Cynthia'S New Home

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia looks at Melanie. "Megan wears diposable training pants and Pampers? Why does she wear them? Is she not potty trained? 5 seems a bit old to still be in diapers and training pants. Do you think Megan would feel bad about me not being in diapers and she is? I wouldn't want her to feel bad about it. Is she in kindergarten? Do you think they will like me?" She thinks for a moment. "What does regress mean?"

[robehouse]

Melanie smiled at all the questions that Cynthia had.

"Megan was potty trained during the day but was still wetting her bed like three nights a week. Her parents I guess went through an ugly divorce, which means their was a lot of yelling and her father would actually hit her mother, which Megan witnessed a few times. The father was jailed, and Megan's parents were divorced. All of this caused Megan to go back wetting her bed every night and having daytime accidents as well. Nancy decided it would be best if Megan wore diapers at night and training pants during the day. Regression means to go back to doing things like you did at a much younger age."

"I'm not sure how Megan would feel about you not wearing diapers. I would assume she would figure you were a big girl and she was a little girl, but I don't know. Megan was supposed to be in kindergarten this year, but her mother held her back because she wasn't emotionally ready."

"I am positive they will like you, Cynthia. You are a very cute girl with a great attitude."

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "I see. Why would he hit her mom? Doesn't he know hitting is wrong. How would he like it if someone hit him? He wouldn't like that. I know I didn't like to be hit. If she is having accident all the time. Why isn't she in diapers all the time? They would probably hold more without leaking since they are thicker." She thinks for a moment. "Oh so me playing with Barbies would be regression since little girls play with toys and I'm not a little girl. I wouldn't want her to feel bad about her having accidents and needing to wear diapers and me not having them." She nods sadly. "I know about that. I was held back in school alot. I should be in middle school not 4th grade." Cynthia smiles. "Thank you."

[robehouse]

"I am not sure why he hit her. Some people just don't know how to control their tempers. I didn't really care for Nancy's husband when I first met him, but I didn't tell her that. She had to find out for herself what kind of person he was. Unfortunately he wasn't a very good person. I'm not sure why she doesn't keep her in diapers all the time. She just told me over the phone that she was having Megan wear disposable training pants during the day, and diapers at night."

"I guess that would a form of regression, yes. Some people would say that your thumbsucking was another form of regression. Especially if you started doing it after you were older. Are you saying you would agree to wear diapers while Megan is here so that she wouldn't feel bad? If so, that would be a sweet thing to do."

"I Know. But you were held back partly because you have ADD and you do act younger than your age."

"How would you like to help me fix dinner since we didn't stop at Mcdonald's like I thought we would?"

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "Why didn't you tell your sister about how you felt about her soon to be husband? You could have prevented her from getting hit." She nods. "Oh I see. I never thought of my thumbsucking as a form of regression. I have always done it." Cynthia shrugs. "I don't know maybe. I hadn't really thought about it. I was just asking if you thought she would feel bad about being in diapers if I wasn't." She shrugs again. "I'm not sure if I do. To me it is the way I've always acted." Cynthia nods. "Yes I do,but I don't know how to cook."

[robehouse]

"I didn't tell her because it was just a feeling I had. I didn't have any proof to back up my feelings. Most people think thumbsucking is only something that babies are supposed be doing, not girls in their teens. I personally feel that is okay to suck your thumb no matter how old you are if it helps you feel better. I'm not sure how Megan would feel. I think one reason her mother makes her wear training pants during the day is she hopes that Megan will want to use the potty, and it would be easier to pull the training pants up and down than to have to take off a diaper and put it back on. Mrs. Blanchard said you have ADD, so I just assumed you had it. Maybe I should take you to a doctor and have you tested."

"It doesn't matter if you know how to cook. I can show you what to do."

Melanie takes Cynthia out to the kitchen. She takes two aprons out out of the closet and puts one on herself. She helps Cynthia put the other one on. "We wear our aprons so we don't get our clothes dirty when we are cooking. What would you like to have for dinner?"

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "I know I have ADD. A doctor came to see me and said that I showed all the signs of having ADD and he wanted me to take pills to help me focus,but I don't like taking pills. I have trouble swallowing them. What I meant by I didn't know is I don't know whether or not I act younger than my age. This is the way I've always been. So I don't know if I am acting younger than my age." She shrugs. "I don't know what is is called. It is like spaghetti,but the meat sauce that is on top is like a chili with beans in it. I'm terrible with food names."

[robehouse]

"I see. Will taking medicine is probably going to help you. I will have to find out if there is another way take the medicine like a liquid or something. When they say you are acting younger than your age they are only comparing it to normal girls your age and how they act. I am sure there are other girls your age who do many of the same things you do. However, there is no one else exactly like you. You are unique."

"I'm not sure what it's called either. Besides, it is probably called different things in different parts of the country and even the world. okay, we can make that. First we need to make the chili. can you look in that cupboard and find a can of beans for me? I'll get the hamburger out of the freezer and thaw it in the microwave."

