Daddy’s Little Dreamer (The Lactin Brotherhood)

Chapter 7

7

I couldn’t believe daddy got me prezzies let alone a bazillion of them. My body buzzed like a bee with all the excitement. And he said he was gonna keep me which was better than all the prezzies in the world!

“A bumble bee head band. Look Daddy, the wings spin like a windmill.” I spun them a few times and slid them on. “Now I’ve got antennae, too.”

But there was more.

“Two different farm animal coloring books and coloring pencils?”

“They were the only ones I could find with bees in them and they came with stickers.”

Oh my gosh, Daddy dug through the coloring books at the store to find the right one for me. My heart was doing silly swoopy things, now.

“Thank you, Daddy.”

“You’re welcome, keep digging.”

I felt bad, Daddy ran around cleaning up the scrunchy paper mess while I got to open gifts. But he was smiling so it must not be all that bad. I’d make it up to him later though.

“A miniature Bumble!”

“That’s a new friend for Bumble.”

“You thought of Bumble, too?” Tears welled in my eyes, like always. Why did I always have to cry? Stupid tears. “Best. Daddy. EVER!”

“Silly boy, Bumble is family, too, and it’s my job to make both of you happy. Now, I believe there are two more presents buried in that giant bag.”

How much did this bag hold? It was so tall that I had to move it to the floor to get what was in the bottom.

“Squee!” I squealed so loud Daddy jumped. “Sorry, Daddy, but I’ve looked all over for bumble bee pjs and never found them in my size.”

“Well, I guess it was lucky I knew a super-secret place that had them.” He put a thinky finger over his lips. “I take it by the jolt my ears just got that you like them?”

“Like them? I love, love, love them! Can I wear them now?”

Daddy laughed. “How about you try them on, then if daddy guessed your size right we can take the tags off and wash them so you can wear them after your tubby tonight?”

Ohhh, I’d forgotten about tubby time.

“’K Daddy.” I grabbed them and headed for the bathroom.

“I believe there is one more gift. Daddy may’ve gotten a bit wild shopping this week.”

More?

“They’ll be nothing left for Christmas.” Please keep me that long. Please, please, please.

“Already have a few things earmarked for that holiday.”

Yay!

I reached into the bag, removed all the rest of the paper so nothing else could hide, and there it was. Something I never knew existed yet had to have. “A color your own sippy cup! Daddy, you’re the bestest!” I threw myself at him and he groaned when I knocked the wind out of him. “Sorry, Daddy.”

“Never apologize for hugging me, and now I know to watch for an incoming boy. Go try your jammies on while Daddy fixes lunch.”

Up on tippy toes I went to give him a kiss. “Thank you for everything, Daddy.”

“You are more than welcome.”

Sure enough, the pj’s fit perfectly.

“Daddy, I think you have magic in you.”

“How is that, dear boy?”

“These new pj’s fit like they were made for me.”

He took them and gave me a kiss. “Maybe they were and maybe I am.”

All my new goodies were neatly stacked on the table. I really wanted use my new sippy cup, but I couldn’t wrangle the packaging apart. “Stupid plastic clamshells.” I gave it a good yank. “Ouchie! Ouchie! Ouchie! Blood Daddy. Oh no.”

“Trevvvv….”

Was the last thing I heard before down I went.

Forgot to tell Daddy that me and blood didn’t get along so well.

“Trevor, Trevor,” Daddy’s sad voice came through the brain fog. “Please be okay.”

“Da-daddy?” I was wrapped up tight in his arms, lying across his lap on the couch.

“Thank heaven. Dear boy, you scared the you know what out of me.”

“Sorry, Daddy. I forgot to tell you I don’t do so well with blood.” I glanced at my finger which now had a cartoon bandage on it. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

“Again--” He kissed the tip of my nose. “You never have to thank me for taking care of you. Are you ready to eat or do you want to wait a bit?”

“I want to eat but I wanted to use my sippy cup.”

“That’s okay but Daddy will open it. Deal?”

My head bobbed up and down. “Yes, please and thank you.”

Daddy stood while still holding me and something on the shelf caught my eye. “Daddy, is that a picture of me?”

We walked over to the shelf so I could get a better look.

“It is. I took that picture on our first date. It’s the perfect shot of you sniffing a sunflower with a ladybug on it. She didn’t so much as flinch given how close you were to her.”

“She knows I’m a good person. They can sense it just like dogs and cats.”

“They can, can they?”

“Mmm hmm. They’re super smart like bees.”

Daddy sat me down and opened the cup for me.

“Thank you, Daddy.”

“You’re welcome. You color while I get our plates together.”

I used some of the bee stickers that came with my new coloring book and put swirly dashes between them like they were flying. Then I drew pretty sunflowers and even added a ladybug. Reminded me of Daddy’s favorite picture of me. When it was all done, I slid it in place and snapped the plastic cover over it.

“All done, Daddy.”

“And just in time, here’s your lunch. Let me take a look.” Daddy rolled it around, inspecting all of it. “I have to say, this is the best sippy cup I’ve ever seen.”

“Thank you, Daddy. It was a fun thing to make. I love crafty stuff.” He took my cup and filled it with juice. “Yummy! Mini corn dogs and tater tots. My favorite.”

“I remembered. Tonight, we’ll have a healthy dinner.”

My face scrunched up at that yucky thought.

“Don’t you scrunch up at me.” He shook his finger and tried not to smile, but seriously failed. “I promise it will be yummier than these little bite size dogs.”

“Nummy.” I did a little happy wiggle. “Yummy, yummy, yummy.”

“Have enough mustard?”

“Oh shoot, no. I need more for my tots.” Daddy laughed and added more to my plate.

“Your tots can now swim in mustard as your mini dogs did.”

“Snarky Daddy.”

“I’ve been known to snark with the best. So, what should we do next?”

Daddy was letting me pick. When had any Daddy ever asked me what I wanted?

“Umm, do you have a swing set?”

“Sorry, no.”

“How about coloring and watching cartoons? Will you color with me?” It would be a first but like Mom always said, you don’t know if you don’t ask.

“I would love that, sweet boy. Cartoons and covering Daddy’s fridge in fancy art for the win!”

“Yay!”

“Sweet boy, why don’t you go find the program you want to watch while Daddy cleans up.”

After I put my dishes in the sink, I grabbed my bag of goodies and Bumble, plus his new friend, and set everything up on the coffee table. Daddy had the same channels that Mom and I had which made it easy to find my favorite show. But I paused it so Daddy didn’t miss anything.

“What do we have here?” Daddy slid down on the floor beside me. “Which picture shall I color?”

“Do you want me to pick it for you?”

“I have a better idea. What if you color one for Daddy’s fridge and Daddy makes one for you to take home.”

“Best. Idea. Ever!” If I had pom poms I’d have swung them through the air. I was sooo super excited.

Daddy mixed up the two coloring books like a deck of cards. “Silly Daddy,” I got a case of the giggles. “You can’t mix up only two.”

“I can’t? Hmm. Well, then, pick your poison, err, book.” Daddy gasped. “Did you just roll your eyes at your Daddy?”

“Noooo.” Big humungous fib.

“Punishment by tickles!”

I giggled and wiggled and squirmed until my insides hurt.

“Gotta pee! Gotta pee!”

Daddy stole a quick kiss. “Okay, I win. Go pee.”

“You win?”

“Yup.”

Not sure what he won but if he was happy, I was happy. Who was I kidding, this was way better than all the Christmases in my life all rolled into one day.