Commission: Naps, nappies, and his new reality!
It was just after lunch, that heavy, drowsy part of the day when the littles start rubbing their eyes and their energy dips into giggles and whining in equal measure. At our adult daycare, that meant one thing: potty time.
I clapped my hands together softly, coaxing smiles from a few sleepy faces. âAlright, darlings, before we get our blankies and cuddle up for nap, itâs time for our potty checks.â I said it in the same sing-song tone I always did, and a few of them wiggled in place with that half-proud, half-nervous look they got.
Not everyone here was in the same place with their training. Some had taken to it nicelyâpull-ups mostly dry. Others were still firmly padded, bottoms bulky and squishy, and at least making it to the potty for their number twos...then⊠there was him. My special case.
But I didnât start with him. I liked to build up to it, because the comparison made the lesson sink in better.
âEmma, honey, come here first,â I said, patting my thigh. She skipped over, her little sundress swishing as she stopped right in front of me. I crouched down, lifted the hem just slightly, and tugged at the waistband of her pull-up.
I poked the front gently, giving a little squeeze, and smiled. âOhhh, look at you! Nice and dry as a daisy. Someoneâs a big girl today, arenât they?â Emma beamed and nodded, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
âSee?â I said to the others. âThatâs what we like to see, clean and dry, ready for nap with no fuss.â
Next was Anna. She waddled over, already tugging at her waistband, cheeks pink. I leaned close, slipping two fingers under the stretchy edge of her diaper. The padding was just a little swollen, squishy against my fingertips.
âMmm, just a teeny bit wet,â I teased, giving her a playful tap on the hip. âButâŠâ lowering my voice like we were sharing a secret. âYou did your big poopy on the potty today, didnât you?â
Annaâs shy little grin gave her away. She nodded, and Emma clapped for her.
âThatâs right!â I said, ruffling her hair. âSo one tiny wet spot in a diaper isnât the end of the world. Iâm still very proud of you.â She blushed brighter but leaned into my hand anyway.
I didnât even need to call him. He stood off to the side, shifting from foot to foot, refusing to meet my eyes. His pull-up days were still far off, and both he and I knew it. I crooked a finger.
âCome on, sweetheart. Letâs not keep everyone waiting.â
He shuffled over, face pink as a rose, and I lowered myself onto the padded mat to meet him. Even before I tugged at the waistband of his thick diaper, I caught the faint sour-sweet smell that confirmed what I already knew. Still, I slid a hand to the back, pressing just gently, and my palm squished against the unmistakable bulk of a very, very full nappy.
I wrinkled my nose dramatically. âOh dear⊠I was hoping maybe today youâd surprise me.â My tone was sweet, but laced with a teasing lilt that made him squirm. âBut nooo, here we are again. A big, messy baby bottom, right when we were all getting ready for nap.â
Emma giggled behind her hand. âHeâs stinky again!â
Anna nodded seriously, adding, âHe always is. He never makes it.â
He whined softly, trying to hide his face, but I gently took his wrist and pulled him closer. âShhh, donât pout. We all know you are not ready for pull-ups yet. Thatâs why he still needs thick nappies, hmm?â I gave the swollen seat of his diaper a light pat, and he yelped softly at the squish.
âCome on, down you go.â I guided him onto the changing mat while the girls knelt nearby, curious eyes glued to the ritual. I hummed softly, untaping one side, then the other, folding back the front of the swollen diaper. The smell wafted up stronger now, and I wrinkled my nose again playfully. âPee-yew! Did someone have an accident?â
His cheeks burned red, but Emma leaned forward, wrinkling her nose too. âItâs so stinky. My pull-ups are never like that.â
Anna chimed in, âI use the potty for that. I donât need a messy diaper anymore.â
I smiled at them both, handing Emma the wipes box to hold. âSee, girls? Thatâs what practice and trying your best looks like. Unlike somebody hereâŠâ I teased as I cleaned him up, each wipe making him flinch with embarrassment. âSomebody who still makes big messies right in his pants like a little baby.â
When he was clean, I slid a fresh diaper under his hips, thick and crinkly. The girls leaned close, fascinated, as I powdered him and pulled the padding snug around his waist. The tapes landed with firm little rips, and just like that, he was securely back in his baby bubble.
âAll done,â I cooed, patting the front of his diaper so it gave a soft, puffy squish. âFresh as a daisyâŠwell, almost.â
Emma poked at his padded front with one finger, giggling. âItâs so thick! Mineâs way thinner.â She tugged at the waistband of her pull-up for comparison, showing off the slim padding. âSee? Big kids donât need all that.â
Anna added, âHeâll never get  pull-ups if he keeps being messy.â
I grinned, smoothing his shirt down over the waistband of his fresh diaper. âThatâs exactly right, girls. Pull-ups are for littles who can keep their pants clean and dry most of the time. And our friend hereâŠâ I gave his diaper a light pat, making him squirm. ââŠwell, heâs not there yet, is he?â
He mumbled something into his thumb, which only made the girls giggle harder.
By then, the clock was ticking toward nap, so I herded all three of them toward the padded mats lined up in the corner. I helped Anna settle down first, her damp diaper making a faint squish as she curled onto her side. Then Emma, tugging her blanket up proudly, whispering, âIâm still dry.â
Finally, I eased him down onto his mat, fluffing his blanket over him. His diaper crinkled loudly, the fresh padding already ballooning between his thighs. Emma reached over once more, giving his front a playful poke.
âGoodnight, baby,â she teased. âDonât make another stinky.â
The girls giggled, and I smoothed hair back from each of their foreheads. âShhh now. Time for quiet, all of you. Naptime means rest, not teasing.â
Still, as I watched their eyes flutter shut, Emma proud, Anna content, and him flushed with shame in his fresh diaper, I couldnât help but smile. Some littles just take longer than others. And until then⊠well, thatâs what babysitters like me were here for.
Thank you for commisisoning this story!