From College to Diapers (private with littleben)

[bigbabymikey1062]

Mommy comes out of the stall

 

"Thank you for watching him.

Yes, Benny. We can go for burgers. Just as soon as we wash our hands"

She takes him to the sink

[littleben238]

Benny reaches in the sink and plays with the stream of water

[bigbabymikey1062]

Mommy helps him wash his hands

[littleben238]

He reaches his hands up for Mommy to pick him up. He's really hungry now. 

[bigbabymikey1062]

Mommy picks him up and she walks out of the bathroom. 

Daddy and the boys have finished in the bathroom, and they wait outside for Mommy and Benny.

[littleben238]

"Hi, Daddy"

Benny says to him, even though he's been with him for most of the day

[bigbabymikey1062]

"Hi" Daddy says back

 

Kim: "Oh there's your Daddy again. And these must be your other boys. And Benny is your baby. He looks so much like you both.

I'll get you all burgers and fries. It must be hard to feed all these growing boys. Why don't you order, and I'll pay?

Benny. I'm going to get your burger now"

 

Kim tries to make sense of their family dynamic. She thinks Benny is about 8, but a little specially able or delayed. And maybe they just treat him like a baby because it's easier.

She makes noises for Benny while Mommy, Daddy, Bryce & Sam order their meals. They order Benny a kids meal. With a double cheeseburger.

[littleben238]

He says

"Burger"

 

And babbles back at her

[bigbabymikey1062]

Kim pays for their check. Her husband joins them at the table.

The family sits down. Mommy puts Benny in a high chair and puts a bib around his neck. 

Mommy and Kim strike up a conversation. They step away from the table to go get the drinks. 

 

Kim: "You're doing a good job with Benny. It must be hard to deal with his challenges. 

But he has a good attitude. And so do you folks. You both care for him. It's so good to see the father involved. 

Do you just treat him like a baby because it's easier?"

 

Mommy doesn't really want to tell this stranger everything. And Benny has had challenges adapting to adult life, so she just decides to tell her what she asked about. The truth, but more focused on the parts she asked about.

 

"Well, he's a good boy. We kind of follow his lead: he wasn't so good with toileting and wiping himself, so he's back in diapers. The boys help out some with that too. 

He likes solid food and purees, so we do a combination of both. We do bottles for him because they're spill proof and easy to sterilize. 

And we're looking into someone to care for him during the day when I go back to work. We want him to get stimulation, but we don't want him just sitting in front of screens all day"

 

Kim takes it all in: "Wow, that's so smart. You're doing such a good job. We live about 30 minutes up the highway. Have you thought about just daycare? Would they take him?"

 

 

Meanwhile Daddy gives Benny crayons to color the coloring page

[littleben238]

He colors his coloring page

 

After a minute he looks up and says

"Daddy, can we play in the play place after we eat? Me, Bice and Sam?"

[bigbabymikey1062]

"Sure you can. If the boys would go with you. 

But only for a little while. We have to get home"

Daddy says. Mommy comes back down to sit with the drinks. 

 

They bring the food out, and Daddy fixes Benny's food on the tray: his cheeseburger, fries, apple slices. He pours Benny's chocolate milk into an empty bottle. 

Mommy and the big boys grab theirs and start eating. 

Daddy gets his after he's done with Benny.

 

Kim and her husband's food comes out too. They eat at a table across from the family.

[littleben238]

Benny starts to eat his food. 

"Choc'wate milk. I don't have this in a long time cause I haves Mommy milk"

 

He drinks many sips of the milk at first because it's new and exciting.

[bigbabymikey1062]

"Eat the rest of your food, Buddy.

We'll have plenty of chocolate milk for you at home, don't worry"

Mommy says 

[littleben238]

He eats his food. Then he finishes his chocolate milk. 

He lets out a burp. 

[bigbabymikey1062]

Daddy takes his bib off and wipes his face and hands.

 

"You ate so well, Buddy. You can go play for a few minutes"

[littleben238]

"Bice, Sam, come pway wiff me"

[bigbabymikey1062]

They are too old for the playland, but the boys go inside to keep Benny company

Sam lifts him out of the high chair. 

 

"Come on, Benny. Let's go play"

[littleben238]

He goes through the door of the play place

"I wanna do all these stuffs"

[bigbabymikey1062]

Bryce takes his shoes off and puts them in the cubby. He also takes Benny's off.

 

"Benny, you pick something, and we'll go with you"

[littleben238]

"Okay, Bice.

I wanna go upstairs and go down da slide. Come wiff me. Sammy too"

 

He wants to climb up the play structure. And slide down.

[bigbabymikey1062]

"Okay, let's go. You go up first, Buddy"

Sam says

[littleben238]

He starts to climb up the platforms that criss cross, and he has to turn his body each time, but he gets to the top of the main platform

He wets in his diaper while he climbs

[bigbabymikey1062]

The boys climb up behind him

 

"Are you having fun, Benny?"

Sam says

[littleben238]

"I wove our pway house. 

Wanna get down. I want Mommy"

[bigbabymikey1062]

Bryce tells him:

"Okay. We can help you slide down"

 

He helps Benny go to the slide, and they slide down together