Cynthia'S New Home

[robehouse]

"Thank you very much. We won't be needing a nursing room. I'm just here to change her."

"The term nurse means to breastfeed a baby. You're way too old for that and besides, I'm not capable of producing milk."

Melanie takes Cynthia into the changing room and takes off her pants. She lifts her onto the changing table and changes her diaper, cleaning her with baby wipes and sprinkling baby powder on her. Melanie throws away the used diaper and wipes and gets Cynthia dressed again.

"Okay, let's wait here for everyone."

[baby_snow_white]

The lady nods. "Ok ma'am." She walks back to the front desk and sets down. The lady makes a note in the book. So the manager would know how many kids came in to be changed,How many used the nursing rooms and how many children was there today while their mom was shopping.

Cynthia nods. "That is a silly name for it. Nurse is someone who takes care of you if you are sick or hurt like a doctor. They should come up with another name for that so people don't get confused when someone says nurse." She lays there watching the mobile above the changing table. Cynthia couldn't take her eyes off of it. It was hypnotic. She blinks and nods. "Ok mommy." Cynthia takes Melanie's hand and walks with her out of the changing room. As they head towards the front door. They see Sam coming in with Susan and her pants was wet from her diaper leaking. "Mommy, it looks like Susan waited too long to get changed. Her diaper couldn't hold it all and it leaked out."

[robehouse]

"I'm not sure why they call it nurse. I wouldn't get the term confused with the person who takes care of patients though."

"Yes she looks wet. It's a good thing there is a changing station here."

Melanie sat down in a chair near the door to wait on Susan and Sam.

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia shrugs. "Me either. It seems silly to me to have one word mean two different things. They should come up with a separate word for breastfeeding a baby. Why don't they calling it breastfeeding? That is what the baby is going. She is feeding off the breast of her mommy." That was what the puppies was doing with the mommy dog." She looks at Melanie. "I forgot to go check on the puppy before we left to make sure she is doing ok." Cynthia nods. "Yes she did look wet,but her mommy will take care of it for her." She lays her head on Melanie's chest while they wait. "Mommy, seeing Susan with her mommy makes me miss my real mommy. I wonder if she is looking down on me and approves of you being my new mommy? I hope she does. Because I like having you and daddy taking care of me. I feel loved for once in my life."

[robehouse]

Melanie smiles as Cynthia talks.

"I don't know if she is either, Cynthia, but I hope so. I hope I am doing a good job at being your mother."

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "I hope so too." She smiles. "I think you are doing a pretty good job considering you have never been a mommy before. If you have any problems. You can get help from Gina. She is a mommy to Mary and she turned out pretty good. You can also talk to Sam. Since Susan and I are the same age. She probably would be a big help to you."

Gina walks into the baby care center. "Where is Sam and Susan at?"

Cynthia points down the hall. "They are down there. Susan's diaper leaked and got her pants really wet."

[robehouse]

"Yes, I can get help from Gina or Sam. You are not the same age as Susan. You may act the same age, but you are a lot older."

Melanie smiles as Gina comes into the center.

"Yes, Sam is in the changing room with Susan. They should be out in a few minutes."

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "Yes we are mommy. We are both 2 years old. I'm not older than Susan." She looks up at Melanie. "Mommy, do you think it is possible that best friends can look like each other? The reason I asked is because when Susan was eating. I noticed she sort of looked like me. That is silly though right mommy. We can't look alike. Since we are not related to each other."

Gina nods. "Oh I see."

The door to one of the changing rooms open and Sam walks out with Susan by the hand. Susan was in just her diaper,t shirt and her shoes. They walk over to where Cynthia and the others was setting. "Someone and I'm not naming names forgot to put her pants into her diaperbag like she was asked to by her mommy. Now she has no spare pants to wear over her diaper."

Cynthia giggles. "I don't see anything wrong with the way she is dressed. I think she looks cute like that." Susan giggles at what Cynthia said.

[robehouse]

"sometimes people do look like another person, even if they are not related. That is why they have impersonaters that look like famous people."

Melanie smiles as Susan and Sam come out of the changing room. "I guess Susan will remember to do as she is told from now on."

"Where are we going now?"

