Snuggles and Tears Chapter 40
Date Published: October 15, 2008, 5:03am
Written By: BabyButt
Hi Folks,
This can be looked at as the end of Billy’s regression, or the beginning of his new life.
I have put a poll in place as I mentioned I would. Please let me know which you would prefer.
Thanks,
Enjoy!!
BabyButt
Chapter 40
Sharon gave Frank a big hug, she had always been fond of this gentle giant. Pulling back from him after a moment, she put her finger to her lips as Becky giggled.
Becky stood at the side of the crib, looking down at Billy sleeping soundly. Rick had gone back out to get the bath seat and set it on the floor. Becky went over and picked up Pooh Bear and Billy’s blankie, moved back to the crib and placed the stuffed animal where he could snuggle with it. Spreading his blankie out, she gently covered him with it, tucking it in around him. She couldn’t help giggling when a muffled sound came from the bump in the blanket where Billy’s bottom was. She thought it was cute that he went poopy in his sleep, just like a little baby.
Sharon quickly ushered everyone out of the room, but not before Phillis picked up the remote part of the baby monitor and clipped it to Sharon’s jeans in her left front pocket. Her mom turned the base station on just before leaving the room.
Sharon stood for a moment, watching her baby boy sleeping in his beautiful new nursery. Warmth swelled inside her as she thought about how much work had been involved with making this room perfect for when they got home. She felt much better about being away from the hospital with all of the caring people surrounding her little boy. Closing the door gently as she left, Sharon heard her sister talking as she made her way down the hall.
“…looks so sweet laying in his crib.” Rachael said.
“I know, I just wanted to pick him up and hold him.” Phillis said as Sharon walked into the livingroom.
Moving to where Becky sat on the couch, next to her grandmother, Sharon reached down, took Becky’s hand and pulled her to her feet. Sitting where Becky had just been, Sharon pulled Becky up in her lap. Hugging her tightly, “I love you and missed you soooo much!” Sharon told her daughter. She didn’t want Becky to feel like excess baggage with all of the attention Billy was getting from everyone.
Becky, snuggled close and replied “I love you too Mommy!” with a girlish giggle.
Sharon had noticed that Becky had been calling her ‘Mommy’ more often lately. She knew Becky was in that awkward stage where she’s part self centered little girl, and part understanding young lady. She also knew she would have to be sure to spend more time snuggling with Becky to help make this transition with Billy easier. There was no telling how long he would be a little baby, and any time she spent with Becky would head off the jealousy monster.
That thought brought the episode last night to mind, and Sharon felt she may as well address the issue now. “I need to explain something to all of you.” she said.
That got everyone’s attention, and the room quickly fell silent.
Sharon explained the details of Billy’s nightmare, and his reaction to it. “He was trembling.” she told them. “He was scared to death that someone would take him away from me.” she continued, her eyes glassy.
“Poor baby, that’s horrible.” Rachael said as she took a moment to consider how Bobby would react if she disappeared from his life.
“I know, I couldn’t help but cry with him when I figured it out.” Sharon elaborated. “He’s having a hard time with this. I want you all to do something for me, I want you, for now, to encourage him to just be a little baby for a while. It will be a lot less confusing for him.”.
“Peter told him it would be easier if he just let go, and he also encouraged him to embrace the feeling of being an infant. It was so he could enjoy playing with baby toys, but it would probably solve that problem too.” Rick told them.
Sharon thought about it for a second and said “I believe the best way to handle this, is not to respond to his kicking or arms moving, unless it’s really important, but only to his crying. Peter told me that children adapt to their environment fairly quickly, and that if we responded to him as a baby, it would cause him to adapt to that. I think he’ll learn quickly to cry when he needs something.” she explained.
Frank offered “I can’t begin to imagine what it would be like to be a nine year old trapped in an infant’s body, but it would probably scare the hell out of me. Does he behave like an infant?” he asked, and then quickly clarified “I mean emotionally, obviously there’s a physical problem.”.
“Yes, very much so. You should have seen him when I bathed him last night.” Sharon told him with a smile. “He giggled his little butt off as I washed his toes. I was definitely seeing a little baby boy when I looked in his eyes.”
Rick added “And when he was in the therapy room on the play mat, he was definitely an infant mesmerized by the toy hanging in front of him. He giggled like a two month old as he kicked his feet and made the toy produce sounds.” laughing as he finished.
