Not Enough Time For Three

[Ishigreensa]

Connie giggled at the baby, and carefully pulled her hair away from her little fingers.

"You like to put stuff in your mouth?" she asked.

[justagirl4fun]

"No, it's okay," Colleen said as she stared down at her lap. "How old is your daughter?" she asked.

[Shy-Diapers]

Elise giggled and blew a giant raspberry in Connie's face when she got close getting the girls face covered with spit. She thought it was hysterical and fell back laughing.

[Ishigreensa]

Connie wiped her face off, and looked at the toddler wondering why she was laughing!

[justagirl4fun]

"She's just a baby. She doesn't know any better," Addie said crossly as she turned the kitchen TV on; she knew Tessa would eat better with it on. "Haven't you ever been around babies before?"

"I dunno, just wonderin'," Colleen said as she looked out the window. "Does she go to the same school as me?"

[Ishigreensa]

"Yes, I think she does go to your school," Mike said.

[Shy-Diapers]

Tessa was glad to watch Sofia when her mother turned it on in the kitchen. She was able to get a few spoonfuls of yogurt down before she heard Connie. She frowned. Why couldn't this girl talk to her? She could talk too! She always hated when people wouldn't speak to her because of her chair.

[justagirl4fun]

"Here you go, sweetie." Addie set a cup of yogurt and a spoon in front of Tessa. She was thankful the girl still had some use of her arms, and was able to do some things - like eating - independently, though under close supervision lest she choke. "Tessa can't walk. She has a disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy. It makes her muscles very weak. She can talk, though," she said before returning to the living room for the baby. "Well, look at you go!" she said proudly as she scooped her up.

[Ishigreensa]

"She likes to color and draw, and she watches My Little Pony and other girl cartoons a lot," Mike said.

[Shy-Diapers]

Tessa frowned when her new cousin said she'd die if she couldn't play soccer. Tessa was just happy she could do anything. She

[Ishigreensa]

When Tessa started acting funny like she was choking, Connie got scared!

"Aunt Addie!

[justagirl4fun]

"Mommy doesn't let me play soccer any more either," Colleen said sadly as they pulled up to the school.

"No, you wouldn't die if you couldn't run," Addie said pointedly. "You would find different ways to have fun. And 'muscular atrophy' means that her muscles are getting weak," she informed Connie before Tessa started choking. "It's okay," she said calmly as he grabbed the suction machine and started suctioning out the girl's lungs. "It's okay, you're alright," she soothed once she saw the girl take a breath.

[Ishigreensa]

Connie watched in fear and awe as the mother expertly dealt with her daughter's condition.

"Why did she choke?" Connie asked once she realized that the mother was helping the girl as if it was a small matter, though in reality, it probably wasn't as small as the mom seemed to be trying to make it look.

[Shy-Diapers]

Tessa took a shaky breath finally once Addie used the suction

[justagirl4fun]

"The muscles in her throat are weak. Sometimes the ones that protect her windpipe don't work right, and food goes down it," Addie informed Connie as she threw out the remainder of the yogurt, knowing Tessa was always reluctant to continue eating after a choking episode. "Tessa, what would you like to do now?" she asked as she went back to spooning rice cereal into the baby's mouth.

"No, nothin' happened. Mommy just said it was too 'spensive. Just like my violin lessons. She gave my violin

[Shy-Diapers]

"Can we make leaves Mommy?" Tessa asked quietly. She was fascinated by the color changing leaves outside so one of her gravitate crafts was coloring her own and getting to have them hang around the house.

[justagirl4fun]

"Sure honey. Why don't you show Connie where all the arts and crafts supplies are, and I'll be there as soon as I get the baby cleaned up."

[Ishigreensa]

Connie nodded and gulped when everything was explained to her.

[Shy-Diapers]

Tessa was happy to show Connie the arts and crafts cupboard, At the table she started draw an outline of a leaf on some orange construction paper. With a brown crayon she drew the veins on the leaves.

[justagirl4fun]

Addie washed Elise's face and cleaned up from breakfast before taking the baby to the other room with the girls and sitting down so the baby could nurse.

Colleen nodded. "I never get to do anything fun, or go anywhere, any more. The only time we go anywhere is when Tessa has therapy or doctors appointments, and

[Ishigreensa]

Mike shook his head.

[Shy-Diapers]

"Yeah. Mommy lets me hang them up." Tessa said before hearing what her cousin said. "I can use the potty! I'm not a baby!" She protested softly being both annoyed and embarrassed by what Connie said.

[Ishigreensa]

Connie looked at her funny.

"I didn't say you were a baby," she said.

[justagirl4fun]

"She uses the potty. She just tells me when she has to go, and I help her get from her chair to the toilet," Addie informed Connie.

[Shy-Diapers]

Tessa started to try and tune Connie out since in her mind, she wasn't being very nice. She just went back to drawing her leaves. She cut out a few pieces of orange at the same time before putting a dried leaf under her paper and using the side of her crayon to draw the leaf.