Cynthia'S New Home

[robehouse]

"Okay, we will wait for another weekend after the puppy recovers, if he does."

"Mary has to feed the puppy because he was born sickly, and his mother doesn't want anything to do with him. They aren't like human mothers. We take care of our children no matter what, but most animals won't take care of their young if they think they are going to die right away."

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia shakes her head. "That is really sad mommy. Animals should take care of their young no matter what. The puupy might not die. It all depends the amount of fight in it's body and the amount of love it feels around it. I just met the puppy and I'm already in love with it. I think the curls of hair between it's ear is really cute." She walks over to Mary and starts to rub the puppy while Mary feeds the puppy. "Can I feed the puppy?"

Mary nods. "Yes you can. It is not hard. You get some milk in the eyedropper and you put it into the puppy's mouth. Squeeze the bulb gently. If you squeeze it too hard. You will choke the puppy." Cynthia sets down on the step and puts the puppy on her lap. She feeds the puppy and the puppy starts to react to being on Cynthia's lap. Mary stood with Melanie and Gina. The three of them watch Cynthia feeding the puppy.

[robehouse]

"Yes it is sad. That is why Mary is taking care of it, so that it won't die."

"She loves that puppy already. If that puppy survives until she or he is old enough to be adopted out, do you think we could adopt it? we were thinking of getting a puppy for Cynthia to take care of."

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "So Mary is taking the place of the puppy's mommy? That is great. The puppy needs someone loving to look after it."

Mary laughs. "I don't think that will be a problem at all. If Cynthia helps care for the puppy. I don't think she would be happy with another puppy from the litter. It seems the two of them have already bonded and I don't think I could or would want to break that bond."

Curtis walks over to them. "Well ladies. The food is ready." He looks over at Cynthia. "Is that one of the new puppies? Shouldn't it be with it's mother?"

Mary nods. "Yes that is one of the new puppies and it should be with it's mother,but the puppy came out weak and sickly looking. Goldy turned her back on the puppy and pushed it away from the others. So I'm looking after the puppy with my little assistant."

Curtis nods. "I see. Cynthia does know that the puppy might not make it doesn't she? I wouldn't want her to get her hopes up about the puppy and then it pass away."

Gina nods. "Yes she knows that,but she doesn't care. She wants to help the puppy and from what we have seen. The puppy reacts more when Cynthia is holding it than when Mary was holding it."

[robehouse]

"Cynthia, dinner is ready. Go ahead and give the puppy to Mary and then go wash up, please."

Melanie walks inside to wash her hands as well.

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia looks up. "But mommy. The puppy is still eating." She sighs and hands Mary the puppy. Cynthia goes into the house with Melanie to wash her hands. "Mommy, if the puppy doesn't die. Can we adopt the puppy? It is so cute and I'm in love with it? You and daddy said I could have an animal to take care of and I can't think of a better animal than the puppy that Mary has. It needs someone who will love it and take care of it."

[robehouse]

"Yes, I talked to Mary. It is going to be a few weeks before the puppy is ready to be adopted, but if it makes it through those weeks, then she said we could adopt him. You will be responsible for feeding him and cleaning up after him. Of course you will be playing with him as well."

Melanie washes her hands and watches as Cynthia washes her hands. They walk back outside and over to the picnic table.

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia smiles. "I'm glad Mary is going to let us adopt the puppy. She needs someone to look after her and help her grow up to be a big dog." She looks confused. "What do you mean if she makes it? You have to be positive. If you aren't. The puppy is going to pick up on it and she is going to give up and not fight to get better." Cynthia nods. "I know I'll have to feed the puppy and play with her,but what do you mean clean up after her?"

[robehouse]

"What I mean is you are going to have to take the dog outside when it has to go to the bathroom and if it poops, you have to scoop it up and put it in a plastic bag and then throw it in the garbage."

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia looks confused. "Why would I have to pick it up and throw it into the trashcan? Wouldn't the poop be good for the grass and help it grow? Poop has things in it that makes things grow like plants and vegatables."

[robehouse]

"Horse and cow manure is good for plants. Dog poop isn't. And it doesn't look good sitting around the yard. If you walk the puppy down the street and he does his business in someone's else's yard it is only courteous to pick it up. We don't want it in our yard either because someone might accidentally step in it."

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "Oh I see mommy. I thought poop was poop and it was all good for plants." She looks concerned. "It's walking the puppy down the street dangerous? We could both get hit and hurt very badly." Cynthia nods. "No I don't think it would be nice to step in it if I was in the yard playing by myself or with the puppy."

