Baby Book - Phase Two
Chapter Thirty-seven - Amanda, Meet Jilly
late December, 2271
Nyota buckled Amanda into the bright pink baby carrier and jiggled a little to settle her into place. "Almost time to get the backpack carrier out. She's getting big to carry this way."
Spock came around to check. He tested the straps, checked to see how much remained to let out, and tested how tightly it hung from Nyota's shoulders. "Yes, I believe you are correct. I thought it felt tight, myself, but then I thought perhaps it was just that she was growing. I will get it out of storage tomorrow."
"Don't forget when you pick them up tonight, they will both be in the toddler room."
Spock gave her a chiding look. "Nyota, you know that I will not forget that."
"Well, habits are hard to break sometimes. So I though I would just give you a friendly reminder." She stuck her tongue out at him. Grayson saw that and giggled, clapping his hands over his mouth.
Spock looked down his nose at his son and raised one long slanted eyebrow. "Supporting your mother again? I suppose you shall just have to take the punishment for that." He swooped down and gathered Grayson up and slung him over his shoulder, holding him there with one hand while performing several suss mahna moves while Grayson howled with laughter. When his father spun about in a complete circle, Grayson hung on for dear life. Spock stopped and pulled Grayson up into his arms, looking right into his face. Grayson was still giggling. Spock sighed. "No one respects me in my own family."
By this time, Nyota was laughing as well, not even trying to hide it. "You are totally unconvincing. You might as well give it up."
Spock looked at Grayson and Grayson looked at Spock and they both spoke at once. "Oh, no, never." Even Amanda was laughing now.
Spock set Grayson back on the floor and straightened up his uniform. He leaned over and kissed Nyota and then headed for the door. "Sorry for the early departure, but I do have a meeting."
"I know that you do. I will see you on the bridge." She took Grayson's hand and headed out into the corridor, on her way to the mess hall to eat breakfast with her children.
***
After breakfast, she walked down the corridor to the toddler room. Miss Betty smiled widely at her. "We have both the S'chn T'Gai children starting today, don't we?"
"Indeed you do. I have just weaned Amanda, so she may be a bit fussy. She started biting and I wasn't going to take that."
"I don't blame you a bit. If you find that you weaned her too suddenly for your own comfort, you can bring a bottle or two down here for her. Otherwise, we will follow the feeding plan set up by her doctor."
"That will be fine. She loves her cereal and fruit. And she's not very messy about it any more." Nyota lifted her daughter from the baby carrier and sat her in the small bed that had been prepared. She took off the baby carrier and laid it over the end of the bed. She turned to Grayson. "You can go and play with your friends. You do not have to watch Amanda all day. But you can introduce your friends to her."
Grayson grinned and hugged his mother. "Okay, Mama, I will do that." and he was off across the room, grabbing someone by the hand to pull over to Amanda. Nyota shook her head and laughed and headed for the bridge.
One by one, Grayson brought his friends over and introduced them to his sister, who laughed and clapped her hands and seemed to enjoy the parade of children. When Jilly came in, Grayson hurried right over and brought her to Amanda. "See Jilly, this is my sister. I have been telling you about her."
"So you have. She is very pretty, Grayson." Jilly reached out to touch Amanda and Amanda leaned over until her forehead touched Jilly's through the bars on the side of the crib. Amanda began to croon softly. Jilly smiled. "Hello, Amanda, I'm your new friend Jilly." Amanda patted Jilly's cheek and babbled at her. Jilly patted her back. And then she stepped back and turned to Grayson. "Do you want to get her a fuzzy?"
Grayson thought that was a great idea, so they ran over to the pile of fuzzies and spent some time sorting through them, finally deciding on one. By the time they got back to Amanda, she had plopped down on her tummy and was half asleep. They stuck the fuzzy through the bars of the crib and tip-toed away. Amanda looked at the fuzzy through half-closed eyes and smiled as she pulled it up next to her chest. Fuzzies were nice.