*3 months later*
Louis POV
"Shhh, the baby's asleep and you don't wanna wake him up again do you?" I whispered as my 2 year old looked at me with furrowed eyebrows.
"You play?"
"Only if you finish all of your carrot sticks and drink your milk, babes." I said calmly, soothing down Niall's wispy blonde hair, although in the last few weeks it has definitely gotten thicker.
"Hmm... But then we play any single game I want" he lisped innocently. He always picks hide and go seek but this time that just won't work. You see, Harry is teething at the moment, and he's been awake night and day with his sore gums and crying non-stop for some form of comfort but sadly, nothing can console him. We've tried everything; medicinal remedies, herbal remedies, teething rings, bonjela, a dummy, everything! My poor munchkin.
"Not hide and go seek or any games that involves the living room or noise. Your brother is exhausted! Upstairs is out of bounds as well because Liam wants to make up the baby's new room." Niall didn't seem to mind another baby in the house, after we explained that it wasn't going to be his brother or sister.
"Otay..ammmmmm..." He lisped as he began to shift uncomfortably on the spot. "Ni? Do you need to use the potty?"
He put his head down and nodded shy in response, blushing as he did so.
"Hey! No need to be embarrassed! You're a big boy now! That's really cool!"
"But daddy, I wanna play, not go wee wee"
"Wee wee's first and then we can play with your trains, is that a deal?" I tried to persuade, but only earning a quiet "otay" as an answer.
"That's my boy. Can I be the green train boo?"
"Daddy!! That's Gordon!" He laughed at his seemingly clueless father. Little did he know that once upon a time I was a Thomas the tank engine super fan and naming the all the trains is something I could easily do in my sleep but seen as he's still only a baby of sorts I'll have to leave him off on that one.
"Yeah, Gordon."
Looks like today will be spent on my tummy playing with trains.
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"Choo choo!" Niall exclaimed suddenly as he decide to go to 'the big valley' which turned out to be a slight dip in the floorboards but even so, the fact he knows what a valley is impressed me. He's only 2 for crying out loud!
"Now daddy.. You need go to the shop and get the Miwlky for the twains" he instructed, his dummy impairing his speech a bit.
"I think the trains would prefer some diesel Ni." Zayn chuckled as he watched us play, clearly trying to procrastinate his chores. This was normal for zayn but it never lasted long. Within an hour I'm sure he'll be elbows deep in warm, soapy water washing the kids bottles and beakers and whatever else has accumulated on the draining board since last night.
"No papa, dey changed their minds."
Just as Niall finished his sentence a loud cry erupted from the living room, causing zayn and I to glance at one another sympathetically.
"You play with ni, I'll get the baby" I mumbled while standing up slowly.
The pained cries grew louder and more urgent as the living room door drew nearer, his desperate cries drowning out the tv completely.
His playpen shook slightly as he flailed his arms and legs around helplessly out of frustration and as I looked over the side of the playpen my heart shattered.
Harry was laying on his back with his fists balled up and his face was red with exertion, but his little cheeks had a shade of red that was a shade or two darker than his face. His gums must be in agony.
I gently rubbed my hand in circles along his tummy, wanting to calm him down a little before he made himself ill. As soon as he calmed down enough to open his emerald green eyes I scooped him up gently, feeling him flop his head onto my chest like he always does when he's sick or just upset in general. The steady thumping of my heartbeat always works.
"Oh those teeth are being right old meanies aren't they?" I cooed as he cried out in his usually babbles between hiccups.
His hand grips onto my t-shirt with a death grip just as I was about to sit him in his bouncer so I could go get his teething gel and teething ring from the kitchen. His eyes became glossy, brows furrowing and his lip was quivering miserably and once again my heart shattered. From the looks of it, Harry is going to have a clingy day and no one but daddy, and maybe even papa, will be allowed to hold him.
"You really know how to get what you want don't you?" I said, mainly to myself as Harry probably doesn't have the slightest clue what I'm saying.
I send zayn a quick text to get some teething supplies from the kitchen while I sat on the couch, trying not to jostle the infant too much.
He usually sits up straight and plays with something or even just squeaks but not today. Today, he nuzzles himself into the crook of my neck, laying limply.
Just as Zayn's footsteps echoed from the play room and down along the hallway to the kitchen, I felt a moist warmth engulf my chest.
"Is it lunchtime baby cakes?" I chuckled, detaching him from my top and pulled it up so he could access what he needed. He drinks more from bottles than from me now but he still goes for my milk whenever he feels a bit under the weather.
As zayn strolled in quietly with all the teething stuff I'd texted him for he flashed a light smile in our direction, not saying a word incase the nursing little boy became distracted or fussy.
All I could do in return was mouth a silent "thanks" before he smiled again and went back to playing trains with Niall.
It wasn't long before harry was finished, burped and chewing contently on his lion teething ring, cooing at the relief the freezing fluid inside brought to his inflamed gums.
"C'mere sweetheart, let's put some gel on Those nasty old gums of yours" naturally he became agitated as soon as I took the teething ring from his hand but he would be getting it back within the next 2 minutes so I wasn't exactly overcome with guilt.
His squirmed helplessly as I smeared the gel on his raw gums but just as I was about to take my finger out it tipped off of a little hard ridge.
"ZAYN!" I called watching as he pegged it into the room.
"Feel there. He's got his first tooth Zee!" I exclaimed as he lay reclined in a disgruntled state, completely oblivious to what was going on.
"Oh my gosh we've got another big boy now, don't we?" Zayn cooed as he picked up Harry and gave him a cuddle while the boy stretched relentlessly for his teething ring.
"He doesn't give a damn to be honest" I laughed, handing him the toy as he crammed it straight into his awaiting mouth.
"Don't you worry, he will when he's older and trying to impress the ladies with his dazzling smile" Zayn joked, earning an eye roll from me.
"Baby steps zee, baby steps"