[robehouse]

"I wouldn't expect you to go in the street, Cynthia. I meant walking down the sidewalk and in the grass. It is dangerous to walk the puppy in the street."

Melanie picks up a napkin and tucks it in Cynthia's shirt and then helps her sit down at the table.

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "Oh I see mommy. You said when I walked the puppy down the street and I thought you meant I would be walking the puppy down the street and I thought that would be dangerous for the both of us. Will I be walking the puppy alone or will you or daddy be going with me."

[robehouse]

"sorry, I should have said the sidewalk. You should never walk down the street, even if it looks empty. You never know when a car might appear."

"We will have to talk about that later when we know for sure we are getting the puppy. I am pretty sure that one of us will walk with you, at least at first. Then maybe we will let you walk the puppy by yourself. As he gets older he will get big, so it might be too much for you to handle."

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "I know mommy. streets are dangerous. I've seen what happens to squirrels and birds when cars hit them. It isn't a pretty sight." She smiles. "Ok mommy. We can talk about it later,but I'm sure Mary is going to let us have the puppy. She wouldn't say I can have the puppy and then not let me have it. That would be really mean."

[robehouse]

"Yes, I am sure she is going to let you have the puppy too, but it will be awhile before that happens. Puppies usually stay with their mother for a couple of months before they go to their new homes."

Melanie starts filling her plate with food.

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia shakes her head. "I don't have to worry about that. Mary said that the puppy's mommy pushed the puppy away. So the puppy's mommy doesn't care about the puppy. That is really sad. Babies need their mommies to take care of them. It shouldn't matter if the baby is smaller than the other babies are. It just means that the smaller baby needs more of it's mommy. Not pushed away and left to fend on it's own."

[robehouse]

"We can't take the puppy until it's eyes are open, which is anywhere from a week to two weeks. The reason their eyes don't open until then is that their tear glands aren't fully developed yet. Would you like me to fill a plate with food for you?"

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "Oh I see mommy. Why wouldn't puppies need tear glands? They are for crying and puppies shouldn't be crying. They should be happy and if you are happy. You don't need tear glands." She nods. "Yes mommy I do." Cynthia goes with Melanie to get her food.

[robehouse]

"tear glands are for more than crying. They help keep the eyes wet, which is necessary. If the puppies tear glands weren't fully developed you would have to put some medicine in their eyes to help them."

Melanie leads Cynthia over to where the food was at. "Do you want chicken, or hamburgers or hot dogs to eat? How about some cole slaw and baked beans?"

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "Oh I thought tear glands was just for crying." She thinks for a moment. "I would like a hamburger and a hot dog mommy. Maybe a little bit of baked beans. I don't want to eat too much and get gas." Cynthia gets still for a moment. "I'll be back mommy. I've got to go potty." She runs towards the back door and goes inside. Cynthia comes out a little later and her eyes was red. She walks over to where Melanie was setting. "I didn't make it mommy. I wet my training pants. The fairy wings disappeared as I was pulling the training pants down to get on the potty."

[robehouse]

"That sounds good Cynthia." Melanie fills Cynthia's plate with a hamburger and hotdog and some baked beans. She carries it back to the table and sets it down where Cynthia will be sitting.

"Okay, hurry back."

Melanie looks at Cynthia when she comes back and frowns. She gives Cynthia a hug. "Let's go get you changed, okay?"

Melanie leads Cynthia back into the house and to the bathroom. She helps Cynthia get undressed down to her training pants and pulls them down. She cleans Cynthia with a warm washcloth, then slips a clean pair of training pants on her.

"You know, it might be easier if you started wearing a diaper whenever we visit someone else's house. That way, you wouldn't need to worry so much about running to find the bathroom. It isn't doing you very good to break down every time you don't make it to the bathroom all the time."

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "Maybe you are right mommy. I'm trying very hard to be a big girl and make you proud,but it is hard. I get distracted and by the time I realize I need to go. It is almost too late." She looks down at the floor. "If I start wearing diapers. What will Mary think of me? I should be going forward towards getting big girl panties. Not backwards into diapers like a baby." Cynthia lays her head on Melanie's shoulder and cries as she thinks about how Mary might start to treat her if she started wearing diapers like a baby would.

[robehouse]

"Cynthia, I am proud of you no matter what you are wearing or whether you act like a toddler or big girl. You can't help it that you can't control when you need to go potty. As for Mary, I really don't think she will think any less of you because you need extra protection when you are at her house. Now lets go get something to eat."

Melanie pats Cynthia on the back as she carries her back to the picnic tables in the backyard.