Three's Company

9. Blanket Fort

Beth's (Mommy) POV

  My little one is wrapped up and snoozing in the blankets still after Jordan leaves. I use this time to shower and get dressed. She's still asleep after all that, but I don't have the heart to wake her yet. I want her to get all the rest she needs today. Partly because it will make today an easier day, but also because I think she really needs it. She didn't nap any of her work days and it showed. I think that only added to her accident yesterday being a bigger deal than it was. Next week I'm going to have her start taking naps when she gets home from work. Hopefully that goes over okay.

  I leave Paisley in bed while I go downstairs for coffee and breakfast. I can set Paisley's food aside and heat it up when she finally get up.

  "Mommyyyy!"

  Or not.

  I sigh softly and jog upstairs to find Paisley sitting up in bed, crying her little eyes out.

  "Hey Pumpkin." I say while crawling next to her. She immediately gets into my lap and buries her face against my chest. I rub her back and use my free hand to tilt her face. The bruising is defintely worse and she still has a bit of swelling. "Let's get you cleaned up, hm?"

  "Y-you left m-me!" She whimpers.

  "I didn't leave you baby. Why would Mommy do something silly like that?"

  "B-but you were g-gone!"

  "I was only in the kitchen sweetie." I tell her. I give her some time to calm down in my arms, before scooping her up to carry to her room. There I get her in a clean diaper and dressed in some pajamas. It's a pajama kinda day.

  "Feel better pumpkin?"

  "I hurt." She sniffles. 

  "Mommy's gonna get you some medicine and an ice pack. Let's go downstairs." I say softly, finger combing her hair back out of her face. She nods weakly and clings tighter to me. I pick her up once again and bring her to the kitchen.

  "Can you sit in your chair like a big girl for me?" I ask when it's clear she doesn't want me to put her down.

  "Nu uh, stay wif mommy."

  "How am I gonna get your medicine or make breakfast silly girl?" I ask, tickling her belly. She protests through her giggles, but eventually let's me put her in a chair. I get her situated with some pain pills and ice, then go about making breakfast.

  As I cook, I talk to Paisley, just about silly things to keep her giggling. It's becoming one of my favorite sounds. When we're done eating, I get the kitchen cleaned up and ask Paisley what she'd like to do today. Her little thinking face is adorable and I can tell the moment she lands on an idea.

  "Build a fort!" She grins.

  "Okay sounds good. I've never built a fort before." I chuckle

  "Not when you were little?" She frowns.

  "Nope."

  "Dats weird." She says shaking her head, which makes me laugh.

  "Is it?"

  "Mhm. Everybody's built a fort before Mommy." She says very matter o factly.

  "Well I guess you're just going to have to show me." I say with a shrug. Paisley is clearly excited by the idea and hops up, grabbing my hand and dragging me off to the living room.

  "We need aaaaall da blankies." She says, pulling the blankets off the couch. I chuckle and grab an extra few from the linen closet.

  I see a new side of Paisely, that's very bossy as we build this fort together. It's amusing, but at the same time I have to remind myself that she needs to be asking nicely, not ordering me around.