Dad had already come over and started playing with Shi-u. Was it because he'd played with Ye-rin-i too? Dad was more experienced compared to Father-nim. Shi-u was very happy with Dad's actions and played joyfully.
Shi-u, who had been lying down, flailed his arms and legs with an intense reaction and started twisting his body to get closer to Dad. Is he trying to flip over!? An action he had only succeeded in once so far. Would he be able to succeed this time too?
,"Shi-u-ya, do your best."
,"Looks like he's trying to flip over."
Shi-u struggled for a while and succeeded in getting on his stomach. Then, he propped himself up with both arms. Shi-u, smiling brightly after succeeding in flipping over, was so lovable.
,"Heueueut...."
Why is our Shi-u so cute! Dad, who was watching with me from the side, was also smiling contentedly.
Shi-hyun-i woke up leisurely after we had all finished breakfast.
,"You're just waking up now?"
,"Ah, I'm sorry for being late."
Dad and Mom didn't scold Shi-hyun-i for waking up late.
,"Are you going to eat breakfast?"
,"Uh, well...."
,"Then I'll set it up."
I couldn't trouble Mom, so I prepared breakfast. It was just a matter of heating up the leftover soup or taking out some side dishes. While I was preparing Shi-hyun-i's meal, my parents were watching Shi-u and brought out a baby walker that I didn't know why they had.
,"A baby walker?"
,"Ye-rin-i used to ride it, but she left it here."
They brought it and left it behind? More than that, Shi-u has never ridden a baby walker before....
,"Shi-u has never ridden a baby walker before, I wonder if he'll play well."
,"Shall we try putting him in it once?"
,"Sure, go ahead."
I heard that putting a baby in a walker before 6 months is not good for their growth, so I didn't let him ride it, but would it be okay for a little while?
After finishing Shi-hyun-i's meal, I went to see how Shi-u was riding the baby walker.
Shi-u, in the baby walker, seemed awkward and didn't know what to do.
,"Shi-u-ya, Mommy's here."
Shi-u looked at me when I called him and stretched out his arms. Does he want me to hold him? Even though he stretched out his arms for a long time, when I didn't approach, Shi-u started wriggling and moving his legs, and naturally started moving with the baby walker.
,"Good job. That's how you ride it."
Shi-u seemed awkward about moving on his own. Still, he soon moved his legs nimbly and came to me. I welcomed Shi-u, who had come right in front of me.
,"Kka-kkung."
,"Kyaaaa!"
Shi-u waved his hands busily, put strength in his legs, and expressed his joy by wiggling his whole body.
When I, who had bent down, moved away slightly, Shi-u reached out his hands and came back to me.
,"He rides it well."
As if he had quickly adapted, Shi-u started moving without hesitation. I created distance as if playing tag with Shi-u.
Shi-u wandered around as if he enjoyed moving on his own. He also responded to Mom or Dad's calls and approached them. Shi-u, who had been rummaging through the wide living room, started to sob when I didn't let him catch me.
,"I'm sorry."
I took Shi-u, who had come to me, out of the baby walker and held him. Shi-u, who had been sobbing, started to smile when I held him.
,"He rides the baby walker well."
Should I let him ride it a bit at home too? I do have a baby walker that I bought.... After playing with Shi-u for a while, Shi-hyun-i finished his meal.
,"Dad, take care of Shi-u."
,"I will."
When I handed Shi-u to Dad instead of Mom, Dad seemed happy.
In comparison, Mom seemed expressionless, but also somewhat regretful. I entrusted Shi-u to my parents and cleaned up the table with Shi-hyun-i.
,"You can clean up alone."
,"Let's just clean up quickly."
I pushed Shi-hyun-i away, who was about to do the dishes, and did them myself. Shi-hyun-i looked apologetic, which made me laugh.
,"You worked hard driving yesterday."
,"It wasn't that hard."
,"Go play with Shi-u."
,"I'm playing with my father-in-law, so what."
Shi-hyun-i suddenly hugged me from behind.
,"Hey...."
I said softly, embarrassed. What would my parents think if they saw us?
When I glanced at the direction where my parents were, they were too busy playing with Shi-u to notice.
