"I'll get her this time." Baatar said putting a hand on Kuvira's shoulder. At six months Kiara had started teething. It was a miserable time for everyone especially for Kiara. For the first few teeth an extra cuddle from mom and dad had been enough to smooth her. Now with her molars growing in cuddling wasn't enough to pacify the young girl.
Baatar reached into the crib picking up his daughter. From the dresser drawer he pulled out a clean cloth wiping away the drool on her chin. Kiara had developed a rash due to the excess of drool. Balancing the six month old on one hip Baatar washed his right hand. Waving it in the air to air dry before, massaging his daughter's gums. They were red and swollen as the first teeth cut through to the surface. Her cries lessened a little bit but were still there. Baatar took a seat in the rocking chair holding her closer. Offering her what little comfort he could for this painful time.
"I know, I know it hurts darling but you know mommy and daddy went through the exact same thing. This is probably little consolation because you probably didn't understand a word I just said." Baatar continued to massage her gums focusing more on the left side. As Kiara would rub her hand across that side of her face more often. Back and forth back and forth Baatar rocked them the quiet mews of his daughter lulling him to sleep.
"Ow shit." Baatar cursed when he felt her bite down on his finger. "I'm sorry for swearing Kiara." He apologized, more than once Kuvira had scolded him for using curse words in front of their daughter. Taking his finger out of her mouth Baatar stood up and rummaged around for a teething toy. Finding a teething ring Baatar let Kiara chew on that instead of his fingers. Her cries increased the ring wasn't as good as her father's fingers. Holding her close to his chest Baatar walked out to the living room. Going to the closet he dug around the boxes until he found what he was looking for.
Laying a blanket down in front of the couch Baatar sat with Kiara in between his legs. Setting the metal sphere in front of them he pushed down of the top. The sphere unfurled into a lotus flower. The inside petals where covered with shards of glowing crystals of an array of different hues of colors. Pressing down the on the stigma, the petals began to turn.
"Kiara look at the pretty colors." Baatar gently turned her head to look at the revolving flower. Kiara's wailing came to an end as her dark emerald eyes locked onto the flower. Her small hands reached out to touch the colorful display of lights. The flower had been a present he had made for Kuvira on her eighteenth birthday. Sighing in relief Baatar slumped down farther resting his head on the seat of the couch.
It was early morning when Kuvira got out of bed. Baatar had not returned after he had gotten up again with Kiara. Checking the nursery, they weren't in there she found them out in the living room. Baatar was asleep a streak of drool ran down the right corner of his mouth. In front of him was their daughter who unlike her father was awake. Kiara reached her hands up signifying that she wanted up. Bending down Kuvira picked up her daughter metal bending the flower close. Remembering her eighteenth birthday fondly it had been one of her best birthdays. It had also been the first time she and Baatar and kissed. Grabbing the blanket off the arm chair, Kuvira wrapped the two of them in it. She took Kiara outside into the cool grey morning air. Reaching in her pocket Kuvira brought the binky out giving it to her daughter to suck on.
Kuvira and Kiara stayed out on the porch watching the sun rise. The ray of sun made a beam of pink shoot up into the sky as the clouds below bled with a reddish orange color. As the sun rose and the color left the sky Kiara started fussing. Kuvira brought Kiara to her breast but she turned her head away.
"Come on Kiara don't fuss you're hungry and having something in your belly is going to make you feel better." Kuvira said trying again to get her daughter to latch on. But Kiara wasn't having any of it as she pushed her tiny hand against her mother. While her other hand went to her left cheek. Prying her mouth open Kuvira looked inside eyes going to the spot where it hurt the most. The area around Kiara's lower left molar was red and swollen the white outline of a tooth could be seen beneath the inflamed gum. Going back inside Kuvira washed her hand before massaging the affected area.
When her finger come into contact with sensitive spot Kiara jerked her head back crying louder. She gave her mother a hurt look as if saying why would you do that?
