A Different Reality (Lasting Love)

Bad Little Sleeper

"I'm gonna try to get her to sleep."  Justin picks up a very cranky Kay and walks her towards the nursery.  She screams the whole way there, probably knowing what is going to happen.  I follow him up after noticing that he forgot to take a bottle with him. 

"I think you just want your mommy." He happily hands her over to me "That must be it."

"No,"  I rearrange Kay so that she can eat "She just wants my boobs.  Not me."

"Well I want them too and I don't scream like crazy." Justin falls back onto the rocker "She could at least act like a decent human being."

"She's 6 months old."  I look over at him like he's crazy "All she knows is that they give her food.  When she's older you can teach her how to act.  If you're smart, you'll also teacher her how to sleep."

Once she's finally done eating, Justin takes her back from me.

"You put her to sleep last night.  It's my turn."

I'm a little unsure about how this is going to end.  Normally he ends up giving up after about 20 minutes when she's still wide awake and brings her back over to me.  He tries really hard, just doesn't do something right I guess. 

"She asleep?" I ask once he walks into our room.

"Nope." He replies "But she's laying in her crib half asleep and watching that animal thing move over her head."

"So you're hoping she falls asleep..." I finish his sentence.  He nods his head.

"I don't think it'll take long."

He lays down next to me and I lay my head on his chest.  We both fall asleep very quickly.

An hour later, I wake up because I think I hear her crying.  I lay still for a little and don't hear anymore, so I try to fall back asleep.  Just as I close my eyes again she starts to cry.  This time, very loud and alarming.

"Well that worked."  I sigh.  I get up and walk over to her room.  Her face is bright red and tear stained from crying. 

"You're okay, baby." I pick her up.  She wraps her little arms around my neck slightly and reaches up to pull on my hair.  I bounce her slightly until she starts to calm down. 

Justin walks in about a minute later.  He quietly takes Kayleigh from me so he doesn't startle her. 

"I forgot to change her earlier." He says putting her on the changing table "I think that might be it."

He finishes changing her and lays her in the crib.  I walk out of the room quietly, turning the light off and watching to make sure Justin grabs the baby monitor.  He follows closely behind me hoping that she doesn't wake up again before we leave the room.

Our plan backfires and her screaming starts seconds later.  We turn around to walk back into her room immediately. 

"Do you think she's still hungry?" He asks handing her to me "I don't really know what else it would be."

I try to feed her but all she does is "eat" for a few seconds and then scream even louder.  She reaches up and scratches me right in the face. 

"What the hell?" I hold her a little further away "This child is evil."

"That's because she came out of you." He mutters before taking her from me.  He walks around the room with her hoping to calm her down.

"You think she gets that from me?" I ask defensively "I think anyone would agree with me that you have the worst temper out of the two of us."

"Jesus, Jen.  Learn how to take a joke."

He walks downstairs and I hear the backdoor shut behind him.  I figure he's going to walk around outside with her so I decide to go to sleep until she decides to wake up later.

Justin's POV

"You need to sleep." I whisper in Kayleigh's ear as if it will help.  She reaches up and starts to pull on my hair.  I try to calm her by walking around the backyard, but she just keeps crying.

"Let's go in the car for a little." I say out loud to myself.  She screams even louder so I quickly run inside for her car seat.  The last thing I need is to wake the neighbors at midnight. 

"What are you doing?" Jen walks downstairs "She's still crying like that?"

"Well she stopped, but then I pinched her until she started screaming again." I grab the car seat from the kitchen and walk towards the door, noticing that Jen is not satisfied with my answer "I'm gonna drive around with her.  Maybe that will help."

"Okay, well I'll come with."  She walks out behind me.

Kay starts screaming even louder again so Jen quickly puts the seat in the car.  I drive away as soon as we're all ready. 

"Roll her window down a little." Jen reaches back to touch Kay "She likes that."

I roll the window down a little and she starts to calm down.  We try to stay silent so that our voices don't wake her up. 

"I think she's asleep now." She whispers pulling her arm away "She let go of my finger.  I think she has her thumb."

"I'm gonna keep driving for a little."  I go past the house "I don't want her to wake up again."

"Okay," Jen yawns "But don't take too long.  I'm getting tired."

I drive a few minutes longer, and as quickly as Kay fell asleep, Jen did too.  I don't want to wake Jen since she's completely exhausted, so I carry Kay into the house, leaving her in her room and walk back out for Jen. 

I try to rearrange her so that she's easier to pick up, but it doesn't help.  Carrying a grown, sleeping woman is not easy.  It doesn't matter how little she seems.