Notes: Mari and Sammy - Thanks for being your awesome selves.
Readers and REAL McRollers - Thanks for your support. It's always appreciated.
Hope you enjoy!
A Day in the Life (A McRoll in the REAL World)
Morning
"Dada!" Angie cried excitedly as soon as he appeared in her doorway.
"Good morning, baby girl," he said, smiling as he approached her crib. "How'd you sleep?"
She clutched the slats, bouncing in place. "Up up! Dada ma see. Buh me! Up!"
"All right, I got you," he said, picking her up. "Chatty this morning, huh?" He kissed her cheek.
"Caa-mee!" Angie said, reaching down toward her furry family member who'd followed Steve into the room.
"Yep, Cammie's here to say good morning too, like always."
"Mama?" Angie asked, straightening in his arms and looking around him toward the doorway.
"Mommy's downstairs making breakfast," he said as he brought her over to the changing table. "Are you hungry?"
"Coo-kie," she announced.
He chuckled, gently laying her on her back and unsnapping her sleeper. "No, we're not having cookies for breakfast."
She giggled up at him as he worked her sleeves off. "Coo-kie coo-kie coo-kie."
"Ah, it's a silly kind of morning, huh?" After he removed her sleeper, he bent down and blew a raspberry on her bare tummy, causing her to laugh. He grinned at her. "Daddy can be silly, too. But don't tell Uncle Danno, all right? I'll never hear the end of it."
"Daa-no"
"Yeah, it'll be our secret." He put a finger to his mouth. "Shhh. Secret."
She touched her own lips in imitation. "Sssss."
He smiled. "That's right. Okay, let's get your diaper changed so we can go eat."
At the word, Angie twisted on her side and reached over her head to grab a new diaper from the small stack of changing supplies. She held it up to Steve. "Dada!"
"Oh, thank you," he said, taking it. "I appreciate you not throwing it on the floor this morning," he added with a wry smile. "Does that mean it's a good day to try for a new record?"
Angie giggled, putting both hands to her mouth and watching him.
He grinned. "I'll take that as a yes. Let's do it." He hit the timer function on his watch and looked at her, one eyebrow raised. "Ready?" At her answering giggle, he said, "On your mark, get set, go!" and started the timer.
With swift, precise movements, he removed her old diaper, wiped her clean, and put on the new diaper. Stopping the timer, he checked the time.
"Seventeen seconds! We did it, Angie," he told her, raising an arm in triumph. "A new a record."
She raised her own arms over her head. "Yay!"
"That's right. Yeaaaaah," he said, making a mock crowd cheer. He held a hand up. "High five."
Beaming, she hit his hand with her own.
He grinned. "All right, seventeen seconds. See if Mommy can beat that."
Afternoon
"Let's see if there's any butterflies today by Mommy's butterfly bushes," Esther suggested, holding Angie's hands to help her on the deck steps.
While Cammie checked the perimeter of the yard, Angie walked right over to the purple and yellow flowering bushes Catherine and Steve had planted four years ago.
"Ah bahye," she said, pointing at a purple flower.
"Hmm … no butterflies right now," Esther said. "But you can smell the flowers."
Angie leaned closer to the purple flower and blew on it.
Esther chuckled, kneeling beside her young charge. "No, silly, don't blow on them, smell them." She leaned forward and demonstrated with an exaggerated sniff.
Angie watched her, then sniffed the air.
Esther laughed. "Almost, silly." She gently touched the flower and Angie leaned closer to smell it. "There you go. Doesn't that smell nice?"
Angie smiled brightly and reached for the flower. When she would have pulled it off, Esther gently stopped her.
"Oh no, let's leave the nice flower there. We want the butterflies to have them for their food, don't we?"
Angie looked at her curiously, then reached again for the flower.
"No, no," Esther said, guiding her away. "Here, let's blow some bubbles." She took a small bottle from her pocket.
Angie clapped, immediately recognizing it and holding out both hands in anticipation. "Buh buh!"
"Yes, bubbles!" Esther said, beaming. She unscrewed the top and used the attached wand to blow a stream of bubbles into the air.
Angie laughed joyfully as they floated around her, popping on her hands and head and on the grass. "Mo! Ehsa! Mo!"
Cammie ran over as Esther blew another stream. She jumped in place, trying to catch them in her mouth.
