Learning to Love

Newborn!

3 days later

Cruella awoke in the dead of night to Gypsy's crying and she groggily pushed herself up. She glanced beside her, expecting to see Jasper still fast asleep but he wasn't in the bed at all. The baby's wailing still rang out and Cruella turned to the bassinet beside her bed. Gypsy wasn't there, either. Now panic set in.

Where was her baby? Had The Baroness broken in and stolen her? She still heard Gypsy crying. Cruella squinted through the darkness, seeing a dark figure with a bundle that had to be Gypsy in its arms.

"Give me my baby," Cruella demanded.

"I've got her," Jasper's voice assured her. "Don't fret, darling. She's perfectly fine."

"She is not," Cruella insists. "She's hungry and wants her mother. Give her here."

"Alright, alright," Jasper smiles in the darkness.

Jasper gently lays the little bundle of joy in Cruella's arms. Cruella cradles her daughter as she prepares to nurse her, the baby instantly settling down. She leans back against the headboard of their bed, turning her gaze to Jasper as he sits back in bed.

"Once she's done I'll change her and lay her down again," Jasper offers, looking over Cruella's shoulder and smiling at their baby.

"Thank you, darling," Cruella smiles at him.

Her charming smile had become a more common sight. She was still highly alert and on edge after the traumatic birth, but was more than happy with Gypsy. She was always holding her, humming or walking around aimlessly with her. Just as Cruella loved her, Gypsy was obsessed with her mother. The newborn was rarely content for long if she wasn't in Cruella's arms.

After a while, Gypsy was contently falling back asleep in her fathers arms as he swayed with her back to her bassinet. Cruella watched happily from her bed, loving how Jasper was just a few days in with a newborn and was already an incredible father. Cruella was exhausted, however, and was asleep by the time Jasper returned to bed. He chuckled lightly at her sleeping form and it wasn't but a moment before he, too, joined her in slumber.

The next morning, Gypsy had woken her parents up early yet again, just as the sun was coming up. Cruella picked her daughter up out of her bassinet and the baby quieted down. She glanced down at the space beside her, Jasper snoring lightly in the early morning. Cruella was secretly disappointed that he wasn't awake to help her, but brushed it off and gingerly swung her legs over the side of the bed.

Even though the nursery was ready to accommodate little Gypsy, Cruella and Jasper had both agreed that they felt much safer and it was better for Gypsy if she stayed in their room for the time being. Still, Cruella couldn't resist the urge to bring Gypsy in the nursery every morning to get her ready for the day. The small closet was packed with intricate onesies and tiny outfits, each and every one a new option for the given day.

Today, Cruella had the Dalmatian spotted onesie in mind. She cooed and baby-talked to Gypsy as she changed her and worked the onesie on. Once finished, Cruella smiled at her newest and favorite masterpiece, laying Gypsy in the crook of her arm as she prepared to nurse her for that morning. She laid a small towel over her shoulder to burp the baby later as she eased herself down into the rocker.

As she was a few minutes into nursing her baby, Jasper walked in. He smiled at the sight of his wife and daughter, somehow amazed that he could still see Estella in her even though his wife had changed so much since he had met her. He loved her feisty side, sure, but that was always something special that drew him to her when he could see the kind, loving Estella he'd first fallen in love with.

"Morning, darling," Cruella greeted him without taking her eyes off Gypsy.

"Dalmatian print today?" Jasper grinned at Cruella's choice for their baby.

"She's adorable!" Cruella defended.

"Always," Jasper chuckled. "I'm going to see if Gypsy kept the others up last night."

"Alright, we'll be down shortly," Cruella responded, smiling up at him. Jasper nodded curtly and walked out and down the hall.

Gypsy threw her arms around aimlessly after she'd decided she was full. She managed to grip onto a bit of Cruella's hair, Cruella having to gently get the baby to let go. She wiggled a tiny stuffed Dalmatian in front of her.

"Play with this, sweetheart, not your mother's hair," Cruella told Gypsy lightly. Gypsy cooed at her and grabbed the dog, kicking out her feet happily.

"Come along, let's go meet your uncles downstairs," Cruella smiled as she lay Gypsy on her shoulder. "One of them or your father can watch you while I get ready."

Cruella walked down the steps carefully, thinking about how nice a hot shower would feel.