“Well, I guess that settles it then. It makes sense to encourage him to fit his body and his emotional level, anything else will just confuse and frustrate him.” Frank explained.
Sharon couldn’t help feeling bad. Sometimes, because of his size and his demeanor, she forgot that this wonderful bear of a man was very smart. Smiling, she said “I couldn’t have explained that better if I tried.” she told him.
Becky looked at her mom and asked “Will he be a big boy again?” with concern in her eyes.
Sharon held her a little tighter and replied “Yes, everyone thinks he will get better Sweety, it will just take a while, and by a while, I don’t mean a week or a month. It may take a year to get where he was, or more. We’re not going to push him,” she explained and “this time” popped in her head but she continued with “we’re going to let him grow up at his own pace. If he still wants his binky and blankie a year from now, we’ll wait a while longer.”.
Becky smiled at that. She was fine with Billy being a baby boy for now. She just didn’t want him to be stuck that way forever. “Can I help take care of him?” she asked excitedly.
“Yes, you most certainly can. It’s going to be a bit more hectic around here with a baby in the house, and I would really like your help.” Sharon told her with a smile.
“Neat!” Becky said with a giggle.
“But you need to remember Sweety, he’s not one of your dolls, he’s a real person. He could get hurt if you’re not careful.” Sharon explained, trying to make sure Becky understood there were dangers involved.
“I’ll be careful Mommy, I promise.” Becky said. She hadn’t considered that part of it. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt her baby brother. She still vividly remembered his devastated crying three days ago, and she never wanted to hear him cry like that again.
Sharon and Rick continued to fill the others in on all that had happened at the hospital when twenty minutes later, Sharon suddenly heard Billy start crying long and hard. She immediately got up and practically ran down the hall to see what was wrong.
~~~~~~~~
Billy slowly became aware he was laying down. He had been sleeping. The last thing he remembered was nursing at Mommy’s boobie. Nummies were so nice, feeling Mommy’s nipple in his mouth made him feel so comfy. The memory of that was so comforting, he refused to open his eyes. It took a moment for him to recognize that the crib felt so much more comfortable right now.
After a moment, he finally opened his eyes and saw Pooh Bear laying next to him. With a huge effort, he managed to stretch his arm out and let it fall over Pooh’s tummy. Then, concentrating, he pulled the bear close and nuzzled his face against Pooh’s. That made him smile. Pooh was sooo soft!
He lay there snuggled with his bear for some time, then felt the front of his dipey get warm. He loved that feeling. He knew he was going pee pee in his dipey, and relished the feel of the warmth spreading across the front and toward the crotch of his dipey.
Finally opening his eyes again, he looked over and immediately noticed he wasn’t in his hospital room. He didn’t know where this place was and that made him afraid. As he turned his head first one way, and then the other, he saw he was in a nursery. His hospital crib had metal bars and these were white and round. Because he was laying on his tummy, he couldn’t see anything that wasn’t directly to one side or the other of the crib.
The more he looked around, the more scared he got. Where was he? The bad dream he had before came back to him. “Where’s Mommy?!?!” immediately popped in his head and he started to panic. Within seconds, he started to cry really hard. He wanted Mommy!
A few seconds later, when he saw Mommy, he was so relieved, all he could do was continue to cry.
“It’s alright Baby, Mommy’s here.” Sharon told Billy as she picked him up and cuddled him close. She held him tightly, rocking him back and forth gently, saying “Mommy’s got you, I’m right here Baby, Mommy’s got you.” Over and over until he calmed down. Once he settled down, her nose told her he was messy.
“Let’s get your stinker butt all clean, Baby.” she told him as she moved to the changing table. Billy fussed as she laid him down to change his diaper. “It’s OK, Baby. I just need to change your dipey.”. The look in his eyes told her he was not an infant at that moment. When he pushed his arms out wildly and fussed louder, she knew he didn’t want to be laying down just then. Steeling herself, she resolved to ignore his signing and treat him like she would any little baby, and change his diaper.
When Billy started to get frustrated as she unzipped his sleeper, Sharon picked up a spare binky from the plastic container on the changing table and popped it into his mouth.
