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The sound of the doorbell immediately caused Niall and Louis to drop their race cars, looking at each other excitedly. Harry went to the door, and both little ones followed their daddy close behind. They already had a good idea about who it was, because today was Wednesday, and every Wednesday morning a certain someone always came to visit.
“Lee-Lee!” Niall spit out his pacifier and hopped up and down excitedly, Louis copying his actions despite keeping his own pacifier in.
Liam, their daddy’s very good friend, was the best visitor ever. He always laughed, was good at playing games, and he usually brought presents with him. Liam bopped Niall on the nose and ruffled Louis’ wild strands of hair.
“Hi guys!” He greeted them warmly. “I’ve missed you!”
While Harry focused on retrieving Niall’s dirty paci off the floor with a grimace, Louis watched carefully as Liam’s hand gravitated towards his coat pocket.
“Presents!” Niall noticed too and hollered. “You brought us presents!”
“Of course I did!” Liam mocked offense. “When have I not had presents for my favorite little boys?”
Liam pulled his hand from his pocket to reveal two large red lollipops.
“What do you say to Liam?” Harry prompted, taking the candy before Louis or Niall could get to it. He also plucked Louis’ pacifier from the baby’s mouth so it wouldn’t end up on the floor like Niall’s had.
“Thank you Liam!” Niall sang, making grabby hands for his treat.
Louis, on the other hand, pouted. “I wanted orange.”
“Louis,” Harry warned.
“Thanks,” Louis said, immediately popping the red lolly into his mouth when Harry gave it back to him, despite it not being his most favorite flavor.
Liam grinned. “You’re welcome. I’ll bring orange next time, I promise.”
Harry winced, watching as Niall teethed and gnawed at the hard candy. “What rules has Daddy said about lollies?”
Louis continued to slurp loudly as he sucked on his lolly, but luckily Niall pulled his own lolly out with a ‘pop’, leaving a trail of dangling spit behind. “No running with it in our mouths and no chomping it!” He answered like an expert.
“Good boy!” Harry praised, using a thumb to wipe away the spit. “Alright, you can go play now.”
While keeping a mindful ear out to listen to his boys, Harry stayed at the kitchen table to talk with Liam. It was always enjoyable talking to a fellow caregiver, even if Liam didn’t have a little himself yet. He still read just as many parenting books, magazine articles, and websites as Harry did, and it wasn’t like he didn’t have any experience with being around little ones.
They talked about Harry trying out a new brand of night diapers for his boys, because Niall’s had leaked through the night several times this past month. Harry bragged about a new cookie recipe that the boys loved, though they were unaware that it contained tiny pieces of chopped up zucchini. Liam showed Harry possible pieces of furniture he was considering for his future nursery. Harry showed Liam some pictures he’d taken the previous week when he’d taken his boys to the petting zoo.
It was nice, talking to someone relatable. Harry wasn’t exactly a brand new daddy, but he still had some insecurities pent up inside about his parenting skills, especially now that he had two to look after instead of one.
After hearing some commotion coming from the living room, Harry decided that they should move into there to talk. Besides, the boys had missed Liam, they were probably eager to play with him. This ended up being exactly the case, with Niall and Louis tugging Liam toward their race car track as soon as he entered the room.
“You’re a natural, you know?” Harry commented an hour later as he observed Liam feeding Louis his pre-napping bottle, just like he was currently feeding to Niall. Both babies were on the verge of sleep. “I don’t know why you’re so apprehensive about going to the adoption center.”
“I will eventually,” Liam said. “It’s just…I want to be completely ready, you know? Besides, you're the natural parent, not me. Not a lot of caregivers can singlehandedly take care of two little ones without any problems. It’s a lot of work, but you’re so good with your boys.”
“Do you know what you want yet?” Harry asked. “A baby boy, or a baby girl?”
“It’s really hard to decide,” Liam replied. “That’s why I’ve bought so many gender neutral clothes and toys.”
“I’ll tell you something,” Harry said. “When I decided to get a second baby, I had my mind set on getting a little girl. I already had so many things picked out for her…cute dresses, skirts, and gowns, all pretty shades of pink and purple. But then when I arrived to the adoption center, I saw such a sweet little boy. He had the biggest curious blue eyes, and he was sucking on a paci and holding a football to his chest. And do you know what he did when I walked by?”
“What?” Liam asked, highly amused because he’d heard this story (though maybe not as detailed) several times already.
