay is also asleep and I decide it's time for my shower.  She looks comfortable on the couch, so I let her lay there and throw all the coloring stuff on the coffee table.  She won't be needing it until she wakes up anyway. 

I run upstairs quickly to take my shower.  It's nice to be alone for once and not have little hands trying to open the door every 5 seconds.  I take my time, washing my body for the second time, since I accidentally used Jen's body wash again, and get out after I'm relaxed and clean.  As soon as the water is off and I step out, I hear crying. 

I quickly grab a towel to wrap around me and run to the steps.  Kayleigh is crying and I think it's because she woke up and I'm not laying with her.  As soon as she sees me walk to the steps her crying stops and she smiles.

"Daddy!!"  She yells for me "I draw more!"  I notice her lift her arm up to show me something, but can't see it.  Knowing that it probably isn't good, I run down the steps to see it.  I also notice that for some reason, she took all her clothes off and is now in only her diaper. 

"Oh my God."  I look at her in complete shock once I get to the bottom.  She has black pen all over her.  Literally from her neck down to her toes.  She's looking up at me, smiling, obviously proud of her artwork.

"Kayleigh."  I struggle to get out, not knowing whether to laugh or cry "Why did you do this?"

"I draw."  She replies sweetly, making me want to forgive her for everything.

I grab her and walk towards the kitchen.  Luckily, we have a big sink, so I take her diaper off and lay her in it.  I slather soap all over her to try and scrub the pen off.

"You do not do this again, okay?"  I try to remain serious "This is not funny." She looks up at me about to start crying again, but I ignore it knowing that she needs to be punished.

"Did you draw on anything else?"  I ask as I dry her off.  She shakes her head and answers me.

"Waw and couch." Shit. Jen is going to be pissed.  I quickly dress her and bring her into the living room to see what she did.

"Show me where it is."  I tell her not seeing any.  She walks over to the couch and picks up the pillows revealing where she drew with what looks like a crayon.  I then have her show me the wall.

"Here,"  She walks along the wall "here and here."

I stand still just staring at everything trying to figure out how she did all of this.  She was asleep and I was upstairs for like 15 minutes. 

"You need to clean this up!"  I yell much louder than I expected "Your mom is going to be home soon and she will NOT be happy with you."

She starts to cry, which makes Bentley wake up crying as well.  I pick him up to soothe him while Kay screams and throws a tantrum on the floor. 

Jen picks the perfect time to walk in the door.  She looks in the living room, not noticing the drawings and sits on the floor with Kay.

"What's this, honey?" She asks after noticing the leftover pen mark on her body "Did you do this?"

She nods her head innocently and continues to cry. 

"Show mommy everything else you did." I suggest.  She looks over at me like I'm the worst human on earth but gets up to show her. 

"Why would you do this?!?" Jen yells at her with absolutely no sympathy.  She stomps into the kitchen grabbing different cleaning supplies and hands them to Kay "You need to clean this up.  Right now!!"

Kayleigh slowly takes it from Jen and follows her lead of what to do.  I carry Bentley into the kitchen where I stay so that he doesn't inhale any of the strong smells.  Kayleigh starts to talk to Jen about what all the drawings are supposed to be.

"You and daddy and Kay and Ben."  She points out to Jen, who starts to lighten up a little.

"Did you get it all?"  I ask once they're back in the kitchen.

"Yeah," Jen answers laughing slightly "not what I expected to come home to."

"I know."  I sigh handing her Ben to feed "I thought she was asleep and went upstairs for a shower.  I guess that's the last time I do that."

"It's not your fault.  She knows better than this."

"I sowy mommy and daddy." Kay walks out to us. 

"Just don't do it again.  Okay, baby?"  Jen picks her up "Me and daddy love you but you can't do things like this."

"I wuv you too." She replies quietly.