The nib of your pen dug deep into the page of your notebook as the bitsy mouth - the centre of your attention since late last evening - extended into a huge, well rounded ‘O’. You stared at it in utter amusement for quite a few seconds as to how such a tiny mouth was capable of being stretched into this considerably wide circumference. Her glistening eyes crinkled into half moons as she gave you an apologetic smile. Her plump cheeks looked like she had little food pouches stored away for winters. You gently tucked the soft unruly ringlets that fell on her face, behind her ears and pulled her into your lap, cuddling closer. Baekhyun announced his entry by belting out a high note breaking the enchantment your three year old had put you under.

Drawing a tally mark parallel to the 26th line you began to fret, “27 - and counting”

“Yaaaahhh, enough”, he yanked the notebook out of your hand and sprawled across the bed. A slight smile tugged at his lips keenly observing the diligent count you’d been maintaining, “She’ll only do it more if you keep staring at her.” 

Your daughter jumped out of the warmth and comfort of your lap and slowly inched towards her father.

He tackled the adorable mischief maker and tickled her lightly, “I accuse this wittle babiee of using cute tricks to hold my wife hostage.” Despite the look of disapproval on your face, he continued to use baby talk with her. Your features softened at the sound of her giggles, “Appa!”, she said before breaking into another fit. Deep indentations formed below the ends of her lower lip - the only feature she’d inherited from you, other than the hair. Otherwise, she was all Baek. In form and in substance. She grabbed her Appa’s face and placed a sloppy kiss on his nose. You had long resigned to the fact that he wore the ‘Favorite Parent’ crown.

“No, Baek. I don’t think it’s her trying to seek attention. I think it’s something else…”, your voice trailed off as you reached out for the notebook, which lay on the other side of your wrestling children, to draw another tally mark.

“Why don’t you just Google it?” a distracted Baekhyun threw you a ridiculous suggestion. And - who was holding whom hostage now? He knew for a fact that googling symptoms could possibly be the most nightmarish idea for someone like you. Someone who tends to freak out when her child displays the slightest deviation from what she considers