From College To Cradle - New Life As A Toddler

Chapter 4
Chapter 4 (Tantrums & Exploration)

Chapter Description: My first day with my new life. My toddler emotions will be tested, and Brian’s love will always shine through. I’m truly blessed to have him.

Date: Friday 26-Nov-21 08:00 (Friday, November 26, 2021, 8:00 AM)
Location: Brian’s Residence, Skyward Villas Apartments, Kirkwood, Missouri, United States of America
       I rub my eyes as cold air rushes below my purple T-shirt. I blink twice and dart my eyes toward Brian who’s wearing a green sweater and blue jeans. I blink again and notice that he’s powdering my uplifted bottom while holding my legs with his left hand, “Good morning, Brian.”
       Brian smiles as he sets the baby powder down and closes it, “Good morning, Sleepyhead.” He grabs a fresh Pampers Cruisers diaper and flicks it open with his free right hand. “I figured you were tired after all that food.” He slides the fresh diaper under my bottom and brings the green circle decorated shell up to my belly, “So I let you sleep in.”
       I turn from Brian and scan the plan purple wall across from my changing table while Brian secures the left tape of my Pampers Cruisers. I yawn when I see the new diaper snugly hugging my waist and I kick my legs allowing my Pampers Cruisers to crinkle. I smile toward Brian and giggle whilst kicking my legs, “Thanks, Brian!”
       Brian boops my nose and lifts me into the air, “You’re welcome, Stacinator.” He smiles as he watches me giggle and swing my legs, “Going down…” Brian inches toward the floor and when my legs stop moving, he sets me on my feet. Brian turns toward the wall hosting my toy chest and shoes and walks over to grab my black tennis shoes, “Wanna go somewhere?”
       I rub my chin as Brian approaches me with the tennis shoes, “I guess…it wouldn’t hurt to explore this new world I’ve found myself in.” I glance down to the shoes and wiggle my toes, “Does it matter that I’m basically being……dressing like Tommy Pickles, Brian?”
       Brian shrugs his shoulders, “Well you are the size of a toddler, so it should be okay. Although,” and walks over to my changing table to pull out a pair of blue jeans. “if you want, you could wear these. I don’t want anyone making fun of you. I don’t want to deal with anyone making fun of my baby brother.”
       I swallow a lump in my throat at Brian’s statement, “I…I didn’t think about that. I…” I scratch my chin and kick the jeans away when Brian presents them to me, “Humph! If they do make fun of me, I’ll beat them up!” I slide onto my padded bottom and fight with my socks to get them on my feet.
       Brian chuckles and rubs the back of his head as he watches me fight with the laces, “I don’t think you could beat up anyone, Little Bro. This is a parallel world of our old one, but since it was edited to blend your toddler self in, you shouldn’t really have much issue.” Brian folds up my jeans and sets them in my diaper bag, “Just in case a restaurant does require pants though, I’ve got them.”
       I clap my untied tennis shoes together and wag my tongue at Brian, “Humph! No one would dare make fun of a toddler anyways. That would just show how much of a stupidhead they are.”
       Brian withholds a giggle at my toddler verbiage for idiot and slides my diaper bag over his shoulder, “Need some help with your shoes?”
       I glance down to the tennis shoes and cross my arms, “I used to be able to tie them, but now…now I don’t know how.” I kick my legs and whimper, “I dunno why.”
       Brian sits down next to me and pulls me into a warm hug, “Shhh…it’s alright. No need to be upset.” Brian releases me from the hug and smiles, “I can help you. Just watch me.”
       I sniff and nod as Brian takes hold of my right tennis shoe’s laces, “Okay.” I blink as I take in the process of him tying the shoe and smile when he finishes, “Okay. I…um…” I grab both laces and blink twice as I thread them under each other, but they end up falling apart when I release my hands from them, “Aww…” I kick my foot in frustration which causes my shoe to fly and hit Brian’s chest.
       I whimper and tears swim in my eyes as Brian rubs his chest while my shoe lands at his right side, “I’M SORRY! I’M SO STUPID!” I backhand my changing table and “OW!” cross my arms at my pain and frustration. “I hate this! I hate not being able to do stuff I used to! I hate it!”
       Brian lifts me to my feet and hugs me close, “I know. I know. I’m right here though. I’m always here for you. And it’s okay, I know you didn’t mean it.” Brian brings me out of the hug moments later and helps guide my foot into the shoe, “I’ll handle tying your shoes for now. You’ll learn about it later.” Brian ties my shoes and rises to one knee so he can kiss my cheek, “I probably should get you some slide on shoes instead huh?”
       I nod and bow my head whilst silent tears inch down my face, “I’m sorry, Brian. I…I…I’m sorry.”
       Brian lifts my eyes to his with a gentle index finger, “It’s alright. You’re just a toddler, Stacey. Toddlers have outbursts and meltdowns sometimes, but it’s caretaker’s job to calm them down and let them know they’re loved and that things will be okay.” Brian ruffles my hair and pokes my belly.
       I giggle and backpedal toward the doorway of my bedroom. I sigh as I train my eyes on Brian, “You promise everything will be okay?”
       Brian ruffles my hair and rises to his full height, “I promise.” He heads into the main hall of his apartment and turns to me with his right hand held out, “Ready to head out?”