,"What's wrong with it."
Shi-hyun-i lowered his head slightly and got closer. Our eyes met as I was looking to the side, and Shi-hyun-i kissed me on the cheek.
,"Really...."
I was embarrassed, but I still felt good.
Shi-hyun-i kept hugging me until I finished doing the dishes.
,"You worked hard."
Shi-hyun-i wiped my hands with a towel after I finished doing the dishes. I felt happy receiving his meticulous touch. It was a small action, but I felt great love in Shi-hyun-i's actions.
,"Let's go see Shi-u."
Dad had put Shi-u back in the baby walker, and Shi-u was playing with a toy placed in front of the baby walker, moving little by little without staying still.
,"He's playing well."
As I was watching Shi-u play alone with a pleased expression, Dad started talking.
,"When are you going back?"
,"Don't you know?"
,"We're planning to go back in the evening."
,"That's a shame."
Dad looked at Shi-u affectionately. Hearing that Shi-hyun-i was going back this evening, Dad started playing with Shi-u even more enthusiastically. Was it because Shi-u had been riding the baby walker hard since the morning? He started dozing off even though he hadn't eaten lunch yet.
,"It's not time to sleep yet."
,"He must be tired from playing so hard."
It's a bit early, but should I feed him lunch? Or should I put him to sleep first and feed him later?
,"Mom, what do you think is best?"
,"Looking at him dozing off, it's right to just put him to sleep."
,"Really?"
,"He'll ask for food if he's hungry."
I guess... it would be better to put him to sleep than to force him to eat? I checked Shi-u's diaper and changed it. In the meantime, Shi-hyun-i brought the portable crib and laid Shi-u in it.
Shi-u must have been really tired because he fell asleep quickly without even needing a lullaby.
,"He's lovely even when he's sleeping."
,"Whose son is he?"
,"That's right. Because he's our lovely daughter's son."
Eut, I was embarrassed by Dad's sudden words. Dad was looking at me and smiling. I think it was half a joke.
After confirming that Shi-u was asleep, Shi-hyun-i and I went to the training ground.
,"Let's loosen up our bodies for the first time in a while."
,"Okay."
Shi-hyun-i also has an expedition scheduled for the day after tomorrow, and since he's been resting for a long time, he needed to check his sense of combat.
I picked up a wooden staff in the corner of the training ground and stretched lightly.
,"Ready to go?"
,"Anytime."
A sparring match with no magic use began. I repeatedly thrust my spear and tried to break through. Shi-hyun-i easily dodged, as if he could see all my attacks. His evasion movements were concise and without waste.
,"Come on, come in a little more."
Shi-hyun-i was full of余裕. I tried swinging the staff as a surprise attack during a thrust, but Shi-hyun-i stepped back greatly to avoid it.
,"I'm going."
Counterattack!? I raised the staff to block Shi-hyun-i's rush. When his fist hit the spear shaft, a strong impact occurred, and I was knocked back. Shi-hyun-i must have controlled his strength because it only ended at the level of being knocked back.
I was about to get ready right away, but Shi-hyun-i, who had approached me, hugged me.
,"Got you."
,"Ugh, what are you doing."
Hugging me during a sparring match. Shi-hyun-i just smiled.
,"My victory, right?"
Looking at his relaxed appearance, I felt angry for some reason.
,"Let's do it again!"
I know that Shi-hyun-i is stronger than me. But why am I so angry?
I attacked Shi-hyun-i again, but I couldn't land a proper attack and was repeatedly subdued by Shi-hyun-i. The problem was that all the methods of subduing me were hugs.
,"Aren't you going to do it seriously?"
,"How can I hit you?"
,"Ha, forget it."
My body was soaked with sweat from the sparring match that lasted over 40 minutes. This should be enough to loosen up my body.
,"Are you going to stop?"
,"Yeah, I'm going to go wash up."
,"Okay, I'll do it more and then go."
,"Okay."
I smelled of sweat, and I was embarrassed because Shi-hyun-i kept hugging me. Still, it felt good to move my body after a long time. I need to move my body sometimes so it doesn't get stiff.
