I’m rudely awoken by a body which I can tell is Paisleys jumping on top of me and her voice loudly echoing around the room. “Mummy!” She almost shouts shaking at my shoulder. I open my eyes to see her face hovering over mine through the darkness with her long blonde hair hanging like a curtain around her face. I automatically smile and she smiles even wider when she sees she has indeed successfully woken me up.
“Happy birthday, baby” I say groggily and I pull her into my arms giving her a tight hug while kissing her head.
“My party today!”
“Yes! your party’s today are you excited?” She clenches her teeth and nods enthusiastically. i reach over to the clock on the bedside table and turn it around so I can see the time. What a surprise just like I thought it’s early, too early to be awake. Its 4 am but I don’t have the heart to tell her to go back to bed she’s obviously excited about it being her birthday.
“I’m three!” She tells me as if I didn’t know.
“Do you know what that means?” I whisper so not to wake Cheryl.
“What?”
“It means I need three kisses!” I pull her back into my arms and she squirms under me as I attempt to kiss her but she’s not having any of it. She tries to fight her way out of my arms and as I kiss her tummy she screams and laughs louder making me chuckle. I decide to let her go before she wakes Cheryl which she’s desperate to do.
“No more” She breathlessly giggles brushing her hair out of her face. She leans on Cheryl and calls her name into her ear. Surprisingly she doesn’t even stir. I pull her back onto me and hold a finger to my lips.
“Shh! We have to let Cheryl sleep”
“But my birthday”
“I know but she’s tired, look” I push the dark hair that has fell in front of her face back and I smile. She’s sleeping so peacefully. The little pout that always forms on her face while sleeping is too cute to handle. Despite Cheryl being in what looks like a nice sleep Paisley is still determined to wake her up. She leans back onto her and presses her lips to her ear.
“Cheryl!”
Cheryl frowns and turns over so she’s facing the opposite direction and lets out a deep sigh. “Let us sleep Kimba”
Paisley looks at me in confusion and points to herself. “I’m Paisley … Cheryl im Paisley!” She giggles jumping on top of her despite my failed attempts of trying to get her to be quiet and leave her alone Cheryl rolls back over with a sleepy smile on her face. Her eyes are like two slits, she’s barely even awake.
“Happy Birthday” is the first thing she says and she pulls her into a hug just like I done. Paisley happily wraps her arms around her neck and I just lay with my head on my arm watching them.
“My party is today!” She informs Cheryl like she had done to me and Cheryl giggles tucking her hair behind her ear.
“Morning” She says to me leaning over to kiss me. “What times it?”
“Just after 4, sorry I tried to keep her quiet”
“Its fine, I don’t mind”
Paisley rolls into the space she normally lies in between me and Cheryl and she begins playing with her hair. “Can we get nana Joan?”
“No babe, nana Joans sleeping”
“But my presents”
“How about we have a little sleep then we can get them?” Suggests Cheryl and she looks like she’s thinking about it but shakes her head.