While he was frustrated that Mommy didn’t seem to understand that he just wanted her to hold him, the nipple entering Billy’s mouth caused him to instinctively start nursing, and that calmed him considerably.
When Mommy bent down and gave him a kiss on his forehead and said “You’re fine Baby, I promise.”, he stopped crying. Mommy was there and she would help him understand where he was, he knew then. When she smiled at him, everything was better. He couldn’t help but smile back! After all, this was Mommy! When she bent down and pressed her mouth against him and made sounds like she was eating his tummy, he squealed in glee! Giggle after giggle escaped him as she played with him.
When Sharon saw that Billy had had enough giggles, she said “OK Baby, lets’ get you changed into a nice clean, dry dipey.” with a big smile.
As Mommy was changing his dipey, Billy looked around. As he looked at the wall over his head, he noticed Pooh Bear, Tigger, Piglet and all of his other favorite characters were pictured in a line, doing the various things they were famous for. For instance, Pooh had a big jar of ‘Hunny’ in his lap with his hand inside it and Tigger was bouncing on his springy tail.
Once his dipey was changed and his sleeper zipped up, Mommy put the yucky dipey in a funny looking container and then picked him up. Billy, with his head resting against Mommy’s chest, her hand on his bottom, looked around the room still wondering where this room was. “Did they move?” he thought with alarm. He didn’t want to lose his friends.
“Do you like your new room Baby?” Mommy asked him. She held him snug so he couldn’t kick his legs to answer without being scared he’d fall. “See Pooh’s everywhere.” She told him. He could see most of the room and she was right. Pooh Bear was everywhere he looked.
Mommy then opened the door and she carried him into the hall. That’s when he understood that they hadn’t moved, someone had taken all of his things out of his room. This made him upset! Where were his toys and his games?
Sharon heard Billy start to cry and she figured out what was causing it. As she neared the livingroom, she stopped to ask Rick if he’d get Billy’s formula ready. Turning then, she walked through the kitchen telling Billy “Don’t worry Baby, all of your things are still here. Let me show you.”. She stopped long enough to shift him slightly and open the door to the garage. Stepping inside, she closed the door and walked to a stack of boxes sitting against the far wall. Opening the first box marked toys she came to, she pulled out his game boy. “See Baby? Mommy and Daddy are saving these until you’re able to play with them again. I promise, we won’t get rid of anything you had in your room.” as she put the toy back in the box and then patted his padded bottom.
This made Billy feel much better! He loved his things and didn’t want to lose them. He snuggled closer and nursed his binky as Mommy took him back inside.
Sharon entered the livingroom and moved to sit back on the couch with Billy laying across her lap. Looking to Phillis, she asked “Do you know where his toy keys ended up?”.
Becky spoke up and said "I do Mommy. I’ll go get them."as she dashed off the couch.
Sharon smiled as Becky ran up the hall. She thought about reminding her there was no running in the house, but decided this wasn’t the time for that. Becky wanting to help was important, and she didn’t want to take anything away from that.
A moment later, Becky was back at her side holding two sets of toy keys for babies to chew on. Sharon took one set and held it over Billy’s face. When he didn’t react to them, she took one of his hands in hers, carefully wrapping his fingers around the large ring, and moved it closer to his mouth before putting one of the keys in his mouth.
Billy didn’t know what to make of this. He saw Mommy holding a baby toy in front of him. Did she want him to play with them? He didn’t think these would be a lot of fun. When she wrapped his hand around them and put one of the keys in his mouth, his first thought was to spit it out. As he moved his tongue to push it out though, he felt the bumps on the key. He couldn’t help it, the feeling was wonderful. He started nursing on the key, running his tongue over the textured surface again and again. The longer he did this, the harder it was to focus his thoughts. Soon Billy was lost in the simple thoughts of infancy, delighted with the sensations of each new key Mommy put in his mouth.
Rick came back from the kitchen and brought the feeding setup over and looped the strap around Sharon’s head, hanging the bag from her neck.
Frank, watching Billy as he started nursing on the keys, was astounded. "You’re right, I saw the change."he told them. Then looking at Sharon, he said “You wanted him to change.” with a smile.
“Yes, that’s why I asked specifically for these.” she said softly. “I know he’s got to be getting hungry, but I’m going to wait until he tells me by crying. I want him to get used to expressing himself that way.”.