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "I guess so mommy. I wish I looked like a famous person and I know who I want to look like. That is Tinkerbell. Then I could live in Pixie Hollow with the other fairies and I could be with Peter Pan. He is so cute in those green tights. Almost as cute as Robin Hood is in his's."

Susan shakes her head. "Probably not. I like running around without my pants on. It is more fun."

Sam looks at Melanie. "Well I thought we would drop the girls off at the playroom so they can get rid of some excess energy and go have some adult alone time. Then I thought we would go to the movies and see Shrek."

Cynthia looks at Melanie. "What is Shrek mommy?"

[robehouse]

"All you need is wings and to be a little smaller and you could be a fairy."

"Okay, that sounds like a good idea. I will follow you to the playroom and whatever we decide to do after that."

"Shrek is a movie about a large green friendly ogre. His sidekick is a donkey."

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia smiles. "I guess we will have to find me some wings then. How much smaller do I have to be Tinkerbell's size?"

Susan holds her fingers up. "This small. Tinkerbell is 3 inches tall."

Cynthia's eyes got big. "That is not a little smaller. That is alot smaller. If I was that small. Mommy and Daddy would never be able to find me in my crib. I could get lost in the bedding forever. If mommy and daddy ever did find me. All there would be left would be a fossil of me." She smiles. "That sounds like a good movie. Alot of the kids went to see it when it was in the theater,but I didn't go with them."

Susan smiles. "Well you can see it now with me. The best character in the movie is Princess Fiona. She is so pretty and not like any other princess you know."

Cynthia looks at Susan. "What makes her so special?"

Susan shakes her head. "I'm not going to tell you. You have to see for yourself. I'm not going to give anything away. You will have to watch it to see what happens and what makes Princess Fiona so special."

[robehouse]

"Yes, Tinkerbell is just a small thing. I wouldn't want you to be that size. you are already the perfect size."

Melanie listens as the girls talk. Since she had never seen Shrek, she doesn't know what makes Princess Fiona special either. She is looking forward to seeing the movie as well as Cynthia.

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "Yes I'm the perfect size now. If I was the size of tinkerbell. You and daddy would keep losing me. Though I think it would be fun to have fairy wings and be able to fly like she does." She looks at Melanie. "Mommy, is it ok with you if I change my hair color so it matches Tinkerbell's?" Cynthia follows Sam and the others down the mall until they come to the playroom. She looks around. "Wow this place looks great,but I don't know if I want to be here alone. I've never been away from you since you and daddy picked me out at the orphanage. You might forget to come back and get me. Then I'll be stuck here forever without anyone to take care of me."

[robehouse]

"I don't know about changing your hair color, Cynthia. I think it is a great color right now."

Melanie kneels down in front of Cynthia. "I would never leave you Cynthia. I promise I will be back to pick you up so we can see the movie. You won't be alone. Susan will be here with you."

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "But mommy. It isn't yellow like Tinkerbell's."

Susan giggles. "Tinkerbell's hair isn't yellow. It is blonde."

Cynthia looks at Susan. "Blonde,yellow. What is the difference? The point is my hair isn't the color of Tinkerbell's. It is a boring color." She looks at Melanie. "Ok mommy. I'm trusting you to keep your word. I'll try to have fun while you are gone,but it is going to be hard."

Sam goes and signs them in. She comes back with two pink bracelets. Sam puts one on Susan's wrist and hands the other one to Melanie to put on Cynthia's wrist. "These are safety bracelets. If you go outside of the doors. An alarm will sound. It is so they will know if you wonder off or someone tries to take you."

Cynthia starts to cry when Sam said the alarm will sound if someone tries to take her. "That is scary mommy. Why wouldn't someone want to take me away from you?"

[robehouse]

"Maybe if you go out in the sun your hair will lighten up."

Melanie takes the bracelet and put's it on Cynthia's wrist. "Unfortunately there are mean people in the world that would take children. Don't worry, you will be protected here. Just don't try to leave until we get back, which should be soon."

Melanie gives Cynthia a hug.

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "Maybe it will mommy." She wipes her eyes after Melanie hugs her. "Why would someone want to take a child that doesn't belong to them? Don't think know that stealing is wrong and you will get your bottom spanked for being bad?"

