Hey Folks! Here is the last ficlet in the Lazy Sundays Morning series. I have finally run out of Cassie's beautiful Darvey artwork to inspire me. I hope you like this one. It's just a lazy Sunday spent with Mr. and Mrs. Specter and their first baby Amanda. Please R & R. Thank you to all who R & R or who just follow or favorite. You truly help me to keep writing. Love - Carebearmaxi.

Mr. and Mrs. Specter

Baby's Smile

Donna Specter looked down into the crib which held her precious daughter Amanda Elizabeth Specter. Little red-haired baby Amanda had had a rough start being two months premature and then having to remain in the hospital until her lungs were strong enough and she was a good birth weight to go home. With attentive tender loving care given by not only the NICU nurses but also by her parents, especially, Donna, Amanda's lungs matured quickly and she actually grew while in the NICU.

That was a couple of months ago now, Donna noted.

"Good morning baby," Donna said as she watched her little girl kick her feet and become excited at hearing her mother's voice. As Donna reached down to pick her up, she bounced her and danced with her to the changing table.

"Guess what today is?" Donna asked looking at her daughter's bright brown eyes. "It's Sunday. That means we've got daddy all day to ourselves! He promised to play all day with his little girl."

Mandy (which is what they called her) looked up at her mommy as she changed her to get ready for the day. She turned her head and put her a finger in her mouth and made a little humming noise. Donna changed Mandy's diaper and nuzzled her head lightly in Mandy's little tummy to which Donna could hear a giggle and Mandy's little hand pull on her hair.

"Mandy, let go of mommy's hair, please," Donna said trying to blindly disengage herself from Mandy's tight little fist.

Harvey stood in the doorway watching the interplay between mother and daughter but short of Donna shouting for help he ventured into the nursery wearing a huge "I told you so" smile and gently disengaged his wife from his daughter's baby hand.

He kissed the little fist and held onto it as Mandy kicked and smiled at her daddy.

"Maybe I should cut my hair," Donna said looking at Harvey for a reaction.

"Maybe you should," Harvey teased back. "That's right, Mandy. Then Mandy couldn't pull it out, could you baby?" Harvey asked his daughter and tickling her belly with his fingers. He finished dressing Mandy and then turned his head to see the insulted look on his wife's face.

"So, you don't care whether I cut my hair?"

"Donna," he moaned. "It's up to you. Cut it or don't, but I won't always be here to help Mandy not pull it out."

"Ok, I'll make an appointment with Liza for tomorrow," Donna said waiting for Harvey to react.

Harvey then picked up Mandy and held her close to his chest and said, "Don't you touch a single strand on that head, Mrs. Specter!"

"That's more like it," Donna said. Then refocusing on Mandy who looked first at her mommy and then her daddy gave them both the biggest smile she could muster.

"Mommy and daddy are silly, aren't they?" Donna asked Mandy and then took her from Harvey who stood behind them and waited for a reaction from their daughter.

Mandy rewarded them by tapping Donna with her hand and giggling.

"You do think mommy and daddy are silly!" Harvey exclaimed smiling from ear to ear. He had never been so happy in his entire life. He was soaring when Donna married him. He was scared but wonderfully excited when Donna told them they were having a baby. However, having their daughter home with them after two months of precarious living between here and the NICU, Harvey had the most ebullient feelings he had ever experienced.

Donna looked behind her at Harvey in his white Henley shirt as his arm surrounded her and simultaneously encompassed their child. She saw the smile on his face and knew in her heart that he was very happy although he may not say it a lot.

"Hey, daddy, I think Mandy wants to ask you a question," Donna said handing him the baby.

Harvey held her up as he watched Mandy's little face look at him and then search out for her mother.

Suddenly from behind Mandy, there was a little voice that said, "What's for breakfast? Specter special pancakes?"

He could hear Donna giggling behind the baby where she crouched down pretending that it was Mandy asking the question.

"Wow! Miss Specter you certainly grew a vocabulary this morning," Harvey said smiling and speaking in a teasing voice. He held Mandy in one arm and then gently captured her chin with the forefinger and thumb of his other.

"Maybe we should ask mommy what's for breakfast?" Harvey asked his eyes growing big and ducking his head into the baby's. She tried to hold her daddy's head with her little hands but her daddy moved too quickly.

Harvey then turned with the baby and headed out of the nursery. He deposited Mandy in her baby seat and kissed her while he strapped her in. He turned his attention to the kitchen still maintaining a watchful eye on the baby as she continually smiled and grabbed her foot.

Donna walked into the kitchen area and took the baby off the counter and spread a warm blanket on the hardwood floor. She put some toys on the floor a few colorful blocks and a baby truck which made noises.

"Wanna play while daddy fixes us pancakes?" Donna asked Mandy as she unstrapped her and put her on her tummy for playtime.

"Mommy still didn't tell Daddy what was for breakfast?" Harvey called. "I just came in here to get a cup of coffee"

Mandy leaned on her elbows and shifted the bright colored plastic blocks with her hands. She grabbed a red one and brought it to her mouth. There seemed to be little knawing marks on the block itself Donna noted.

"Harvey, either Mandy is starting to teeth early or we have a squirrel in the house."

Mandy looked at her mom and smiled a toothless grin and then when Donna removed the red block from her hand she started to pout and then erupted in a flood of tears.

"Oh, mommy's sorry, baby. Here you go," she said handing the block back to Mandy who proceeded to put it in her mouth again.

As Harvey came into the room carrying his coffee, Donna looked up from her crossed leg position on the floor.

"Not only does Mandy have your smile and your eyes she also got your pout."

"I don't pout," Harvey protested almost choking on his coffee.

"Yeah, you do. When you don't get your own way," Donna said pecking Harvey's lips.

He sat down on the floor with the baby as Donna rose to get her own coffee and prepare Mandy's breakfast.

"Ok, Mandy, let's try this again," he whispered to her. She stared back at him with large questioning eyes. "I know. You think we're nuts. Maybe we are." He tapped her nose with his forefinger and Mandy giggled and smiled her own big smile.

This time, Harvey placed his coffee on the floor far away from where Mandy or himself could spill it. He got behind the baby laying flat on the floor. He turned Mandy to face the kitchen and her mother and said in a baby voice. "So, mom, what's for breakfast? I'm really hungry!"

Donna rolled her eyes and said," I don't know Mandy, but tell you're daddy that if he doesn't get his butt over here to cook we're going out!"

Harvey rolled over on his back next to Mandy who started to beat a rhythm on his chest as she smiled at first at Harvey and then back to her mother as she heard her mother's voice.

Soon all three were on the floor rolling around. Harvey held Mandy aloft and made whooshing noises to accompany Mandy's swooping. Mandy giggled and then was given to Donna who did the same. They played like that alternating between toys, flying, and just laughing with her.

They finally did have their breakfast as Harvey was finally coerced by Donna making him a promise that next Sunday she would make breakfast although she stated it would not be as tasty.

Finally, when it was Mandy's bedtime after a wonderful day spent with just the three of them, Harvey and Donna stood over her crib and watched her sleep. Harvey stood with Donna tucked under his arm. She put her head on his chest and he kissed the top of her head. They heard a little gulp and peered into the crib.

Baby Amanda Elizabeth Specter fell asleep dreaming of baby joys as on her face was a big baby smile.