"Oh Kiara I'm sorry mommy didn't mean to make it hurt more." Kuvira said removing her finger. Hugging her little one tighter .Kuvira went to the kitchen to see what she could find to easy Kiara's pain.
Baatar scrubbed his hand over his face he had heard the scuffle of Kuvira's footsteps coming back into the house. His hand went to the back of his neck. It had become stiff from sleeping in an awkward position. Baatar rolled his neck to loosen up the stiff muscles. Standing he walked over to where Kuvira was getting something cold for Kiara.
"How long has she been crying?" He asked moving to stand behind them.
"Not too long take a look at her mouth." Baatar stooped down and opened Kiara's mouth. Looking back where Kuvira had indicated. "Oh poor thing." Baatar said taking Kiara from Kuvira. He snuggled her closer to him.
"Baatar you're going to be late for work." Kuvira said as she tried taking their daughter back. A frown appeared when Baatar turned slightly away from her.
"I don't want to go. I just want to stay home with Kiara."
"Baatar we've talked about this before." Kuvira took a cloth wiping away the drool. "Sure it would be great at first but being at home with her constantly would drive you insane, you need to work."
Reluctantly Baatar handed Kiara back over to her mother. He made his way back to their room to hastily get dressed for work. On his way out the door Baatar stopped to kiss Kuvira and Kiara good bye.
Kuvira sat her daughter in the high chair maybe some cool baby mash would make her feel better. If not then at least she would have something to eat. For an hour Kuvira attempted to feed Kiara. Some bites she would eat other times she would spit it back out. Then all together Kiara refused to eat anymore her cries increasing again. Taking the bib Kuvira wiped away the food smeared across Kiara's face.
Kuvira tried whatever she could think of to sooth her daughter. Bouncing her, cuddling, singing, nothing was working. Kiara would keep turning her head toward the front door as if expecting someone to come through. Perhaps she wanted Baatar. Walking into Kiara's room Kuvira grabbed the stuffed badgermole. That calmed her down but just a little. Back out in the kitchen Kuvira set Kiara down in the play pen. In order to clean up the mess on the highchair. The bleats of her daughter could still be heard.
Kneeling next to the pen Kuvira let her daughter chew on her fingers for a while. Kiara's cheeks had a rosiness to them she felt a tad warm. Lifter her, she sat back on the couch.
"I know it hurts sweetie." Kuvira brought the little girl eye level. Identical green eyes locked and Kiara's cries died down. Her tiny hand stretched out touching her mother's cheek. "That's my good girl. I love you so much even when you're being difficult." Kuvira held her daughter until she heard her breathing even out. Carefully placing her back in the pen for her mid morning nap. While Kiara was out Kuvira made herself something to eat.
The rest of the day went by with relative ease. Kiara would cry and be fussy but she was more easily calmed down. Maybe she was adjusting to the pain in her mouth.
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Baatar and Kuvira walked along the shore line. The sun had begun to dip below the horizon. In his arms was his daughter. She was notability less finicky when he had left this morning. Choosing a spot the family of three sat on the cool sand. The parents watched their child crawl around in the sand.
"How was your day?" Kuvira asked.
"Pretty boring, how was yours? I see Kiara has calmed down."
"Yes I think she's starting to adjust. My day was fairly boring as well. No Kiara don't eat that." Kuvira scolded shifting forward to bend the sand out of Kiara's mouth. The hovering sand fascinated the child. Picking up on the interest Kuvira bent the sand into different shapes. Sand wasn't as solid or as pure as metal. Grains would fall when she changed shapes. Kiara would vaguely mimic the hand movements of her mothers.
"Do you think she'll be a bender?" Baatar asked.
"I don't know but I hope so I want to teach her how to earthbender."
"And if she's not?"
"I won't love her any less if she isn't a bender Baatar." Kuvira said with a slight defensive tone.
"I know." Baatar slung his arm around Kuvira's shoulder. The trio stayed on the beach as the sun sunk under the horizon. A chilled wind blew through causing Kiara to frown at the sudden coolness. Kuvira wrapped an arm around Kiara shielding her from the breeze.
