Chapter Eleven- The great escape
Ziva woke slowly, her mind groggy and half asleep still. Her eyes took a moment to focus in the still darkened bedroom. She glanced round at Tony, as usual he was still fast asleep. A tug from the duvet made Ziva remember why she woke, a whispered whimper could be heard in the darkness.
"Mmm Ima" Tali called, her voice low.
Ziva panicked for a moment before registering what was happening. She looked to her side, Tali stood pulling at the duvet, calling for her, bouncing slightly with impatience.
"Tali?"
"Ima up pwease"
Confusion still muddled Ziva's mind as she lifted Tali up onto her lap. The young girl lying down on top of Ziva, her legs either side and her head rested on her chest.
"Tali how did you get out your crib?"
Worry filled Ziva as she rubbed Tali's back soothingly, wandering if she had hurt herself in her great escape.
"Eh..mmm" Tali mumbled.
Ziva smirked as her daughter buried herself in her mama. Ziva could just make out a DiNozzo smirk forming on Tali's lips.
"Baby did you climb over?"
Tali gave a faint nod as though confirming, her eyes drooping as she snuggled back to sleep. Exhaustion consumed Ziva once more and she followed Tali's lead, curled up with her baby girl.
When Tony woke he rolled over to both his girls in bed. He groaned a little, he love this baby girl but her constant waking up at night was leaving Ziva exhausted. He always felt bad for not waking when she cried. They had both thought Tali was over her faze, she had gone back to sleeping through the night after her stay at Grandpa Gibbs.
"Morning" He mumbled sleepily as Ziva and Tali both woke.
"Morning babe"
"Did she wake again then" Tony sighed.
"Sort of…she climbed the crib"
Tony sat up straighter, taking in his little girl who just looked up at him with wide innocent eyes.
"Did she hurt herself?"
"No she seems fine, I just woke to her tugging at the duvet and calling me"
"I though the bar was high enough to keep her in"
"We may need to consider lowering the mattress or raising the bars some more"
"Yeah…okay, I struggled to put the thing together though it might take a while" Tony laughed.
"Abba" Tali laughed as she crawled from Ziva to Tony.
Ziva took her moment to head to the bathroom, calling back to Tony as she did.
"She needs changing!"
Tony rolled his eyes as he carried Tali to her nursery. He lay her down on the changing table, holding her in place as she wriggled. The older she got the more of a nightmare she became to change. She always wanted to clamber away, too interested in everything else going on around her.
"Stay still Tali"
Tali just grumbled further, kicking her legs wildly in protest, tears now streaming down her cheeks.
"No Abba!"
"Tali"
"Nah nah"
Ziva entered as she heard the grumbles between father and daughter. Holding back a laugh at Tony trying to hold Tali in place with one hand while placing a fresh diaper on her with the other. Tali's hands grabbing and pushing at the diaper.
"Nahhhhh"
"Het hey Tali…Abba is cleaning you up" Ziva warned as she joined to help.
This just further aggravated Tali, her arms batting at Ziva and legs kick furiously at Tony. Her cries echoing through the room as her face grew redder and redder. Tony looked to Ziva desperately, his own face dropping in sadness. He hated seeing Tali cry.
"Let's just leave her" Ziva suggested softly.
"She needs a diaper"
"She's clean, lets just put her in the front room until she's calmed"
"Alright, thank god we have wooden floors" Tony chuckled.
Ziva carried a slightly calmer and very naked Tali in the lounge, placing her on the floor around her toys.
"She's probably hungry"
Ziva nodded and started making some breakfast for the three of them looking over at a much happier Tali.
"She's growing up Zi" Tony said sadly.
Both had noticed over the past few months how much Tali had grown up. She no longer nursed instead opting for the bottle. She was enjoying a whole range of new foods. She was walking with confidence, talking in bigger sentences and now climbing the crib. She was very independent, much like her Ima. Tony couldn't help but wander if her reluctance to diapers was just another milestone she was ready to climb.
"She will always be our baby" Ziva said, although she too was sad her baby was getting bigger.
"Do you think she's ready to start potty training?"
"Maybe…she's still not yet two but we could try introducing it"
Tali happily danced around the the lounge while Ziva plated some food. It was Saturday so they didn't have to work, which meant a leisurely morning for all.
"Come on Tali time for breakfast" Tony cooed in a squeaky voice.
Tali looked up at Tony, her face much happier at the idea of food. Tony wandered if he should try get a diaper on her before placing her in her chair but he decided he didn't have the energy for that battle yet.
"I got scrambled eggs and avocado baby" Ziva informed as she placed the bowl in front of Tali.
With a much brighter smile on her face Tali happily ate her food, going between baby babble and actual words as she tried to talk about her dollies. After breakfast was done and Tali's hands and face cleaned up they let her down to play some more.
"Are you okay with her if I go and fix the crib?" Tony asked.
"Yes we will be fine"
Tony left the two alone. Ziva cleaned the last bits before going to grab Tali and attempt the diaper fight again. Tali must have sensed what was coming because she jumped up and ran around the room.
"Tali" Ziva warned as she tried to catch her.
Tali ran, screaming in excitement at what she clearly thought was a great game. Ziva tried her best to get a hold of Tali without hurting her, waiting for Tali to run close enough to scoop her up, but the little girl was too smart to fall for that. Ziva couldn't help but giggle, a huge mistake as Tali saw. Ziva gave up the serious tone and laughed along with Tali, finally scooping her up and tickling her all over. It was only the warm sensation running down Ziva's front that made her stop. Realisation hitting her as Tali pee'd all over Ziva.
"Uh oh" Tali said, her hands hiding her face.
Ziva couldn't be mad, despite having already showered once that morning.
"Come on madam it's time for a diaper"
Tony looked up as he screwed the side of the crib in place, noting the obvious accident covering Ziva's front.
"All i'm saying is it was your idea to let her run about naked" Tony chuckled.
"Yeah well it calmed her down at least"
Although still wriggly and a little fussy, Tali allowed Ziva to clean her up and put a diaper on her. All the crying from earlier and laughing from running around had clearly made Tali sleepy. Ziva carried her on her hip to warm a bottle then took her back to the nursery, sitting with her on the chair as Tali drank happily. Tony finished up the crib and cleared away, before scooping a half asleep Tali into his arms for a cuddle. He kissed her hair and lay her down in her crib for an early nap.
"We should give it an hour then see if we can catch her trying to climb out" Tony laughed
"Well hopefully she can't now"
"I don't know, she's part you and your a ninja"
Tony and Ziva enjoyed an hour of blissful peace, cuddled up on the couch. They heard the tell tale signs of a waking Tali and creeped round to the nursery door. From where they crouched they could see Tali bouncy at the bars, desperately trying to pull herself up and over. Tony's handy work prevented her from making it though despite her attempts. Tali tried again, managing to hook one leg before crashing back down on her bed, the shock of the fall no doubt enough to prevent her trying again. Soft sobs left her body and Tony and Ziva ran in to pick her up, kissing away the bump.
"You trying to escape princess?" Tony asked as he held her close.
Tali nodded, her hair messy from her nap.
"Big!" She squealed as she wriggled to get free, quickly getting over her tears.
"Yes baby, you're a big girl" Ziva laughed.
Tali jumped and squealed as she ran at full force back to the lounge, another tumble not deterring her from her toys.
"I think potty training might be the next step" Tony said again.
"I think your right, our little girl is getting big"