It's classification day for Riley. he is finally 18 but when he gets his results things turn for the worst quickly when he has to stay with his brother until he gets assigned a Caregiver.
Emily is 20 and has been a Mommy without a little for 2 year...
Mommies arms are comfortable as I'm sleeping, she is playing with my hair and humming, she always hums when I sleep.
I think she has noticed I'm slightly awake, she smiles down at me. "Hey sleepy head" Mommy strokes my cheek with her thumb, I don't want to wake up yet... "Wakey wakey baby" she says which makes me whine and hide in her chest.
"No, all go sweep" I complain softly making her laugh, she wedges her hand between me and her chest to put her breast away.
"If you wake up, we can go to the shop and mommy will get you a Teddy and a sweetie" I'm convinced. "But if you stay asleep I guess mommy can get some for herself" I guess it's time to get up...
"Otay otayyyy" I sit up slowly and rub my eyes. Mommy takes me to my nursery to change my diaper. My rash still really hurts but the rash cream is helping.
"Should we get you in a bath, I'll make it all relaxing and soothing" Mommy says kissing my cheek. She leaves me on the changing table for a few minutes coming back with a bag of oats and one of milk in one hand. She lifts me up with one free hand letting me walk. She fills up the bath with water then puts in the milk and oats.
"Mommy why milky bath" She looks at me with a smile.
"Because milk and oats baths will help your rash" Mommy lifts me into the bath, holding me up slightly so my bum doesn't touch the bottom. She is gently washing me in the warm milk oats bath. When I'm all clean she picks me up and wraps me on a towel.
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Mommy picks out my outfit, all the bears are so cute but mommy says im cuter which makes me giggle.
She puts on knee high socks and brown trainers. She gets dressed herself.
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When she is done, we go downstairs, she packs up a diaper bag and sets up my stroller. I'm just standing waiting for her to finish, when she is done packing everything she turns to me with her hands open.
"Come here little dove" Mommy smiles happily and I waddle to her. I feel so stupid but when she swings me up in the ear praising me I can't help but feel amazing. I can't help but giggle at her praise.
She packs everything into her car while I stand by the door. Holding onto the doorframe so I don't fall over. When she is finally done I'm picked up and strapped into a booster seat. My seat was at the back of the car behind the passenger seat so that mommy could help me if I needed it.
"Before we go to the shop I think we need some rules okay" Mommy says as she buckles herself in. "Firstly, if you want something you have to ask. If mommy says no, that means no. Stay close at all times if your not in your stroller. Understand?" It was a lot to take in but I understood. "Words please honey"
"Yea, I understand" I speak in a quiet voice. She smiles and the engine revs up, we drive for a good half an hour. I can see lots of houses, we even pass my old house. I see an ice cream shop which I will definitely have to beg mommy to take me too one day. I see the park so I stick my tongue out because I hate the park now. We finally get to the shopping centre and it's HUGEEE. I'm bouncing in my seat excited to get in and mommy is going so slowly!
When we finally get in, I want to walk around so Mommy just wheels the empty stroller round. It's not too busy today apparently because it's Monday and people are working.
"Why aren't you working?" I ask her, I sounded normal because I wasn't feeling very little right now but this was all still very exciting.
"Well I have been home caring for you and I would rather do that. So i am taking time off and will be back to work at some point" Can't believe she isn't working right now because of me... I feel a little guilty.
"Do you miss work?" I have stopped bouncing and I think she has realized I was worried...
"Honey, if I went to work I would miss you a lot more than I miss work right now. I would rather be here with you" A kiss is left on my forehead which makes me smile and go back to being happy and energetic.
First we go to a clothes shop, mommy makes me try on some outfits. It feels like it's taking forever! Then we go to the furniture shop where mommy buy's me a high chair, which seems like a torture device by the way, she will never get me in that! We stop for snacks at the door court. Mommy let's me get a hot chocolate and a donut. I'm busy eating my donut when mommy tries to pick me up but I fight her slightly.
"Riley, come on we need to go" Mommy's voice is a hushed yell. She picks up my hot chocolate and I hold the donut as we walk swiftly away from our table. I don't know why she was so worried...
"What happened" I ask her as soon as we get to the toy shop. She looks down at me with a soft sigh.
"Can we talk about it when we get home?" Mommy looks sad so I just nod and she smiles again. I look around and there are a million toys. What catches my eyes is a big brown Teddie bear that has a blue and white scarf.
"Can I have that one, please please pleaseeeeee" I'm pointing at the bear and bouncing wildly. Mommy chuckles and takes it off the shelf, as soon as she pays for it she let's me hold it. I squeeze it tightly with a grin from ear to ear on my face. "Thanks mommy" I squeal. After that I got pretty tired so I sat in the stroller while mommy finished shopping.
When we got back home I remember what mommy said about the shopping centre and talking about it later. "Mommy, what happened at the shopping centre" I ask as she is unloading the shopping.
"Oh erm, I think I saw your brother... I don't know his name but I saw him at the police station when I picked you up so I thought you wouldn't want to see him" She explains. I didn't know he was out of prison...
"He isn't my brother" I hiss making her stop unloading her shopping and look at me.
"Well if he isn't your brother anymore then who is your family. You can't just have no-one" Mommy says softly.
"I have family, your my family. Your my mother" She looks shocked.
"What did you just say..." She moved closer to me, completely abandoning her shopping.
"I consider you like my actual mother. Your my family... If you want me that is" I'm too nervous to look her in the eye but she pulls me into a tight hug. I feel teardrops on my shoulder so I think she is crying...
"Of course I want you Riley. You will always be my baby" Mommy is talking so quietly I wouldn't have heard her if she wasn't so close...
