The Adventures of Harry and Grace (H.S.)

Saturday Afternoon Fever

The office door opens quietly, Fleetwood Mac plays in the background of the room while Harry does his work for the day. His hair looks like he has been running his fingers through it all morning and he looks tired. Having a 3 month old baby can do that to you.

"Harry? Are you sure it's alright for me to go out with Liz? I can stay home!" You say, worried about leaving your baby for the first time since she was born. Harry stands up from his desk and takes a couple of his long legged strides towards you. Wrapping his arms around you and pulling you close "Grace and I will be fine. You haven't been out in 3 months. Go to the spa. Relax. You deserve it." He kisses your forehead and hugs you tight.

"Okay," you sigh "I just laid her down for a nap, she should sleep for a couple hours. Although, she has been very fussy this morning and I don't know why." Grace is a very good baby. She loves to sleep and be cuddled. She honestly never cries (unless she wanted her daddy) so for her to be fussy was a bit abnormal. "I pumped and put the bottle in the fridge, so you have something for her to eat when she gets up. I will be home in a couple of hours I think!"

"Love, don't stress. I got this. Been a dad for 3 months and I think I'm doing just fine! Go have fun!" Leaning down he takes your lips into a kiss. Sighing against his sweet taste, you hug him tightly.

"Thank you. I love you! I'll see you in a while!" You say as you go to leave the office.

"Love ya too." Harry smiles at his wife. "Be safe, and have fun!" Turning Harry walks back to his desk to finish the song he had been working on.

Only 10 minutes had passed when a cry comes through the monitor that was sitting on his desk. Immediately, Harry jumps up from his desk to go see what is wrong with his baby girl.

Bounding up the stairs, skipping every other step, Harry reaches Grace's door where he can hear her sad cries calling for some kind of comfort. Opening her door, Harry rushes to the crib and picks up his little girl.

Bringing her to his chest, he begins to bounce and make a 'shhh' noise to see if it will calm her down. Kissing the top of her head, Harry thinks she feels a bit warm. Chalking it up to the house being toasty because it is late August, he continues to bounce. Grabbing Bob from her window seat, Harry sits down in the rocking chair. Cradling Grace in his arms, he lays her favorite stuffed sheep next to her. Bob always gives Grace comfort, but he wasn't helping. Harry has never seen her cry so hard and it is heartbreaking.

"What's the matter little one? Huh? Need your nappy changed?" Harry decides if he changes her bum, she may calm down. Who likes a wet bottom anyway?

Standing up from the rocking chair, Harry abandons the sheep, because Bob was just making things worse, he lays her down on the changing table. Grace begins to wail even louder. Her face is red and she looks mad, her fists are in tight balls and her legs are kicking all over the place. Harry struggles to take her leggings off as she keeps kicking her legs back her pink pants. Finally he takes off her leggings and unsnaps her onesie, rolling the fabric past her belly button. Giving her sides a little tickle he tries to make her giggle, but that doesn't work. Harry takes off her nappy and puts a dry one on her cute little bum.Something is clearly wrong, but Harry cannot put his finger on it. Unrolling her onesie from her tummy he snaps the three little buttons at the bottom and struggles to get her leggings back on her legs.

"Are ya hungry? Daddy gets grumpy when he is hungry." He questions as he picks her up from the changing table and puts her back on his shoulder. Walking over to the crib and reaching inside, he pulls out her rose pink blanket she has had since birth and wraps it around her. Harry takes Grace downstairs to heat up her bottle. Hoping this will calm her down.