Booby Trapped and Baby Proofed Read Free Page B

we’re limiting his liquid intake after six pm.”
    “Is he talking yet?”
    “He says a couple of words,” Jeb told him. “He’s a quiet child, but a bit adventurous. He reminds me of you.”
    “Define adventurous.”
    “He likes to climb and get into things like the kitchen cupboard. We had to secure a couple of closets too since he’s tall enough to reach the door knobs. I’ve baby proofed most of the house now. Having a toddler around kept me very busy.”
    “I want to thank you and Trudy from all you’re done for us. I don’t know how I would have gotten through all these months without you guys looking after Ethan.”
    “It’s been a pleasure,” Trudy said, entering the kitchen with a squirming two-year-old in her arms. “Look Ethan, it’s Daddy.”
    The child stopped wiggling and gazed at him.
    Is that Ethan ? The last time he’d seen him he was a small infant sleeping in a sitter. Now he was a big boy with a head of golden curls and big blue eyes. Trudy had him dressed in a blue and white sailor suit and a pair of brown sandals.
    Harrison rose and reached for the child to take the extra weight from his pregnant sister-in-law. “Come here, fellow,” he said, reaching for the child.
    Ethan turned his head and clung to Trudy.
    Harrison hadn’t expected that reaction.
    “Ethan is a bit shy around strangers,” Trudy said.
    Harrison frowned. He wasn’t a stranger. He was the child’s father. Harrison sighed. Well maybe he was a stranger. Ethan hadn’t seen him in a year and naturally, he’d grown attached to Trudy and Jeb.
    “It’s your daddy, Ethan,” Trudy told the child. “He’s come to take you to your new home.”
    Harrison reached for the child and met with the same resistance.
    “He’ll warm up to you soon,” Trudy insisted, putting Ethan in the high chair at the table next to Harrison. “Let me feed him. He’s usually friendlier after he eats.”
    Harrison nodded and sat back down to finish his coffee. He watched as Trudy dished up tiny pieces of fruit and dried cereal for Ethan. She also gave him milk in a sipping cup.
    “He doesn’t like sweet stuff,” Trudy told him. “Which is a good thing, and he does like milk and fresh fruit.”
    A health conscious two-year-old ? “Jeb was just telling me that Ethan’s potty trained already.”
    Trudy nodded. “His aim isn’t that great yet, so you still have to sit him down on the toilet seat. But he took to it like a trouper.”
    “He likes to watch educational television and he’s fascinated by commercials,” Jeb said.
    There were so many things he didn’t know about his son and had to learn.
    “Is there anything he doesn’t like besides me?” Harrison asked.
    Jeb smiled. “He’s not fond of having his hair washed and he won’t go to sleep without Bunny.”
    “Bunny?” Harrison asked.
    “Bunny is a brown stuffed rabbit we gave him for Easter,” Jeb explained.
    Harrison raised an eyebrow. The son of a Marine attached to a stuffed animal. He was never going to live this down.
    Jeb must have seen the concern on his face. “Like I said, he won’t go to sleep without it. So I advise you to keep an eye on Bunny most of the day because Ethan likes to hide him and make us find him.”
    Harrison smirked. He’d take care of that quick enough. Bunny would have to go.
    “I know what you’re thinking,” Trudy said, finally sitting down at the table. “We’ve tried to take it away. Ethan throws a temper tantrum and after a couple of minutes of hearing him cry I give in and give the rabbit back to him.”
    Harrison smirked. Trudy had buckled under the demands of a toddler. His approach would be a little different. He’d just teach Ethan that big boys didn’t need to sleep with stuffed animals.
    “Good luck,” Jeb chuckled as if reading his mind. “And you’re going to need to baby proof your house if you haven’t done so already.”
    “Baby proof?” Harrison asked.
    Both Trudy and Jeb nodded.
    “We haven’t