Susan looks at Sam. "Mommy, why is Cynthia crying? Doesn't she want to go play with me in the playroom?"

Sam kneels down in front of Susan. "Yes I'm sure she wants to play with you. You have to be pacient with Cynthia. She has been hurt alot by people and she must have alot of abandonment issues. So it makes it hard on her to trust people when they say something. Besides I think I scared her a little bit when I said the bracelet will go off if somone tries to take her out the door. She might be older than you,but in alot of ways. You are older than her. I want you to look out for Cynthia and make sure she has fun. If she is playing and having fun. She will not have time to be sad and worried about if someone is coming back to get her."

Susan smiles. "I know you will be back to get me. You always do come back. Besides it is fun to be away from you. I get to have fun without being boring by going from store to store looking at shoes and clothes." She goes over to Cynthia. "Come on sis. Let's let your mommy go do boring stuff. We will do what we do best. Play and have fun. Don't worry. Your mommy will come back for you. My mommy will make sure of it. If my mommy says something. You can bet it will come true and if she says she will come back for us. Then she will come back." Susan takes Cynthia's hand and walks with her into the playroom. They make a beeline for the big bouncy house after they take off their shoes.

Sam watches them though the window of the playroom and then looks at Melanie. "I'm sure she will be fine. Susan will look out for her and make sure she has fun and the room attendents will make sure she is safe and no one tries to take her without your permission."

[robehouse]

"I'm not sure why they would want to take a child that wasn't theirs. some people are just bad people. Don't worry, I'm sure the people in charge will be keeping a good eye for you and making sure no one comes in here that isn't supposed to be here."

Melanie lets Cynthia go and then walks out with Sam. She looks through the window at the girls starting to play.

"I know they will be safe in there. I just hope Cynthia can handle being away from me."

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "I hope so too. Daddy and Mary would be really lonely if I wasn't around to keep them company. They wouldn't know what to do if I wasn't here to help them."

Sam nods. "Yes she is as safe in there as she is in your arms. I'm sure she will be just fine,but just incase. I have them my cellphone number. That way if Cynthia gets to missing you too much. Then they can call and you can come get her. Though once she gets to playing. I'm sure she will not have time to think about missing you."

[robehouse]

"Yes, I imagine they would, especially daddy."

"I know, but this is the first time I will be leaving her anywhere since we got her. I guess I better get used to it because she will be needing to go to school or daycare soon. So where are we going first?"

[baby_snow_white]

Sam and Gina hugs Melanie. "We know it is hard to leave your child the first few times,but it gets easier as time goes on. She needs time away from you to boarden her hozirons and you need time away from her to recharge your battery."

Sam has a blank look on her face. Gina smiles. "See this is what you get when you don't get away from your kids ever so often. Your brain shuts down and you get a blank look on your face." Sam sticks her tongue out at Gina. "I know. Let's go down to Starbucks and get some coffee. Then we can decide what to do next."

[robehouse]

"Yes, I guess it's best to start now and let it get easier."

"Okay, let's go to Starbucks."

Melanie follows Gina and Sam to the Starbucks and orders a large coffee. After she receives her order she sits down.

[baby_snow_white]

Sam shakes her head. "It doesn't get easier. It just doesn't hurt as much when you have to be away from them. Because the whole time you aren't with them. You set there and wonder what they are doing and if they are ok. Whoever said leaving your children somewhere is easy was never a good parent in the first place. If leaving your child is easy for you. Then you aren't being the kind of parent your child needs." She orders a large latte and sets down at the table. "What are you going to do with Cynthia? I don't think she would make it in school. Not with the age she is acting and I don't think a daycare would take her being as old as she is. You are between a rock and a hard place."

Gina gets a glass of water and sets down at the table with the two of them. "For what it is worth. I would just keep her at home. Sam is right about her not being able to make it in school and about a daycare center taking her as old as she is. Unless she was deemed to be mentally handicapped. Which she isn't. She is beginning to believe the fantasy world she has made for herself."

[robehouse]

"I don't know what to do about Cynthia. I guess I will need to keep her home for now. I'm wondering if I shouldn't take her to a psychologist or a therapist of some kind to see if they can help Cynthia be a "big girl" again."