When I came out of the shower, Mom was waiting in front of the bathroom with Shi-u.
,"Shi-u woke up?"
,"What are we going to do about lunch?"
Shi-u was being held by Mom, and he was burrowing into her chest and smacking his lips as if he was hungry.
,"I'll breastfeed him."
I approached Mom and received Shi-u, and quickly prepared to breastfeed him. Shi-u started sucking right away when I gave him the breast. He must have been hungry after waking up.
,"I was wondering if I should feed him baby food if you were late, but you came quickly."
,"Really? I came quickly because I was thinking of Shi-u too."
While I was feeding Shi-u, Shi-hyun-i also finished training and came back. While Shi-hyun-i went to wash up, I finished feeding Shi-u lunch and cleaned up. And in the meantime, Shi-hyun-i came out.
,"Did Shi-u finish eating?"
,"Yeah."
After burping Shi-u, who had finished breastfeeding, I put him in the baby walker.
Is it because he rode it once? Shi-u skillfully rode the baby walker and wandered around. I kept watching him, worried that it might be dangerous, but Shi-u's range of movement wasn't that wide.
,"Should I let him ride the baby walker at home too?"
,"You weren't letting him ride it because it's bad for his growth, right?"
,"That's true... but seeing him riding around so happily makes me want to change my mind."
,"Still, I'm against it."
,"Why?"
,"You said it hinders muscle growth. Let's let Shi-u ride it when he can sit on his own."
Shi-hyun-i's words made sense. Riding a baby walker slows down muscle development, which in turn slows down behavioral development.
,"Okay."
It would be okay if his muscles are developed enough to sit on his own, right?
Dad had already come to Shi-u's side, who was playing, and was shaking a toy. Shi-u was led by the rattling sound of the toy and followed Dad. After following him for a while, Shi-u started to sob.
,"Dad!"
,"Ah, I got it."
Dad handed the toy he was holding to Shi-u at my scolding. Shi-u received it and stopped sobbing and started shaking it. Everyone, including my parents, created distance and watched Shi-u playing alone.
,"He plays alone unlike Ye-rin-i."
,"Really?"
,"Ye-rin-i kept looking for people."
Is it because I usually let Shi-u play alone?
,"Maaaaaaa."
Shi-u, who was playing well, started babbling.
,"Maaaaaaa!!"
,"Isn't he calling you?"
I tilted my head at Shi-hyun-i's words.
,"Is he?"
Shi-u, who had been shouting continuously, suddenly rode the baby walker and came to me.
,"I guess he is."
I lowered my body and looked at Shi-u.
,"Did you find Mommy?"
,"Kyaa!"
Shi-u waved the toy happily, and I, who had been sticking my face out, got hit.
,"Shi, Shi-u-ya?"
Shi-u kept swinging the toy. Shi-u must be playing in his own way?
,"Shi-u-ya, Mommy hurts?"
Shi-u didn't understand and kept swinging the toy.
,"Mommy hurts."
When I lowered my tone slightly and gestured as if it hurt, Shi-u's expression changed.
,"You shouldn't swing it."
,"Buuuuu."
Shi-u stopped swinging with a dissatisfied expression. Did he understand? At that moment, Shi-u brought the toy to his mouth.
,"Ah?"
Then, a pacifier quickly went into Shi-u's mouth. Looking at whose hand it was, it was Shi-hyun-i's hand.
,"Good job."
Shi-hyun-i smiled softly. Shi-u, with the pacifier in his mouth, started playing alone again.
We went back home in the evening. Dad was sad. But our house is close, right? We can come anytime.
When we got home, I washed Shi-u and gave him water play time. Was it because he remembered playing with the baby walker? He moved his legs continuously and moved around. Shi-u, who realized that he could move by moving his legs like in the baby walker, moved his legs diligently and repeatedly came to me or went to Shi-hyun-i on the other side.
,"He uses his legs well."
After finishing about 10 minutes of water play, Shi-u dozed off. He must be tired from playing hard during the day too? I massaged Shi-u's legs, focusing on the overworked ones, before he fell asleep.
,"Good night, Prince-nim."
Shi-u, who was lying on the bed, fell asleep as soon as the massage was over.