"Caa-mee! Buh buh!" Angie exclaimed happily, pointing at her beloved dog. She squealed as more bubbles appeared around her, moving through them as fast as her little legs could carry her. "Buh buh!" She tripped, but quickly got back up and looked around for more.
"Here, you try," Esther said, kneeling beside her and dipping the wand in the bottle. She put it in front of Angie, holding on even as Angie grabbed for it. "Blow," she encouraged and demonstrated what she meant.
Angie blew a sharp breath in the direction of the wand. A small bubble appeared and immediately popped. She looked at Esther questioningly and then tried to blow again.
"Hang on, we need some more." Esther dipped the wand again and held it out. "Blow," she said. "Slowly."
Angie blew out another breath, this time managing to make a few bubbles. She squealed, stomping her feet in place excitedly and clapping. "Eeee!"
"Good job!" Esther praised. She blew another stream herself, smiling as both Angie and Cammie set about popping as many as they could. "Now that's teamwork."
"Mo!" Angie said, her face bright with delight.
Esther grinned. "I guess we've found our afternoon activity."
Evening
"Close your eyes," Catherine sing-songed as she held a cup of water in one hand.
Angie slapped her hands against the water in the bathtub, enjoying the splash. She picked up a red crab-shaped bath toy and held it up to Catherine. "Ah ma!"
"I know, that's your crab, but it's time to wash your hair. We've gotta get the cheese out. Then you can play." She set the crab on the ledge of the tub and held up the cup for Angie to see. "Close your eyes," she said again.
This time Angie closed her eyes, tipping her head back a little.
"Good girl," Catherine said. She gently tipped Angie's head a little more, then placed one hand on her forehead to block any stray drops before slowly pouring the cup of water over her head and hair. She set down the cup, put a little shampoo in her palm, and worked the suds into Angie's hair.
"Bah bah bah bah," Angie repeated, making little splashes in the water.
"Okay, close your eyes again."
They repeated the process twice more to get all the shampoo out.
"Good job," Catherine said.
Cammie, who had been lying on the bathroom floor behind Catherine, suddenly alerted. She turned and headed out the door and down the stairs.
Catherine looked at Angie with a little playful gasp. "I think Daddy's home."
Angie's face immediately brightened. "Dada!"
A moment later, they heard heavier footfalls on the stairs and then Steve appeared in the doorway.
"Dada!" Angie said again, holding her wet arms up to him.
"Hi, baby girl," he said with a warm smile. As he entered the bathroom, she grabbed the edge of the tub and stood.
"Careful," Catherine cautioned, holding her under one arm.
Steve knelt down, giving Catherine a kiss, then leaning over to kiss Angie. "I thought bath night was tomorrow," he said.
"Dinner got a little wild," Catherine explained. "Macaroni and cheese."
"Ahh," Steve said, his smile widening.
Angie grinned, bouncing in place. "Dada boh me no," she said. She reached for the crab toy and held it out to him. "Ah bah!"
"Thank you," Steve said, going to take it. She pulled it back before he could and he chuckled. "Or not."
"Okay, honey, let's finish washing so you can play," Catherine said, guiding her to sit back down.
Angie held onto the crab, turning it in her hands as Catherine put some body wash on a cloth. She giggled when Catherine ran the wash cloth over her back and arms, wiggling at the sensation.
Steve smiled, watching the interaction. He pressed a kiss to Catherine's head, touching her back lightly as he stood. "Daddy's gonna go get washed up, too," he said. "And maybe grab something to eat."
Catherine grinned conspiratorially at Angie. "Do you think Daddy's gonna get macaroni and cheese in his hair, too?"
Angie looked at him curiously.
He winked, flashing a smile at Catherine. "Well, if I do, I know who can help me wash it out."
Bedtime
"Night night, sweetheart," Catherine said after Steve laid Angie in her crib. They'd read two books in her rocker before she started to look a little drowsy, right on schedule.
"Sweet dreams," Steve said, smiling softly. He brushed a gentle hand over her head.
She smiled up at them, tired and content. "Dada," she murmured. "Mama."
"We love you, baby girl," Catherine said, placing her hand on Angie's warm chest. Angie held on to two of Catherine's fingers for a moment, then yawned, stretching her arms sleepily above her head.
"See you in the morning, Angie," Steve said as her eyes drifted closed. "For another wonderful day."
Hope you enjoyed!
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