Chapter 36

Hal.

"Daddy look at this."

I looked away from my iPad to Jesse who was on his knees, pushing a coloring book so close to my face it almost touched my nose.

"What is it, baby?"

"I color Snow White." Jesse said, his voice had risen to its higher pitch. His little pitch. He had on a white cotton shirt and shorts with Winnie the Pooh on it, socks with ruffles on in and his collar wrapped around his neck.

My baby boy.

I looked at the picture, my heart swelling with pride. "Oh, you did a treat job, kitten."

Jesse scrambles to his feet and climbs into my lap, curving his leg a bit. His coloring book was open but it was being crushed between us as Jesse cupped my face with his hands.

"Little prince, what are you doing?" I asked him, amusement flowing through me as I watched my little.

"Daddy..." Jesse said, tilting his head to the side, his lips slightly puckered as he spoke. Adorable.

"Yes, kitten?"

"Do you love me like Olaf love snow?" Jesse asked and I couldn't hold back the chuckle. Jesse's new obsession wasn't Sophia the first anymore but Frozen one and its sequel.

"More than Olaf loves snow, baby." I replied honestly.

Jesse's eyes widened so much, his jaw going slack as he stared at me. It took him a couple seconds before he links repeatedly. "That's much."

"Very much."

"Like this much." Jesse said, spreading his arms wide.

"Even more than that." I told him and Jesse let out the loudest giggle ever. He cupped my face again and leans closer this time, his nose pressed against mine. He was so insistent about looking at me that he had gone cross eyed. The little cutie.

I couldn't help but chuckle.

"What is funny, Mister bear?

"You are, kitten."

Jesse stared at me before shaking his head. I raised my brow at the boy, wondering amusedly what was making him laugh. I don't get the chance to ask though because he's crawling out of my lap and onto the floor again. He had gone back to coloring but I had the best idea of what he would love to do.

I got down on my knees and pressed a kiss to his head. "I'll be back in a minute, alright, kitten?"

Jesse immediately reached for Cloudy and handed him over to me, making sure I was holding the stuffie before he replied.

"Cloudy will protect you."

"He will?"

"Yes. He's very strong. He told me so." Jesse said and I couldn't help but coo. I ruffled his hair a bit, leaning down to press another kiss to his forehead again.

"Thank you, baby."

"Gotta protect daddy too." Jesse said with a big smile. Of course he did, my perfect little. I hold onto the bear as I made my way down the corridor and to the storage room. I walked in, looking through the see through plastics, looking for a particular thing. Or in this case things.

I found them and quickly filled them up in the kitchen before going back out. Jesse was still where I had left him like the best boy he is and he was really focused on coloring Princess Jasmine's hair red.

I placed the items beside him and he quickly looked over at them, letting out a loud gasp when he saw it. It was two moderate sized neon green water guns. He quickly grabbed one and looked over at me.

"Can we play?"

"What's the magic word?" I asked, my arms crossed as I stared down at him.

"Please..."

"Of course we can play, kitten."

I helped Jesse onto his feet and also carried the second water gun. Cloudy was safely sitting on the couch and Jesse quickly put Penny Guin, his penguin stuffie beside him.

It was a fun game they played out in the yard. Jesse chasing after me with his water gun, I didn't stand a Chance. Before I knew it I was wet all over and so was Jesse but he had the most blinding smile on his face.

I tossed the water guns onto the ground and Jesse wraps his arms around my waist, head resting on my chest as he tried to calm his breathing.

"Tired?" I asked him as we walked back into the house.

"A little."

"How about a quick nap?" I asked and Jesse nods. At the word nap, he had let out a loud yawn. I took him into his room, now fully decorated and filled with everything he needs.

Jesse has changed his mind later on and now his walls were a pastel purple, glow in the dark stars on the ceiling, a little walk in closet containing every onesie and ever piece of clothing i and picked out as well as shoes, socks, binkies, stuffies and so much more.

Jesse's bed was a queen sized bed with a lot of pillows, soft sheets and fluffy duvet that he said reminded him of cotton candy. Two side tables, a small table and chair, a mini library of bedtime stories and a humidifier just in case.

Once we walked into the room, Jesse clapped his hands and the lights come on. I took out a long sleeved shirt with Mickey Mouse on it and it's matching pants. Once Jesse had changed into the clothes, I blow dried his hair, brushing it down so he looks and felt better and also a little warm too.

"Can you stay when I sleep?" Jesse asked as I should say no. He knew how to sleep alone but I couldn't. He didn't deserve to hear no at all.

"Of course, baby. I'll be here."

I tucked him into bed, pressing a kiss to his forehead and quickly went to get my iPad. Once I was back and seated on the bed, my back against the headboard, Jesse turned over, his arm slug around my waist. He was already asleep. My adorable boy. He looked so peaceful and I let out a yawn.

