Soft Boy

My sticker chart

   "Leo!" Mommy yells from the living room. I put down my colored pencils and toddle to her.
   "Yes mommy!" I say sitting next to her
   "I came up with a new idea! This is your sticker chart

   when you have a good day and listen to mommy, you'll get a sticker, if you don't listen to mommy, you won't get a sticker. When you get 10 stickers mommy will let you get something from the store!" My eyes grow wide.
   "Really?!" I say happily.
   "Yep! But you only get a sticker if you have a good day and follow mommy's rules," she says.
   "I will mommy! I'll be super duper good!" I say. Tye smiles.
   "I know you can do it!" She says kissing my forehead.
   "Mama can we go to the park?" I ask. She thinks about it for a minute
   "I don't see why not, wanna bring a friend?" Mommy asks. I get really excited.
   "Mommy I wanna play with Carter and Lily!" I say.
   "Okay! Do you want mommy to help dress you or can I call Carter and Lily's daddy?" She asks. I think for a minute.
   "You call him," I say then totter to my room. I pick out my cars onesie and my usual shortalls.
  

   "Mommy!" I yell.
   "Mommy's on the phone, what's wrong?" She says poking her head in.
   "I wanna wear my training pants!" I say. She walks to my drawer and pulls them out for me.
   "Here baby, now let mommy talk to Jeremiah," she says leaving my room. I get dressed by myself like a big boy.
   "Mommy mommy! I dressed myself!" I say wandering to the living room.
   "Yes you did! You look adorable baby," she says kissing my forehead.
   "Can carter and Lily come to the park?" I ask.
   "Yep! They'll meet us there in 20 minutes, so let's get going!" She says standing up.
   When we get to the park Carter and Lily are being pushed on the swings by Jeremiah. We're the only ones there and I relax. Parents can be pretty rude to regressors who go out in public.
     I run to them and almost get hit by Lily on a swing. Jeremiah swoops me up just in time.
   "Woah, be careful little man. You could've got really hurt there," he says. I nod.
   "Hi Leo!" Lily says jumping off her swing.
   "Hi Leo!" Carter says in his usual quiet voice.
   "Hi guys! Wanna hide n seek?" I say excitedly.
   "I do!" They say in unison.
   "Okay I'll look!" I say. I close my eyes and hear them both take off. I count to ten and when I open my eyes they're gone. I wander around the park, not seeing anyone. I then to my right and see a bush. I check behind it and see Lily!
   "I found you!" I say excitedly. She smiles and stands up.
   "Now we have to find Carter! But trust me, it won't be easy." she says in a whisper.
   "Why not?" I ask.
   "Carter is super duper good at this game! One time I was looking for them for 20 minutes!" Lily says loudly. My eyes go wide.
   "Well we better start now!" I say. We walk around the park, looking behind trees and bushes. We decide to get on the huge jungle gym and look from up there.
   "Carter!" Lily yells. No one answers
   "We're never gonna find them!" I say.  That's when I see Lily start smiling mischievously.
    "Hey Leo, let's go down the slide!" she says then winks at me.
    "Okay!" I say happily. Lily goes first, but she doesn't slide down. She stomps on the slide and we hear a squeak.
   "Carter?" I say. There's no response. Lily giggles and carefully shuffles down the slide. I follow her.
   "Found you!" Lily says loudly. I hear Carter's laugh and knew he was there.
   "We found you!" I say. We all go down the slide and end up colliding into each other at the bottom. We all start laughing on the wood chips.
   "Wanna play Marco polo?" I ask standing up. I brush the dirt off my outfit.
   "I do!" Carter says. We played at the park til sundown.
   "Leo, we have to get going now," mommy says. I stick out my bottom lip and stomp my foot.
   "That's not gonna work sweetie, and remember you want your stickers!" I gasp.
   "Bye Lily! Bye Carter!" I say then run to the car.
   When we get home I give mommy a hug.
   "I had fun today!" I say. She smiles at me.
   "I'm glad! Mommy will get started on dinner, you go play." I run to my room and start playing with my hot wheels. Soon enough I get bored. I sigh.
   "I want mommy," I say to no one. I decide to play a prank.
   "Leo dinners ready!" I gasp and run to hide in my closet.
   "Leo!" I hear her yell again. I snicker. Her footsteps come down the hall then into my room.
   "Where's my baby boy?" she asks. I giggle before I can stop myself.
   "Is he in his crib?" she says. I giggle again
   "I think I heard him!" I run out of the closet.
   "I'm here mommy!" I say.
   "There you are! Its dinner time so let's wash up," I wash my hands then sit next to mommy at the table. She puts on my bib then I dig in. She made spaghetti!
   "Mommy did I have a good day?" I ask with my mouth full.
   "I think so, Leo got his first sticker!" She says happily. I clap my hands.
   "Nine more!" I say.
   Mommy let's me put a sticker on my chart, I choose a gold star.
   "Mommy has one more surprise for you!" Tye says. I perk up.
   "What is it mama?" I ask.
   "I got you something that jingles, so mommy always knows where you are. Cause you're a sneaky little one and mommy doesn't wanna lose you." She says. I tilt my head and she opens a little box. Inside is a green collar with cars on it and three little bells.

   "Thank you mommy!" I say hugging her. She chuckles and rubs my back.
   "Anything for my baby, now let's get ready for bed,"