Nina screamed and fussed, slapping the spoon away, getting the food all over Jake and his pajama onesie he had purchased so he could match the cubs when they slept. Michael looked on in confusion, enjoying his popsicle treat.
"I don't want that! I want a popsicle!" Nina cried. "Why does Michael get one?"
Jake examined the mess over himself and sighed. He'd have to run this through the wash. "Nina, you know you can't have one until you finish your dinner proper. Michael finished his like a good pup and so he gets a treat. You'll get one too if you finish this."
"I want popsicle!" She yelled again.
"No, eat your food first!" Jake lifted the spoon to her. She batted it away again.
"Mom always gives me a popsicle before dinner! Not after!" Nina fussed, bouncing angrily in her high chair. Michael looked on with interest, licking his popsicle.
Jake glanced over at Taylor who had not deigned to turn around and watch the rising altercation. "Hun, please don't give the reward before the task. It undermines the discipline we're trying to instill and makes our job harder." He paused a moment. "Well, my job harder right now."
"Okay, I'm sorry. I just can't resist their cute faces when they ask." She finally peeked her head around. "Nina, go do what daddy tells you and finish your dinner."
Nina flipped the entire bowl over the edge and onto the floor, causing Jake to groan and go pick it up. "No! I want popsicle now!" She squealed.
"This one is going to require patience." Jake was resigned to a long hour of battling wills against a stubborn child. "Go take Michael somewhere else, please."
"Of course, love." Taylor smiled, lifting the taciturn pup out of his adjacent high chair and then placing him onto her hip. He was still contently licking away. "Will you be alright?"
Jake gave a weak grin before turning back to the wild child. "Nothing I haven't dealt with before when I was older brother to fifty other siblings. I'll be fine. Love you."
"Love you too, dear. I'll make it up to you tonight." She kissed him on the cheek before leaving him to it.