Brushing themselves off Kuvira and Baatar made their way back home. The whole walk back Kiara kept her head in the crook of her mother's neck.
Once Kiara was down Baatar and Kuvira settled into their night routine. Baatar went around the house picking up baby toys. While Kuvira washed up the dishes every night they would switch. Both parents checked up on their daughter before turning in themselves.
"You know what'd be cool if Kiara had a sibling."
"Excuse me?" Kuvira said pushing away from Baatar quirking an eyebrow. "Baatar I just had her six months ago how can you even think about having another baby?"
"I don't know I just thought it would be good for her to have someone to play with."
"Yeah because you're not the one who has to go through the aches and pains of pregnancy or give birth. Maybe one day we will give her a sibling but not tonight." Kuvira leaned her head against Baatar again. One day they would have another, maybe.
"Baatar, Baatar" Kuvira kicked him awake. "You get her this time." Baatar stumbled out of the bed. On his way to her room he picked up a cloth. Baatar wiped away the drool from her chin as he hoisted her out of the crib. Baatar didn't think much of it until he looked at the cloth. It was darker, that wasn't right. Was that blood? Turning the light on, it was indeed blood. Worried Baatar made Kiara open her mouth. Inside he saw her gums were bleeding lightly.
Warmth spread over his hand and front. The baby vomit was white from Kuvira's breast milk tinted with a reddish pink color. Unsure of what to do Baatar did what he thought was the most logical thing, get the mother. "Kuvira!" He yelled.
"What?" Kuvira said as she ran into the room.
"I don't know what to do she threw up and there's blood in it." Rushing over Kuvira took Kiara from Baatar. She patted her back as if burping her and then felt warmth spread down her back.
"What do we do? What'd we do?" Baatar asked in an anxious voice.
"Well we don't panic that's for sure Baatar." Kuvira said with a slight roll of her eyes.
"Should be take her to healer?"
"No we just need to monitor her over night. I think she just swallowed too much blood and it made her sick. Baatar stared at her with a frightful expression. "Relax Baatar she'll be fine plus she gets to sleep with us tonight. But we'll have to take shifts both of us can't be asleep just in case."
"Kuvira are you sure?"
"Yes Baatar I'm sure. What happened to all that knowledge you learn from the baby books?"
Baatar shrugged his shoulders, "It must have flown my mind."
"Right, I'll take first watch then wake you up in two hours." Baatar skeptically left the room. Kuvira changed Kiara out of her soiled clothes. Going through the drawers she pulled out extra cloths and a blanket. She went over to the crib and took the stuffed badgermole. In their room Kuvira handed Kiara to Baatar as she changed her shirt. Settling down in bed Kuvira took their daughter back.
With her metal bending Kuvira flicked the light off. She rubbed Kiara's back in soothing circles. Every two hours Baatar and Kuvira would cautiously pass Kiara over to the other. The remaining of the night passed with little disturbances.
Kuvira and Baatar were both awake as Kiara continued to slumber peacefully. As usual Kuvira had been right she had just swallowed too much blood. They watched as she waved her hands in the air indicating that she was about to wake up. Kiara woke without crying this time. Baatar scooped her from the bed bouncing her on one knee. A small smile broke over her lips for a few minutes. The smile was replaced with a frown a whine bubbling up in her throat. He handed Kiara over to Kuvira that was her hungry cry. Kiara latched on without any fuss as Baatar watched in fascination.
"F*ck. Not so hard sweetie." Kuvira reprimand.
"What was that?" Baatar said smugly, "I'm pretty sure someone told me we shouldn't use such colorful langue in front of her."
"Shut up Baatar." Kuvira gently pushed him. Baatar chuckled moving closer. Their little girl was going through a big milestone, getting her teeth in. She was growing up soon she would be talking and Baatar was determined that her first word would be dad. While Kuvira was determine for it to be mom.
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