“Come on Paisley, come here and let me put your jeans on” I stare at her standing across the room wearing just her nappy and vest. Her hair is loose and all over hanging in front of her face. Cheryl is still asleep in her room so I’m trying to be quiet but Paisley has other ideas.
“No!” She screams
“I’ll count to three” I threaten sternly but still she doesn’t seem fazed. “ 1 … 2 … 2 and a half… 3!”
She still refuses to move, she’s frowning at me from over her shoulder. The attitude this girl has got is driving me insane, god help me when she enters her teenage years.
“Paisley!” I get up and take her hand in mine and she throws her head back screaming loudly. I pick her up and she kicks her legs still letting out a deafening scream.
“Shhh! We don’t want to wake Cheryl do we?” She doesn’t answer and I wrestle her onto my lap and try to pull her jeans on.
“No Mummy!” She cries and again kicks her legs out of them. I hear Cheryl’s door close before I hear her knocking on the room door.
“Come in” I call and she peers her makeup free face around the corner. “Kimberley, is everything ok?”
“Yes, sorry I’m just trying to get Paisley dressed”
“Do you need any help or anything?”
“its fine I’ll be down in a minute” I smile
“I’ll just be in the kitchen” She says and leaves the room.
I go back to trying to put the jeans on Paisley but again she puts up a fight. I brush my hair out of my face and she runs across the room and picks up the pink dress that she previously threw on the floor. “This!”
“But look Pais, Its cold outside” I say pointing out the window. “This is for when it’s hot, you can wear it when it’s a nice day”
“But Mr sun” She points at the sun shining brightly in the sky.
“But it’s still cold, look it’s windy, now will we finish putting your jeans on?”
She looks at me like I’ve finally persuaded her but she shakes her head. “This one” She repeats handing me the dress. I sigh in defeat and take off her vest. She defiantly knows how to get her own way, just like mummy.
“You’re going to be cold” I tell her pulling the dress over her head and tying the strings into bows on both her shoulders.
“It’s pretty” She smiles and she holds out the bottom of it, I can’t help but smile.
“It is, what am I going to do with you?” I laugh at how wrapped around her little finger I am.
“Cheryl’s pretty” She states.
I nod my head in agreement. “Cheryl is pretty, will we go see her since you seem to have woken her and the whole neighbourhood up?”
“Mhm” She holds up her arms for me to pick her up.
“You’re a big girl, you’re nearly 3 you can walk”
“Carry, mummy” She whines and I pick her up shaking my head. I go downstairs into the kitchen when Cheryl is sitting at the island with a coffee nursed in her palms. She’s got her hair pulled in a messy bun and she’s hiding under a large hoodie and pair of sweatpants despite just waking up she looks breath taking. As I walk into the kitchen she turns her head and smiles at me.
“Morning” She says happily.
“Morning, I’m so sorry we woke you” I say apologetically and I lean into the door frame.
