Childish

69

It wasn't long before Alex put together my activity walker. It wasn't too hard to assemble it and, surprisingly, he didn't struggle with it. He wasn't very good at putting things together. Maybe the walker he picked out was easier to put together and that's why he got it.

Cooper was too little to use it so I didn't have to worry about sharing it for a while. He still wasn't able to sit up or hold his head up so he wasn't able to use my walker. I was waiting for the day he would be able to do more. Then I'd be able to play with him like I did the kids at school.

But I was having fun with the walker. I didn't care to play with any of the pieces attached at the top. I knew they'd be fun if I gave them a chance but I was just excited to walk again.

My small body could only handle half an hour of using the walker before I got tired. Naomi was busy making dinner but she could tell when I was slowing down. After she finished checking the ham in the oven, she came over to me and lifted me from my walker. She carried me into the living room and over to the playpen in the corner of the room. She tucked me in under the new blanket my parents had sent me.

Cooper woke up from his nap before I woke up from mine. Alex carried him into the kitchen so he could help Naomi set the table for our guests. A knock came from the back door just as they finished getting things ready.

"Alex, why did you make us come in through the back door?" Monica quipped as she came inside.

"I have a set of steps out front. It's not accessible yet. We're still working on it."

"Ty can always help you if you're trying to do it yourself. I know how you are with tools."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Mon. If you keep that up, I'll make sure it doesn't happen so you can't bother me here."

"You love me."

"Let me go get Lyla. She's still napping." Naomi excused herself from the group and came to the living room. She leaned over the side of my playpen and lightly brushed her fingers over my hair. "Sweetheart, I need you to wake up for mommy. Monica and Ty are here."

I wasn't sure what kind of reaction she was expecting to get out of me. I was still tired and wanted more sleep. The most I could give her was a light groan.

She lifted me from the soft cushion and pressed me against her chest. "You get to open presents tonight. I know how much you love that."

Maybe once I woke up, I'd be more excited to open presents. I was just too tired to care at the moment.

She patted my back as she walked us to the kitchen. Cooper was awake and babbling to Ty about something. He couldn't eat any of the food on the table but it was still nice that he was included. I was sure he liked that too.

"Did she not sleep last night?" Monica asked as Naomi sat down in the chair beside her.

"She did. I think she just wore herself out playing today. Wait until you see what we got for her."

Monica raised her eyebrows.

"Do you want me to get a bottle for her?" Alex asked.

Naomi looked down at me. "She doesn't seem too eager to wake up. Maybe we should so she doesn't go to bed hungry."

Monica held out her arms toward Alex. "Let me have Cooper."

Alex didn't argue with her and handed over Cooper. Cooper didn't seem to mind the sudden change, either. He grinned a gummy grin at Monica as she set him in her lap.

"How's this guy sleeping at night?"

"For the most part, he doesn't do too bad. He wakes up every few hours to eat but he doesn't get fussy too often, thankfully."