You're Beautiful To Me

Frank helps me into the kitchen and into a seat beside Anna who gets distracted from Mikey feeding her by turning to me and trying to climb out of her seat, her little arms stretched out in my direction while she clenches her hands open and closed like she's trying to grab me. She lets out an impatient little whine and I can't help but smile as I grab a clean damp wash cloth Frank has on the table for when she was finished with her dinner and I give her face and hands a quick wipe before standing back up and picking her up out of her high chair. As soon as she's in my arms she buries her little face in my neck as her hands clench in the front of my robe and I cuddle her tight against my chest, rubbing one hand up and down her back while I press a soft kiss to her hair. She makes a soft cooing noise and I can't help the smile that almost splits my face in two as I sit back down, standing her in my lap and supporting her weight as we enjoy cuddle time. "Awww someone's a total daddy's girl" Mikey coos and I stick my tongue out at him before I start to laugh and Frank turns back from where he's serving up dinner at the bench to throw a wide smile at us. "Oh man how did I get so lucky to have such a cute family?" He asks and I feel my cheeks grow a little hotter as he laughs. As Frank puts dinner on the table I shift Anna around so she's sitting in my lap, one of my hands secured around her waist while I pick up my fork with the other and start to eat, Anna turning her head to watch my every move intently. "You still hungry baby girl?" I ask as I grab her little plastic spoon and scoop up a little of my mashed potatoes, checking that it's cool enough before offering it to her and she opens her mouth, letting me put it in where she squishes it around for a few seconds before swallowing it, her little face lit up. "You like that huh?" I ask as I scoop her a little more and she eagerly lets the spoon into her mouth and Frank laughs as he says "She's eating that more eagerly than the baby food we were trying to feed her earlier." "Do we have any more?" I ask and Frank nods before getting up again and grabbing a small plastic bowl, dishing up a small scoop of potatoes into it and I sit Anna back in her chair, ignoring her protests and once she has the bowl infront of her I offer her the spoon and guide her hand gently to scoop up some potatoes and put them in her own mouth. I sit back down and watch as she goes for another spoonful, her little forehead creased in concentration as she manages to get a small amount on her spoon and into her mouth, some of it ending up smeared on her cheek and I laugh but clap and cheer her on, encouraging her to feed herself and she drops the spoon on her little tray and starts clapping too, making me
laugh again. I pick the spoon back up and offer it to her again and say "Good job little miss." I turn back to my own food, keeping an eye on Anna while Frank and Mikey talk while they eat, not really interested in their conversation about guitars when Anna starts failing to get the food to her mouth and she grows frustrated and throws the spoon, launching it across the table and hitting Frank in the chest with it, his shirt getting a little splattered with mashed potatoes. I burst out laughing as Frank looks up shocked and Anna looks wide eyed between Frank and I a few times before she bursts into giggles that shake her entire body. "What the hell?" Frank exclaims playfully, only pretending to be mad and I can't help but keep laughing, Mikey joining in too. Once we've settled down again Anna digs her hands in the bowl and starts eating that way, sucking the potatoes from her fingers and I shake my head at her as I say "I didn't realise we were raising a cave woman" to which she smiles, her whole face smeared with potato before she starts blowing raspberries, which is a new little trick she's picked up, showering me in spit and potato. "No" I say firmly, trying to discourage her from doing stuff like that in the future and her little forehead creases before her bottom lip quivers and she bursts into tears.

After Frank cleans her up and calms her down, Anna not wanting cuddles from me anymore I go into the living room with Mikey while Frank gives Anna a quick bath and dresses her ready for bed. "How are you feeling?" He asks and I sigh as I slump further into the couch and say "Im alright, just....pregnant." He frowns at me so I laugh and say "I'm ok it's just hard to explain. It's like you ache everywhere all the time and you're always tired and in a bad mood and...." "You don't seem in that bad of a mood to me." "I hide it for Frank and Anna's sake. They don't deserve how I really feel inside most days." Mikey nods before leaning over and giving me a hug. "If you need to talk I'm here." "Thanks Mikes" I say before sitting back and rubbing at my bump where the baby is starting to kick. "You alright?" "Yeah, he's kicking, do you want to feel?" Mikey's face lights up as he nods and reaches his hand out, letting me guide it so he can feel and that's how Frank and Anna find us when they come in a minute later. Frank smiles wide at the sight as he puts Anna on the floor to crawl around and says "Is my handsome little man awake?" I smile up at him and nod and Mikey pulls back from my stomach and says "You guys are just sickening sometimes" as he laughs and Frank walks over, leaning down for a kiss which is cut short by Anna using my pants leg to pull herself up to stand and she smacks at my knee as she says "Da da da." "Oh so you want daddy now huh?" I ask playfully as I help her up into my lap, sitting her sideways on my leg and her hands go for my bump, gently patting and when she feels the baby kick she squeals and starts patting against that spot, playing with him and Mikey looks slightly confused but amused at the same time. "They play together" I explain and he stares in disbelief as he says "Seriously?" "Yeah, he kicks for her. He sometimes follows her hand too." Mikey's face breaks out into a huge smile and when I turn to look at Frank he's wearing a matching smile as he leans in to kiss me again.

Notes