Soft Boy

Caring for him

                            Tye
   My watch beeps and snaps me out of my day dream. I look down at it to see its 5:00.
   "Quitting time!" I think to myself. I love my work but I miss my baby. Also its Friday night so he'll probably want his weekly baby time. Don't get me wrong, I love my rambunctious toddler, but my soft baby has a special place in my heart.
   I tap on the steering wheel as I drive.  I'm just about home when I remeber that friday means stuffie for Leo.
   "Shoot," I say outloud. I decide to call him. I'd rather stop at the store and get him one versus pick him up, bring him to the store, then go back home. I decide to calk him.
   "Hi mama!" My boy says when he amswers the phone. My heart flutters.
   "Hey baby, so mama was wondering if she could go to the store and get you a surprise Stuffie," I say. Leo gasps. The word surprise always excites him.
   "Mommy will get me a surprise Stuffie?!" He asks in disbelief. I love his enthusiasm so much.
   "Unless you wanna pick one out yourself," I say. Leo pauses for a minute and I swear I can hear him think.
   "Surprise please!" He says. I'm relieved. That'll save me gas money.
   When I get to the store I look at all the possible options. There's teddy bears and puppies and kitties. But the only right choice with him is the dinosaurs.
   There's a whole bin of them. All adorable and amazing options, but one melts me and screams Leo.

   "Its perfect!" I say to myself. When I go to check out the old cashire smiles at it too.
   "Do you have a little boy this is going to?" She asks.
   "I do! He's gonna love it!" I say. Well I kinda do, just different then what she assumes.
   "Oh Leo!" I say entering the door. I hear his footsteps come running down the hall.
   "Did you get it mommy? Did you?!" He asks happily.
   "I did!" I pass him the target bag and he pulls the dino out. He immediately gasps at how perfect it is. I think it knocked him out of his headspace for a second.
   "Mama he's perfect!" He says hugging me tight. I laugh. He's so happy and it makes me happy.
   "What are you gonns name him?" I ask.
   "TJ!" Leo says happily.
   "That's adorable!" I say kissing his cheek.
   "Mama I want baby time!" He says with a pout. Just like I thought. Usually after he's been home all day and I've been gone he wants to regress and be more dependent.
   "Okay baby, let's get you padded then we can decide what comes next," I say taking his hand and walking him to the nursery. He settles on the changing table while I look through his diaper stash.
   "What we feeling today, my little diaper butt?" I ask. He doesn't answer so I turn around and see what he's up to. I see him on his back with his feet in his hands. He melts my heart. Since he's too little to pick, I decide on a bambino magnifico. Also know as Leo's favorite baby time diaper.

    Leo's easy to change, never took fussy.
   "Okay now you need a onesie, mommy thinks she knows the perfect one!" I say tickling his tummy. He laughs and laughs.
   "How about this?" I say pulling a pastel blue onesie out of the closet.

   Leo sits up and reaches for the onesie, so I assume he wants to wear it. After he's dressed I put him on the floor with his favorite toys and TJ.
   "Here's a paci," I say giving him a white paci.
   "Okay mama is gonna get started on dinner, you play," I say. I turn on on baby monitor and bring the other one with me.
   "Okay what to cook," I say to myself. Something soft so Leo can feel small, and something I can feed him. I decide on spaghetti, knowing it'll leave a mess everywhere.
   I turn my attention to the baby monitor. I hear a rattle and baby babble. I smile to myself. I love my baby boy.
   When dinner's finished I make sure to cut Leo's spaghetti into small noodles.
   "Okay open for the airplane!" I say. Leo laughs and opens wide. I feed him all his spaghetti, and even get some veggies down his throat.
   "Good job baby! You ate all your foods!" I say wiping his face off with the bib.
   We go back to the nursery and Leo decides to play in his crib. I move all his toys to the crib and watch him play. He shows me his rattle then shakes it in my face.
   "Is that your favorite toy baby? I ask.  Leo nods and puts it in his mouth. I chuckle.
   "Mouths are for food and pacis, not icky toys," I say gently pulling it out and placing the paci in. He grabs his new dino stuffie and pulls it into a big hug. I rub his back while he hugs it. Soon enough he's getting drowsy, I can see it in his eyes.
   "Okay cutie, its almost bedtime," He's too small to argue about it, so he just lays down and cuddles up to his bear. I turn on his mobile and it plays soft music and spins around. I caress his cheek and soon enough he's asleep.