Melanie points to a cupboard under the counter where she kept the canned goods at.

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "That is what the doctor told me and Mrs. Blanchard too. I heard medicine has side effects and I'm worried that one of them would be that the medicine will put me in a daze and I'll be like a walking zombie." She smiles. "That is the same thing Mrs. Blanchard. She said I'm one of a kind and one day I'll find the right set of parents to take care of me. I was begining to think that what Mrs. Blanchard said was not true." Cynthia nods and goes to the cupboard Melanie pointed to. She kneels down and looks though the cupboard for the beans. Cynthia gets distracted and starts to play to the cans she took out of the cupboard. She starts to stack them up into a pyramid on the floor. Cynthia didn't see Melanie looking at her as she makes the pyramid with the cans.

[robehouse]

Melanie watches Cynthia start looking through the cupboard, pulling cans out and setting them on the floor. Melanie decides to take another picture of Cynthia and gets the digital camera. When she gets back in the kitchen she sees Cynthia stacking the cans into a pyramid. Melanie takes a picture and slips the camera in her pocket. Melanie bends down and finds a can of beans a can of tomato paste to put in the Chili. She starts browning the hamburger and stirs in the tomato paste and beans.

"I guess I lost my little helper," Melanie says with a smile as she gets out a pot and fills it with water to make spaghetti.

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia looks up at Melanie. "Oh sorry. I got distracted with the cans." She puts the cans back in the cupboard and closes the door. Cynthia gets up off the floor and watches Melanie cooking. "What can I help you do now?" She hopes she can stay more focused at the task of cooking.

[robehouse]

"that's alright. Well, I have all the ingredients for the chili simmering, waiting for the spaghetti to finish cooking. I have the water boiling for the spaghetti, and just about ready to put the spaghetti in. Would you rather time the spaghetti or set the table? If you want to time the spaghetti I can give you my watch to time it with. It needs to cook for 12 minutes."

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia thinks for a minute. "I'll set the table." She gets the plates out and carefully carries them to the table. Cynthia puts one in front of each chair. She does the same with the napkins and the silverware. Cynthia walks out of the kitchen and goes to her studio. She comes back with her guitar. "I thought you could use some music to cook by." Cynthia sets down on the bar stool and plays her guitar while Melanie timed the spaghetti and the chili simmers. She starts to laugh. "This kitchen is musical even without me playing."

[robehouse]

"Okay, we need three places set."

Melanie watches the spaghetti boil in the pot and keeps looking at her watch. She smiles when Cynthia comes into the kitchen with her guitar and starts playing.

"Yes, I guess it does sound a bit like music playing."

Melanie finally takes the spaghetti off the burner and pours it into a colander in the sink. She runs cold water over it to cool it down some. She pours the spaghetti onto a large serving plate.

"I've never made this before. Do you mix the spaghetti and the chili together now, or let everyone fix their own?"

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "Yes it does. It is good smelling music." She shrugs. "I've never made it before either. The picture was of the spaghetti on the bottom and the chili was put on top of it. I guess it would be the same as if you was making spaghetti and meat sauce." Cynthia puts her guitar down and goes to the doorway. "Daddy, supper is ready." She blushes. "I mean Mark, supper is ready."

[robehouse]

Mark puts down the newspaper he was reading and came over to Cynthia. He kissed her cheek and went with her back to the dining room. He sat down as Melanie put the spaghetti platter in the middle of the table, then brings over a bowl with the chili in it along with the parmesan cheese. Mark put some spaghetti on Cynthia's plate and topped it with the chili. He filled his own plate as well, leaving Melanie to fill her own plate.

"What would you like to drink, Cynthia? We have milk, juice and water." Melanie asked.

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia blushes when Mark kisses her. "I'm sorry I called you Daddy. I mean to call you Mark." She sets down at the table. Cynthia's head and eyes can be seen above the table surface. She gets out of the chair and climbs up into the seat. Cynthia sets on her heels so she can be high enough to be able to eat at the table. She looks at Melanie. "Do you have Coke? That is what I drank at the orphanage for every meal."

[robehouse]

"That's okay. You can call me whatever you want. If you don't feel comfortable calling me daddy, you don't have to."

Mark sees that Cynthia isn't tall enough to sit right at the table. He makes a mental note to buy Cynthia either a high back bar stool to sit on or a high chair, which he doubts Cynthia would sit in anyway.

"You drank Coke at every meal, even breakfast? I find that hard to believe. Yes, I do have Coke, but you are not going to be drinking it all the time. I will allow it tonight, but I want you drinking milk or juice mostly. By the way, the way you are sitting looks pretty uncomfortable. Would you like Mark to get some books for you to sit on?"

Melanie goes to the refrigerator and pours coke into a medium sized glass and brings it back to the table. She watches Cynthia as she starts to eat her dinner and wonders if she should have tied a towel or something around her neck so her clothes wouldn't get messed up.