I could get work done later.

I switched off the laptop and placed it on the bedside table. I clapped once and the lights went out. I shuffled down and pulled Jesse to me, my perfect boy nuzzling my shoulder as he slept.

I kept holding him, even when my eyes began to droop and finally closed.

-

I woke up to the sound of giggles and something poking my nose. I peeked through an eyes, trying to hold back my smile when I see Jesse smiling widely with bright eyes and bright cheeks.

"Let daddy sleep."

"But I'm bored."

"Baby..."

"Baby is hungry too." Jesse said and I sit up immediately. Jesse sat cross cross apple sauce beside me as I stretched out my hands. Once I was done, he makes grabby hands at me and I picked him up. My first stop was to the bathroom where I quickly freshened the both of us up before we head towards the kitchen, Jesse still in my arms, legs wrapped around me.

When I got to the kitchen, Jesse began to wiggle so I let him get down. He let out an oop and walked fast to the direction of his room and I just shook my head fondly at him. I had just gotten the bowl of cut up fruit from the fridge when Jesse comes back, this time with a pacifier in his mouth and Cloudy, his stuffie.

"Would you like to eat a little apple first?" I asked Jesse. He nodded and I dished out a couple slices of apple and some melon, placing it on his favorite bright yellow plate. He followed me as I made my way towards the dining table and quickly got into his seat. I set down the tray containing his snack and sippy cup containing water down.

I took out the pacifier, narrowing my eyes at Jesse in a warning when he started to whine. I took the pacifier and dipped it in another cup that had juice it in. He could take it back afterwards.

I sat down and watched Jesse eat each slice of the apple, his legs kicking underneath the table, he also hummed while eating. Jesse looked every bit of happy and bright and I just couldn't look away from him. Once he was done and his water was finished, he raised the light plate and showed it of proudly to me.

"You're a good boy." I told him, standing up from my seat.

"The best?"

"The bestest best boy." I said, walking over and pressing a kiss to his head.

"Silly daddy." He giggled, his cheeks still pink, still gorgeous. Once the used plate and cup were back on the try and the pacifier back in Jesse's mouth, we both head back to the kitchen.

I needed to cook something for the both of us. The clock in the hallway read two fifteen pm and yeah, we both needed to eat something. So I decided to make quinoa, chickpea and sweet potato salad with curry tahini dressing.

Before starting I looked for my phone a bit, finally finding it buried underneath the coloring books in the sitting room. I connected it to the speakers and tapped on Jesse's playlist, Into the Unknown by Idina Menzel and he lets out a loud squeak.

While he danced and sang along, I got food read. The potatoes peeled and diced, drained and rinse chickpea, my cup of quinoa, baby spinach, red onion, dried cranberries and all.

I don't even notice I'm singing along to the song as I cooked. I put together diced sweet potato, olive oil and salt and pepper, I'm going to let it bake for twenty five or so minutes before taking it out. Once that was done and I had moved away from the oven, Jesse danced over to me, taking my hand in his.

"Let's dance, daddy."

"What if daddy doesn't want to dance?"

The song changed to Zero to Hero from the Hercules soundtrack and Jesse tried to sing along.

"Who put the glad in the gladiator?" The women sang and Jesse loudly cheered.

"Hercuuleees..."

We danced through the change of songs and I don't even know where Jesse found the energy to do this. My little prince. In record time, the quinoa was cooked, the dressing made and the potatoes done. I add the quinoa, roasted sweet potato, chickpeas, spinach leaves, red onion, dried cranberries and cashews. Seasoned with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil and mixed everything together.

I placed the bowl on the kitchen table, two flat plates beside it and the large wooden serving spoon.

"Come on, bunny, lets eat."

Jesse took his seat and I slipped his bib on for him. He must have forgotten his pacifier somewhere. I put on each flat plate a moderate amount of food and gave Jesse his plastics fork. The yellow one with tiny bubbles drawn on it.

He took his first back and made an oooh sound.

"Is it good, kitten?"

"The best good." He said with an enthusiastic nod. I chuckled at my boy and decided to take a bite of my own food. It was a messy affair for Jesse whose food was half in his mouth, some on the bib and some on the floor.

It just didn't bother me. He was eating happily, all the dancing had made him even more hungry. My little prince alternated between eating and taking a drink of water from his sippy cup.

"Want to watch something after we're done eating?" I asked, taking the last forkful of food.

"Mulan..." Jesse said, looking at me with big blue eyes.

"Mulan it is then, kitten."

The plates were stacked in the sink, fallen food cleaned away, bib in the washer and Jesse's face cleaned. Once everything was done, we settled on the long couch in the sitting room, Jesse cuddled up to me, the two of us covered by the spare duvet I had gotten.

It was me, Jesse and cartoons. The perfect mix.