Milestones - Benedict Cumberbatch (Daddybatch Fluff!)

Stories with Daddy -- 12 months

Oh YOU GUYS. Stop being so nice, these are literally nothing. *smiles gleefully* OK, yes, I do love that you like them. Thank you for your wonderful comments! I give them each a quick read through/tweak before posting but if you see any mistakes please let me know.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

12 months

"Go on, wave goodbye to Mummy and Daddy," Olwen encouraged her granddaughter. From her vantage point in her high chair, Eloise grimaced and flung her yogurt covered spoon across the table. It was quickly followed by a half eaten carrot stick.

"Excuse me, young lady! You'd better behave yourself for grandma and grandpa," Benedict instructed the toddler, bending down to her eye level. Eloise looked down shyly and concentrated on picking up another piece of carrot between finger and thumb. "We won't be gone for very long," he comforted, but she still refused to look at him, quietening from her usual happy chatter.

"Just let us know if she's any trouble, she's been so clingy lately," Milly frowned, adressing her mother, and then her daughter. "We'll be back soon. Come on, eat your lunch with grandma and if you're good she might take you to the park."

Eloise looked at her mother with wide eyes, pointing to the door and trying to lean over the edge of the high chair.

"No, darling, you're staying here with grandma today," Milly and Benedict each gave Eloise a kiss on the cheek. "We love you lots, Ellie-belly."

Eloise watched them warily, a worried expression fixed on her face as she held another carrot stick tentatively by her mouth.

"Come on Eloise, eat up, and we'll go to the park and play on the swings," Olwen reassured her granddaughter. "Go on you two, she'll be fine, she always is."

Within a few seconds of her parents leaving the room, her anxious cries could be echoing from the kitchen table.

 - - - - - - - - - -

"Arm out," Olwen instructed. Eloise obliged and allowed her grandmother to dress her in her little grey coat. "Are you ready to go to the park?"

Eloise babbled a string of affirmative sounds and shuffled to the edge of the chair she'd been perched on.

"Hang on a minute, poppet, shoes next. And your grandpa is still sorting your buggy out," Olwen put her hand out to halt the toddler; she got the message and sat still, looking expectantly for her ride. "Jeremy, how are you doing?"

"Just a moment! These things weren't anything like as complicated when our lot were young, were they? There are less gadgets and gizmos in Ben's fancy car than on this bloody thing!"

Once shoes and buggy were sorted and Eloise was safely strapped in, her grandparents took her for a leisurely stroll to the play park a little way up the hill from their house. It was a slightly overcast Wednesday morning, and the park wasn't very busy; just a couple of young mothers and their pre-school aged children on the see-saw.

Eloise chuckled ecstatically the moment she caught sight of the swings, straining against the buggy straps and pointing frantically.

"Always in such a hurry," Jeremy laughed, "You don't half take after your parents. Sit still so I can unstrap you!"

Eloise yelped impatiently but allowed her grandfather to unbuckle the straps and lift her onto a swing. "Ready?"

"YEH YEH!" she cried, banging her hands against the edge of the seat.

Jeremy pulled the swing back, lifting Eloise into the air. "Ready? Here... we... goooooooo," he grinned, he voice drowned by Eloise's joyful shriek as she swung away and then back.

 - - - - - - - - - -

"Who's a sleepy sausage then?" Ben murmured, hoisting the sleeping toddler against his shoulder. "Thanks again for taking her today, looks like you've done a wonderful job of tiring her out."

"It was our pleasure. How does Milly think it went?"

Ben pulled a face. "She said it's hard to say. I couldn't really work it out on the phone. I think she'll have done fine, but she's always too hard on herself, so who knows? I'll have a better idea when I get back and see her."

"She's always been the same. Keep us updated, Ben, we've got our fingers crossed. And you know we're more than happy to take this little one whenever needed."

Eloise stirred as Ben lowered her into the car seat. He gave his mother-in-law a quick hug, and directed a wave toward Jeremy's silhoutte in the doorframe.

"I'll let you know. Bye for now."

- - - - - - - - - -

"Alright, ginger ninja, we're nearly home," Ben called through to the back of the car, where Eloise was grizzling in her car seat, after waking up to discover she was not in the same spot she fell asleep in. Her tantrum settled as Benedict navigated the streets of North London and by the time he pulled up outside the family home in Hampstead, she was half asleep again.

"Definitely past your bedtime, isn't it?" he soothed, expertly handling the child in one arm and picking up a bunch of flowers from the passenger seat with the other.

He ascended the stairs, careful not to disturb his daughter as she snuggled sleepily into his neck, and managed to open the door without squashing the bouquet.

Setting everything but Eloise down on the side table in the hall, he kicked off his shoes and padded along to Eloise's bedroom. He flicked a small nightlight on and popped her down into her crib whilst gathering her sleep suit and bits for a nappy change. He transfered her to her changing table and started carefully removing her clothes. Cocking his head, he thought he heard the front door, but didn't call out to Milly in case he woke Eloise. However, his efforts proved futile as he cleaned her up for a new nappy, the cold of the wet wipes being enough to stir her from sleep.

She grumped and snuffled but didn't seem to have the energy for a full blown meltdown. Benedict gazed down her as he did up the poppers of her sleepsuit. She was so big, and yet still so small. Her big pale blue eyes were huge in her face, framed beautifully by long dark luxurious lashes; always a talking point with strangers who'd stop to admire her. She'd clearly inherited her hair and lips from Benedict, but her nose and rosy cheeks were undeniably her mother's. He gathered her up in his arms again, marvelling at the difference in weight from when they'd first brought her home from the hospital. He knew he could just put her down and she'd drift off to sleep justs fine, but he couldn't bring himself to let go of her just yet.

In the comforting glow of the nightlight, Benedict positioned Eloise against his shoulder, her whispy ringets tickling his chin. Her hair had darkened somewhat over time, matching her father's auburn mop rather than the original shock of ginger, but the nickname had stuck fast. He hummed, making a tune up as he went along and waltzing gently from foot to foot as he enjoyed this quiet moment with his daughter. The first year had already flown by so quickly... before they knew it, Eloise would be a stroppy teenager demanding to stay out all hours and having boyfriends and god knows what else. Benedict breathed in the smell of baby powder and forced himself not to think about it.

He stepped toward the crib, ready to tuck Eloise up for the night. As he shifted her from his shoulder, she let out a quiet cry indicating that she was still awake and really didn't want to be put down.

"You're lucky I like you so much," Benedict smiled at her, settling himself into the lone armchair next to the crib. He cradled her in the crook of his arm and she gazed up contentedly. She gave a wide yawn, displaying her uneven collection of little milk teeth. "A bed time story it is then."

He picked up the book nearest to hand - a large paperback children's picture book. "Little Red Hen?"

Eloise sighed in agreement and watched her father intently as he opened the book. She lent forward, sliding her chubby hand across the illustration of a farmyard. "Ed-hen," she mumbled through a yawn.

"Yes, that's right, Little Red Hen. Say 'Red Hen'"

"Hen-en" Eloise snuggled into Benedict, one eye on the book. He bent down and kissed her head. Dropping his voice to a low, calming whisper, he read to her. She gave one last terrific yawn, and by the time he'd reached the third page, she was fast asleep.