“He offered me his ball!” Harry gushed. “But instead of taking the ball into my arms, I picked him up instead. That was when I realized I wouldn’t be taking a baby girl home anymore."
“You made a very good decision,” Liam said, looking down at the now sleeping baby in his arms.
Harry smiled. “It was a mutual decision, Louis chose me first.”
“Do you ever still wish you had a baby girl?”
“Not really, I wouldn’t trade my little boys for anything in the world,” Harry said, and then flushed in delighted embarrassment. “And…sometimes it’s alright to use pretty girl clothes. They’re just babies, they don’t know the difference except for color.”
Liam snorted. “You don’t have to always defend yourself to me Haz, I’ve seen Lou and Niall in frilly rompers and gowns plenty of times before.”
“Well, the point I was trying to get across is that you don’t always have to stick to gender neutral clothes,” Harry told him. “Just buy whatever catches your eye. On another note, we should probably get these two into their cribs.”
Wednesday was also cleaning day. Well, every day was actually cleaning day, but Wednesday was the big cleaning day. It was important to keep the house as dust and mildew free as he could, especially for Louis’ sake. So once a week Harry did a complete carpet shampoo and vacuum clean. He also cleaned all the windows and washed the bedding.
Harry prided himself in having a very baby-safe house. Most of the doors had Grip n’ Twist knob covers. Every single outlet that wasn’t being used had plastic plugs. The corners of the coffee table and end tables had corner guards. The cabinets that contained medicines and chemicals also had sliding locks.
It was essential to have a safe house. Babies were very curious and rambunctious little things. They would get into everything if given the chance, and Harry wasn’t taking any chances. There was one time just a few weeks after Harry had first became a daddy to Niall where the baby had gotten his hands on bleach, and….yes, Harry probably had the most baby-safe house in the neighborhood.
He smiled as he Windexed the windows, which were covered with finger marks and nose smudges. Those were mostly Louis’ doing. Speaking of which, Louis was currently feeding Niall his apple flavored organic baby puffs while they watched Curious George, and it was just the cutest sight. Harry discreetly snuck a picture with his phone before going back to his window cleaning.
As he continued to clean, Harry thought more deeply about his babies. They got along so well, but they were also quite different from one another at times.
Niall was a sensitive baby, full of smiles and sunshine. He was shy with most strangers in the beginning, but it only took him moments to warm up to them. Niall was very easy going, and it didn’t take much to keep him occupied. He was also a very good eater, rarely resisting any kind of food. Niall did have his own difficulties though. He screamed bloody murder through all doctor and dentist visits, and he had a habit of waking up much too early in the morning or in the middle of the night. Oh, and if Niall did not take a nap, he could be a very grumpy little boy.
Louis, the tenacious little thing, was far too energetic and daring for his own good. Plagued with mild persistent asthma, he usually worked himself into flare ups a few times a week at least, if not more. It had scared Harry to death at first, and he still felt his heart seize up at the sound of the coughs and wheezes, but he’d learned to deal with it. As much as Louis hated the medicine, it ensured Harry that his little boy would breathe easy through the night.
Aside from his asthma, there wasn’t really anything that could put Louis down. He was loud and active most of the time, though he did have his quiet moments. Louis was more prone to tantrums than Niall was, but he was also quicker to get over whatever was bothering him. He was also very snuggly, once he’d burnt out his energy for the day.
Harry’s boys got along well with one another. There were hardly any fights, though that was mostly Niall’s doing. He was always willing to share and make certain situations more appealing to his brother.
It was amazing how tuned to his babies Harry was. He knew them better than they knew themselves. Niall liked chewing soft things, such as his beanie babies or the corner of his baby blanket, whereas Louis usually just plainly suckled on whatever found its way into his mouth. Niall preferred stories before bed, and Louis preferred songs. Niall was the messiest eater, but Louis always became one with the dirt and mud when he was outside.
As a Daddy, Harry even knew what times they usually wet or messed themselves, and could immediately tell when it was occurring. Louis had no shame or regard whatsoever, his diaper would grow warm and heavy no matter where he was or what he was doing. Niall on the other hand always got a funny little look on his face when he peed, it was the cutest thing ever. He also sometimes squatted when he messed in his diaper, fully stopping whatever task he was doing.