As if on cue, the nagging owwie in Billy’s tummy finally got his attention. Nursing on the toy in his mouth didn’t make it better. He wanted Nummies! He started to cry.
Sharon pulled her shirt up, undid the clasp on her bra, dropping the flap and exposing the nipple. After taping the tube to her breast, she took the keys from Billy, turned him on his side and offered him her nipple.
Billy was nursing hungrily a second later, the incredible sensation of Mommy’s nipple stimulating his entire mouth with warmth, soft texture, and the wonderful taste of his formula.
someguy:
i found a plot hole. you have made it clear that this story was set 30 years ago, yet billy has a gameboy which was invented in 1989. so plot hole.
In reading the following quote in chapter 16 from my comment, I see that I didn’t exactly make it clear that this is not set in the 1970’s:
BabyButt:
I apologize for not making myself clear. This story has been a process of trying to take memories, second hand info, and research andconverting it to contemporary equivelant terms and settingsto make it easier for everyone to relate.
That should have said:
This story has been a process of taking memories and second hand info from aproximately thirty years ago and converting these to be in today’s time with today’s technology to make it easier for younger folks to relate to the story.
Someguy, while this is not a plot hole, sad as it is, there is one in this chapter, and I appologize to you folks for not picking it up before. I am curious to know if anyone else noticed it.
someguy:
anyway as regard to you starting a new story but picking up from where you left off, let me ask you why? whats the point to that. why dont you let this story come to a conclusion then write a sequel based a few years in the future?
The only reason I considered stopping this, is that I have personally steered away from a story because I couln’t take the time at that point to read the whole thing. This would prevent some folks from walking away from what I think is a pretty good story, because they can’t or won’t take the time to read forty, sixty or eighty chapters.
There is still a long way for Billy to go from my point of view. The pace will be able to pick up some, because I’ve spent a large amount of time (about 150 8 1/2 X 11 pages at 10 font) showing how he got here.
I spent yesturday evening working on the outline for the next section of this, and while the chapters will be detailed, we can skip ahead at points as he makes steps forward until he reaches his ultimate potential.
Sorry this has been so long, I just wanted to clarify a few things.
Thanks,
BabyButt
Thank you all for your feedback on this chapter, I REALLY like hearing from you about where the story is at.
I didn’t mean to spark another discussion on splitting the story or not, I just did what I said I was going to do and put this up for a vote.
Last I looked, approximately 70% of you folks wanted to continue things as they have been going, so that answers that.
As far as the plot hole, it was this line:
“Did they move?” he thought with alarm.He didn’t want to lose his friends.
If you remember all the way back in the first chapter, third paragraph it said:
The bigger boys would laugh at him if he tried to play with them, and they would tease when he went to play with the younger boys. After all no self respecting 5th grader would play with 1st graders. It just wasn’t done.So Billy spent a lot of his time playing by himself.
Not a noticable thing really, but I still hate to put things out there that don’t agree.
As far as:
someguy:
now when you do write something that has changed and its pointed out there is no harm in edditing your story to include what ever you missed, its one of the beauties about edditing.
I have been reluctant to edit what I’ve written unless it was a glaring mistake. More because I’ll let what I’ve posted stand on it’s merits whether they be good or bad. I will however edit the mistakes (misspelled words, extra words and extra spaces) before I post this as a completed story. I was surprised when I read through the whole thing again before posting 40, that there are a number of typos and such still there.
Also:
someguy:
As for the plot hole is it that becky notice Billy pooped and Sharon didn’t. Shes been pretty aware of his needs so far
I didn’t see this as a problem because what parent hasn’t at some point delayed changing a messy diaper to allow a baby to get the sleep they need? I’ve done it, and it didn’t seem out of place to me. I probably should have noted this as a thought from Sharon.
And Last:
wimsett:
I don’t know about others, but I wouldn’t like to see you skipping ahead in parts.
When I mention moving along quicker, I meant that it will be possible to skip several days without affecting the story as, especially at this point, things can be somewhat monotonous. I can only read about the same actions so many times, no matter how well written, and I get bored.
As Billy gets further along, the opportunity for things to get more interesting is there.
When you consider, forty chapters covered six days time, that’s really taking it slow…and I still think it was the right way to go, but it will be better to move a bit quicker now until we get to where Billy can interact more.
Thanks,
BabyButt