Becoming Part of the Family

[Shy-Diapers]

Elizabeth climbed in the way back of the car with Alison and curled up with her blanket.

Julia buckled Sadie into her carseat after stowing the carrier in the trunk. "Hopefully things won't be too hard"

[justagirl4fun]

Sure enough. Emme started screaming and straining against the restraints as soon as she was in the car seat. "Let's just go. I don't think she slept more than an hour on the flight. Maybe she'll tire herself out and fall asleep," he said wearily.

[Shy-Diapers]

Julia nodded and climbed into the driver's seat and headed home. The drive would be an hour and a half without traffic.

[justagirl4fun]

Luke glanced at Julia. "You don't happen to have a change of clothes for her, do you?" he asked over Emme's cries, which had changed from ear-piercing shrieks of protest to the miserable wails of a very over-tired and overwhelmed toddler.

[Shy-Diapers]

Julia sighed and shook her head. "These are her extra clothes. She already had an accident on the way here, I didn't think it'd happen again."

[justagirl4fun]

"Well, I guess there's nothing we can do about it now, then, is there?" Luke said as his head began throbbing while Emme continued to cry. "Would you happen to have a bottle of water?" he asked, turning around to grab his carry-on. He rummaged through it and pulled out a bottle with some formula powder in it. "She has to be hungry. She threw up almost the entire trip home and hasn't eaten in almost 24 hours. Maybe this will calm her down a bit."

[Shy-Diapers]

Julia opened the console and rummaged around until she found a half ful bottle of water. "this is all we got. I just hope she doesn't wake up. Then we'll have two crying kids."

[justagirl4fun]

"It'll have to do." Luke poured the water into the bottle, shook it up, and held it out to Emme. "Come on baby, drink your milk," he said soothingly, even though he knew she couldn't understand him. Emme took the bottle and started suckling on it, her sobs slowly subsiding. Within fifteen minutes the bottle was empty and the toddler was nodding off, her head bobbing as she fought a losing battle with sleep. "I think she's out," Luke said with a sigh of relief. "So, has Elizabeth been having more accidents lately, or is she just having a bad day?"

[Shy-Diapers]

Julia was relieved to finallly have some peace and silence. "No, she's been having more accidents. I've had to send her with extra clothes to school and even then sometimes I have to pick her up. Hopefully now that school's out she'll stop having so many."

[justagirl4fun]

"It could just be from stress. First Sadie was born, then I was gone for two weeks...that's a lot for a five-year-old to handle. I'm sure once things settle down she'll stop having so many accidents." Luke hoped he was right. "It's bad enough that Emme's in diapers after the adoption agency said she was potty trained. I really don't want to end up buying diapers for three kids. Let's see how she does now that I'm home, and if it doesn't get better we'll try Pull Ups during the day."

[Shy-Diapers]

Julia sighed. "I hope you're right. I don't want to be changing three diapers every time."

[justagirl4fun]

"I do think Emme is capable of using the toilet, though. I'm not sure if she's just having accidents because she's upset, or because she can't tell me that she has to go, but hopefully it won't be long before she doesn't need diapers any more," Luke said as he peeked behind him to check on the girls. Emme was fast asleep, her head falling forward so that her chin was resting on her chest, the little panda clutched in one hand. He could see Sadie stirring a bit, but after stretching and yawning a bit she went back to sleep. "Everything okay back there?" he asked Alison, the only girl that was still awake.

[Shy-Diapers]

Alison fidgeted a little, trying to get comfortable now that there was a puddle under her feet. She ended up hugging her knees and leaning on her pillow pet. "Yeah. It smells gross though."

[justagirl4fun]

"I'm sorry. There's nothing we can do about it now," Luke said sympathetically. "Put your window down. Maybe that will help."

[Shy-Diapers]

Alison to smelling pee next to her, having had to share a room with Elizabeth until a few months ago. She rolled down her window and tried to get a little rest.

[justagirl4fun]

About half an hour from home Sadie woke up and, having last been fed before they left for the airport, began fussing. Soon, with no breast appearing to offer milk, the fussing turned to full-blown wailing as her tiny arms and legs flailed wildly. The noise woke Emme. By now her diaper, which Luke had neglected to change at the airport, was completely soaked. She started fidgeting uncomfortably, trying once again to break free from the restraints. Before long she, too, was once again crying at the top of her lungs.

[Shy-Diapers]

Julia sighed and looked at Luke. "You want me to pull over?" She called over the girls' cries.

elizabeth, having been woken up from the screaming, saw that Emme and Sadie were getting fussed over. Feeling jealous and neglected, she started crying on demand hoping for some attention too.

[justagirl4fun]

"Might as well. I'm sure Emme needs to be changed, and you can feed the baby while I do that," Luke suggested.

[Shy-Diapers]

Julia nodded, and pulled over to the closest place she could, which was a small dollar store with a bathroom. She climbed out, and unbuckled Sadie and grabbed a blanket and headed in.

"Daddy! I'm wet." Elizabeth whined, not enjoying the feeling of wet clothes sticking to her.

[justagirl4fun]

"Honey, there's nothing I can do about it. Mommy didn't pack any more clothes for you," Luke said as he unbuckled Emme. Not wanting to leave the older girls unattended, he laid her down on the floor of the van and changed her sagging diaper as quickly as he could. "We'll be home soon and I'll clean you up." He picked Emme up and held her, rubbing her back and rocking back and forth. "Shh, it's okay baby," he murmured softly in her ear.

[Shy-Diapers]

Not being happy with this, Elizabeth started crying again, throwing a temper tantrum in hopes of being able to change. She knew that she had a,ready wet her extra clothes, but didn't care. She just wanted to be dry.

[justagirl4fun]

"Elizabeth, please, there's nothing for you to change into. We're almost home. Just calm down," Luke pleaded, certain his head would explode if he had to listen to both Emme and Elizabeth cry the rest of the way home.

[Shy-Diapers]

Elizabeth huffed and gave up her cries. She slumped and crossed her arms. Once Luke was in the front and Julia had the baby buckled, she started kicking Emme's seat. It wasn't really directed at her, but she just happened to be sitting bwhind her.

[justagirl4fun]

Emme, who had calmed down and was just about to go back to sleep, started crying again when Elizabeth kicked her seat. Luke, hearing the

[Shy-Diapers]

Elizabeth burst into tears when Luke snaped at her. This time it wasn;t for attenion, but she was overly tired since she couldn't fall asleep in wet clothes, and she hadn't had a nap earlier.