As for sleeping situations, Niall’s crib was always left with the side bar down no matter what. This was because the little boy was very claustrophobic, and being caged in was basically asking for a panic attack. That was alright though, because Niall knew better than to leave his crib or the nursery in the middle of the night. Louis needed the bars up no matter what. Not only did he move around a lot in his sleep, but Harry also didn’t trust the baby with that sort of freedom. Call him overprotective, but Harry needed to know that Louis was in one place all night, especially right next to the monitor since he sometimes had flare ups when he was sleeping.
Harry could also always tell when his boys were up to something naughty. Niall’s cheeks would always stay flushed, and he wouldn’t dare look his daddy in the eye. Louis would get fidgety, very fidgety, until he was practically bouncing up and down with nerves. They almost always confessed their wrongdoings after a single raised eyebrow from Harry.
In response to their wrongdoings, both of Harry’s little boys responded differently to discipline. Niall usually did very well after a warning or scolding. Sometimes if he was particularly out of hand, a swat to his diapered bum could usually startle him into behaving again. Louis responded well to sitting in time out, or the thinking chair as Harry called it. There were times when Harry actually had to spank him, but Louis was doing a lot better now that he was used to the house and the rules.
But Harry’s little boys hardly ever acted like menaces. His babies, Harry thought to himself as he watched them play, were probably the best little boys a caregiver could ask for.
There were a few big rules, like never ever leaving the backyard, opening the front door, touching the stove, or using the stairs unattended. Louis understood those ones for the most part, as they were to keep him and Niall safe. However, he didn’t quite understand the point of other rules.
For instance, cleaning up every toy that was played with at the end of the day seemed pointless, as they were probably going to play with the very same toys in the morning. Staying off the windowsill, taking vitamins, using pleases and thank yous, and only watching two hours of television a day were such strange rules as well, but vital according to Daddy.
You could tell how serious the rules were by what punishments were given if they were broken. Take the stove rule for example. You got fifteen spanks for that, and it was on your actual bare bottom, not just a few warning swats over your padded diaper! But then the tv rule, as another example, only got you ten minutes in the thinking chair if you pressed the button when it was supposed to be turned off.
The reason Louis was so thoughtful about rules right now was because he’d just broken one. It was the rule about climbing on the furniture. The rule was that couches were for sitting or lying down on, not for standing and jumping on.
Luckily this wasn’t one of the big rules. Daddy had reprimanded him, but not punished with spanks or the thinking chair. Still, Louis didn’t like getting scolded by his daddy, so he felt the need to make amends with the couch, petting it quietly as if the object was a cat rather than an inanimate piece of furniture.
Harry caught sight of his actions. “What are you doing, silly boy?”
“Making ‘mends,” Louis answered.
His daddy laughed. “You’re something else, you know that baby? Would you and Niall like to play outside for awhile?”
Yes, they certainly would like the play outside. The sun was shining brightly, the grass was green and freshly cut, and there were two robins eating from the birdfeeder. It was basically an invitation to go outside.
After Harry did up their velcro sneakers, Louis and Niall were off into the wild (well, the wild of the fenced backyard).
There were a lot of things that needed to get done. Firstly, the two little ones went to the corner of the yard to check up on their neighbors, the black ants. The mound consisted of four little hills in the ground, surrounded by the ants themselves. Louis and Niall had tried naming all of the ants, but there were lots of them, and they all looked the same.
“Hey Niall?” Louis asked, poking one finger gently at the dirt. “What sorts of things did you do before your old family knew you were a baby?”
Niall cocked his head to the side. “Before I had to go to the ‘doption center? Nothing really...my old family always kinda knew I was a baby. I just played with my friends at school and colored a lot.”
Louis nodded and hummed to himself. “What was it like living with Daddy before I came?”
“More boring-er,” Niall answered immediately. “I had to play by myself, ‘cept for when Daddy took me to the park and play group. There also wasn’t as many toys, and the nursery was lonely at night.”
Louis smiled at that, but he also thought about something else. “You had Daddy to yourself, always.”
“Yeah,” Niall agreed, and it made Louis’ throat feel tight. “But it was still lonely. Daddies don’t always know how to play the right way. You’re the bestest playmate ever!”
That statement essentially resolved things.
Watching ants could only be so entertaining, which was why they soon moved on to footie.
“Hey Niall, go get it!” Louis sent the ball up with the hardest kick he could. It bounced off the tall fence and flew back at them. Both babies erupted into giggles. They continued to take turns kicking the ball at the fence, sometimes passing it to each other.