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "Thank you." She looks at Melanie. "Yes I drank Coke with every meal. I don't like milk or juice and the water at the orphanage tasted funny. So I drank Coke or other soft drinks when I ate. It is uncomfortable. The chair is too low for me to set on my bottom in." Cynthia eats her supper and by the time she was finished. She had it all over her face and clothes. Cynthia looked like a toddler who was learning to feed herself.

[robehouse]

"We are going to have to find something you like to drink besides Coke. It is not good to drink that much coke. You can try the water that comes out of the faucet here and see if you like it. If not, we can get bottled water, or a service that delivers water. Yes, I can see that the chair is too low for you. We are going to have to buy you a higher chair."

When they were done eating Melanie looked at Cynthia. She was covered in chili sauce. Melanie got out the digital camera and took a picture of Cynthia.

"I think you need a bath and those clothes need to go in the wash. I'll go start the bath water. And before you say anything, I know you can take a bath by yourself. I don't want you getting chili all over everything. After your bath I want you to get dressed in your pajamas or nightgown, whichever you have. I will look through your box and see if I can find it. call me when you get out of the tub and I will bring it to you."

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia whines. "But I like drinking coke and soft drinks. They taste good and the bubbles tickle my nose when I drink out of a cup." She looks at Melanie. "Did you said you was going to buy me a highchair?" Cynthia rubs her eyes. "You like taking pictures of me don't you?" I'm starting to see multi colored spots." She starts to whine again. "I took a bath yesterday. Do I have to take one tonight?" Cynthia starts to giggle. "On your mark, Get set Go!!!" She makes her fingers into a starting pistol. "And they are off. Water is making a big splash in the race today. Soap is sliding back and Washcloth is wiping away the others in the race and the Winner is Washcloth. Wait a second folks. Water and Soap are complaining that Washcloth was running a dirty race." Cynthia starts to laugh as she sets at the table.

[robehouse]

"Cynthia, please don't whine. You are going to drink water since you don't like juice. I'm not saying you won't ever get Coke, but you won't drink it for every meal. I said a higher chair, although a high chair would work as well. You would be able to sit up at the table like everyone else. No one would make fun about what kind of chair you are sitting in. They have lots of different styles of high chairs now. You could pick out one that you like. You wouldn't have to use the tray. you could eat at the table."

Melanie smiles as she makes up her little song or whatever it was. She picked Cynthia up and carried her back to the bathroom and started water running in the tub.

"Do you need help getting undressed?"

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia wrinkles up her nose. "I don't want to drink water. I was to drink soft drinks. They taste better. Water is bland and taste gross." She nods. "Oh higher chair. Not a highchair. I hope you are right about no one making fun of the kind of chair I would be setting in." Cynthia giggles. "Did you like my horse race play by play? I thought of it after you said you was going to run my bath water. Like it was some kind of race." She nods. "Yes I do need help getting undressed. I can't get the straps of the shortalls off." After Melanie helps her take the shortalls off. Cynthia notices snaps on the bottom. "Why do they have snaps down there?"

[robehouse]

"Coke will rot your teeth eventually if you drink too much of that. I did suggest juice, but you said you wouldn't drink that. We will have to find something that you will drink that doesn't have so much sugar in it and is good for you. Maybe I should try baby formula," Joked Melanie.

"I wouldn't let anyone tease you for any reason Cynthia. You can't help it that you need help sitting at the table. God made you short and you are just going to have to live with it. Yes, I liked your play by play. Very imaginative."

Melanie undid the straps of the shortalls and pulled them down, uncovering the Dora the explorer panties underneath. She looked at the shortalls after Cynthia mentions the snaps.

"Well, they are there for a couple of reasons. One, it will make it easier if you need to go to the bathroom. You won't have to fumble with the straps. A second reason is that some children who wear shortalls like that also wear diapers, and it is easier for a mother or father to change a child if they have snaps."

Melanie adds some bubble bath to the water and waits while tub fills. She turns off the water and looks at Cynthia. She decided she was going to wash Cynthia to make sure that she got cleaned. Cynthia's hair even needed to be shampooed because it had chili sauce in it.

"Let's finish getting you undressed and in the tub. the sooner you get cleaned, the sooner you can get out of the tub and dressed in clean clothes."

Melanie starts tugging up on the tee shirt Cynthia was wearing, trying to get it over her head.

[baby_snow_white]

Cynthia nods. "Yes I did say that. It makes me have to run to the bathroom alot to use it." She giggles. "Soy Baby Formula." Cynthia nods. "I'm glad you will not let anyone tease me because I'm short. Will I grow tall or will I always been short?" She looks at Melanie. "Because the shortalls have snaps for the mother to change diapers. Does that mean I'll be wearing diapers?" Cynthia mumbles under the t shirt. "Easy pulling off the t shirt. I would like keep my ears. I've grown quite attached to them."