Most Valuable Parent (MVP #1)

BONUS CHAPTER - Hubba Hubba Baby

I squat down the best of my ability to help Charlie before she stands up. I flush the toilet before walking back into her room.

I basically fall back onto her bed this time before exhaling a heavy breath, "Okay, arms.", Charlie raises her arms up and I slide the jersey over her head, pulling the sleeves onto her arms along the way.

"Hair?", she picks up the ends of her brown hair.

"What do you want?"

"Curls!"

"We don't have time for that tonight baby." Nor does Mommy have the energy.

"Aww, okay. The piggies with the bwaids!"

"Piggies with the braids?", I can swing that for tonight.

It's usually hair stylist central up in here but lately, I have no desire to stand there curling hair for less than half an hour so, ponytails and pigtails- or piggies, ponies, or bunnies- are the new curls here at the Brooks's house for the time being.

Charlie skips into the bathroom, pulling out the organized box of colored elastic bands as she uses the step stool to climb onto the counter.

I reach over grabbing her hairbrush and the spray bottle. I brush out her tangled hair before spraying the top of her head with water to silk back the pigtails because she hates bumps.

Charlie reaches over, grabbing the large glass jar, full of different colored and shaped bows- the sizes varying. She digs around and pulls out a small, gold colored velvet bow with an alligator clip- because the barrettes hurt her head. A look of concentration appears on her face as she searches for the bow's identical twin.

I begin to braid her pigtails until she grunts and lets out a humph, crossing her arms.

"What's wrong Cutie?"

"I can't find the matching one." Charlie pushes out her bottom lip into a pout as she looks at me through the mirror.

"We'll find it. Give me just a second." I tie the end of the braid in a pink elastic band, per Charlie's request. Purple holding the pig tails, pink holding the braids.

I reach into the jar, my hand going all the way to the bottom until I pull out the matching velvet bow, "See. Found it!"

"Yay!" I clip the bows on the top of her pigtails and she grins.

We're getting better at picking out our own outfits. I quickly learned that it was best if I picked out the outfit and she picked out the accessories. We've come a long way since the bright blue bows with the cute little neutral outfits she'd wear. Totally ruined the vibe she had going.

Now, she picks out bows that actually match. For example, she picked gold bows to match the Tigers' colors. The bronzed color orange with black letters that are outlined with gold.

"Okay baby, you ready to go?"

"I hungwy."

I pull her off of the sink, "We're getting dinner soon."

"Okay!"

I slip a pair of socks on her feet before she puts on her little black booties herself with a proud smile on her face. "Zip 'em!"

She lifts her feet up in front of me and I chuckle, zipping up the sides. "You have to say please, remember?"

"Pwease!"

"There ya go."

We walk down the stairs and into the garage as I unlock the Grand Wagoneer and open the back driver side door, "Come on."