When football grew boring, they played dinosaurs. Both wanted to be a t-rex, so Louis said they had to battle each other. As Louis chased Niall around the yard under the hot summer sun, his breathing felt funny, chest tightening the way it did sometimes when he played too hard.
Niall seemed to notice, and offered a suggestion to go along with the game. “Let’s make a dinosaur nest and go night-night!”
“Okay!” Louis agreed. “With sticks?”
Niall nodded. “And leaves too.”
Unfortunately, they only got halfway done with making their nest before Daddy called them back inside.
“Daddy,” Louis’ chest heaved as he coughed. “We’re not done with our game yet!”
“You can finish tomorrow, everything will still be here.” Harry reassured his troubled babies. He picked Louis up and held him against his hip with one arm, using his other to take Niall’s hand and lead them back inside. “Besides, it’s almost time for dinner.”
When they were settled back inside, Harry handed them both bottles of cold water. He rubbed Louis’ back a little and smoothed down his hair. “Stay still on the couch for a few minutes, okay love?”
Louis nodded miserably as he sucked on his cold bottle, because he did feel quite yucky now, with his chest tight and throat hurting. Niall, the best brother and companion ever, stayed next to Louis on the couch as they both drank and rested.
When it came time to be buckled into their high chairs, Louis was feeling much better. His tray was covered with diced avocados and bananas, and there was also a plastic bowl filled with soft elbow noodles sprinkled with cheese. What a yummy dinner!
“Daddy, you know what I thought about today?” Niall said through a mouthful of food.
“You can tell me after you swallow,” Harry said, amused,
Niall did so. “I was thinking that we should go swimming!”
Louis dropped his piece of avocado, eyes shining with excitement. “I’m thinking that too Daddy!”
“We’ll go swimming soon,” Harry promised. “Maybe next week, when the sun is supposed to be very hot.”
A week basically felt like a year, but Louis knew that if he fussed too much about it then they might not go at all. Niall must have thought the same thing, because he nodded silently and took another mouthful of food.
“Don’t worry, we’ll go swimming lots now that summer is finally here,” Harry assured them. “It just has to warm up a bit more first.”
After Harry cleaned their trays with a sponge, he surprised the babies by giving them each a cookie. It was rare to have candy and dessert both in one day, so this was a definite treat. It was one of the reasons Louis loved his daddy so much.
“I think it’s time for a bath and some jammies!”
It must have been a good luck night, because Niall had to have his bath first, which meant Louis had a few minutes of extra playtime.
The only reason Louis behaved extra well in his bath tonight was because Harry had bought new bath crayons. He focusing on drawing pictures on the walls of the tub, only being grumpy once when Harry had to get his behind ears and neck.
Louis lay patiently on the changing table as he was powdered and lotioned, but he grew confused as Harry fastened another diaper around the one he had just put on. “Daddy,” he whined, feeling too bulky and thick.
“These night diapers have been leaking honey,” Harry explained. “Daddy needs to double diaper until I can go to the store for some new ones tomorrow. We don’t want leakies in the crib, do we?”
The little one supposed that leakies would be bad, but it was frustrating having his legs forced so far apart. Harry finished with dressing him in a blue and green striped long sleeved, legless onesie before carrying him downstairs to the living room for his medicine and snuggles.
When they got downstairs, Louis was his brother sitting in front of the television watching Mickey Mouse. He was wearing only a t-shirt and diaper. It appeared that Niall was having the same feelings as Louis about the new diapering method. “Daddy, it’s hard to walk now!”
“Good thing it’s almost time for night-nights then,” Harry said, seemingly not affected by their predicament.
The day, as usual, was beginning to catch up to Louis. He didn’t resist his medicine tonight, inhaling the steamy air of the medicine from the nebulizer while his daddy kissed his head and rubbed up and down on his tummy. Fifteen minutes later and the day was officially over. After teeth were brushed and three songs were sang, Louis and Niall were left in the nursery by themselves, save for their kitty-cat night light and soothing mobiles.
“Love you Ni-Ni!” Louis sat up and called out to his brother from behind the bars of his crib. For good measure, he also turned to the monitor and shouted loudly, “Love you Daddy!”
“I love you too Louis, and you too Niall,” Harry’s voice came from outside the door. “Time to go night-nights though.”
Louis plopped back down on his back, gazing up at his mobile sleepily. He loved his daddy, he loved his brother, and he loved everything else about his new life and family. Louis was thankful that he got to spend the rest of his life with them.
Check out some Day by Day, Night by Night facts/snippets here if you enjoy the series!