       I glance down to my tied shoes and sniff as I scan my legs and arms. I smile when I realize that I’m going to be fine and train my eyes on Brian whose radiant smile gives me energy to continue. I smile and take Brian’s hand, “Let’s go.”
       Brian nods and heads toward the door. He grabs his keys from the table to the right of the door and opens it to the vast hallway containing ten other doors on the other side of the hall. He steps into the hall with me and turns to shut and lock his apartment door.
       I dart my eyes around the hall and notice the elevator at either end of the vast hall along with stairs, “So…this apartment complex has elevators and stairs for each floor?”
       Brian nods as he walks alongside me toward the elevator and lets me swing his arm while he waits for the elevator to open, “Yep. Skyward Villas has five floors, I always liked the top floor because the views were nice.” Brian steps into the elevator with me and presses the ground floor button.
       I smile toward Brian whilst the elevator slowly carries us down to the main floor. When the elevator opens, my eyes widen at the lobby containing a front desk with a smiling receptionist and twin golden doors that lead out to the city sidewalk. “Brian? Do you have a car?”
       Brian nods as he walks through the lobby and heads through the doors of the apartment complex, “I told you, I have my Honda Odyssey.” Brian looks both ways before crossing the street to the parking lot across from the apartments. He stops in front of his gray minivan and opens the right sliding door.
       My eyes widen at the purple car seat on the right side of the van. To the left of the car seat rests a purple changing mat with what appears to be a purple felt or cotton like covering. I turn to Brian as he sets my diaper bag on the floor in front of the changing station side of the minivan, “How did you?”
       Brian chuckles and lifts me into my car seat, “Denis and I worked on it. I figured it would make changing you easier if we were out somewhere and bathrooms were crowded.” Brian buckles me in with the five-point seat belt harness and kisses my forehead, “All buckled in.” Brian steps back and shuts the sliding door.
       I dart my eyes around the back of the minivan and notice that a black divider rests behind my car seat and the changing table section of the minivan. I glance toward the top of the black divider and see a giant hole that allows the driver to see behind him. I turn toward the front of the minivan right as Brian sits in the driver’s seat and buckles up, “Brian?”
       Brian turns on the van and Imagine Dragons’ Wrecked begins to lowly echo across the minivan as Brian exits the parking lot, “What’s up, Stacinator?”
       I dart my eyes around the parking lot and the apartment complex as it slowly passes us by, “I…I dunno. I just didn’t expect this.”
       Brian raises an eyebrow at me via the rear-view mirror, “Didn’t expect what?”
       I shake my head and turn to the right-hand window as I watch the apartment give way to the small mom and pop restaurants two blocks away, “I didn’t expect you to have a minivan already prepared for a toddler.”
……
Date: Friday 26-Nov-21 09:32 (Friday, November 26, 2021, 9:32 AM)
Location: Downtown St. Louis Business District, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America, Planet Earth
       I giggle as I scan the Red Lobster and Olive Garden passing us by and pull my Samsung Galaxy S21 out of my diaper bag, “Where are we going, Brian?” I flip through the phone for my game of Bejeweled and begin crushing jewel combos.
       Brian hums along to Pentatonix’s Easy Love as he makes another turn, “I figured we could just walk around Forest Park, maybe go to the boat house like old times.”
       “I guess…” I glance up from my phone and see a giant Galaxy Bank building that Brian’s driving past, “Who’s Galaxy Bank? I’ve never heard of them.”
       Brian chuckles as he makes another turn toward the Art Museum, “Galaxy Bank is this parallel world’s version of St. Louis’ most prosperous bank that’s known nationwide for their customer service and helping people in need.”
       I roll my eyes at Brian’s statement, “I guess it makes sense that things wouldn’t be exactly the same in this parallel world.”
……
Date: Friday 26-Nov-21 10:00 (Friday, November 26, 2021, 10:00 AM)
Location: Forest Park Boathouse, Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America, Planet Earth
       I sigh and swing my legs as Brian cruises past the boathouse looking for a parking spot, “WHY ARE THERE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE?!” I cross my arms and pout.
       Brian sighs as he turns down the music and reaches behind him to ruffle my hair, “There’s a show at the Muny going on, that’s what makes for the heavy traffic.” Brian smiles when he spots a parking lot a good thirty feet from the boathouse and whips into the first parking space he can find, “Here we are.”
       Brian shuts off his van and hops out to walk over to my side of the van. He opens the sliding door and slides my diaper bag over his shoulder. He glances over to me and notices the empty baby bottles surrounding me. He pokes my nose in an attempt to defeat my pouting, “Come on, Stace, don’t be so upset.” Brian unbuckles me and tickles my armpits.
       I can’t help but giggle and kick my legs as Brian continues to tickle me, “HA! HA! HA! HA! STAAAAHP! HA! HA! HA! HA!” Hissing echoes around me as three of the five bottles I had on my way here begin leaving my body and leaving my Pampers Cruisers’ wetness indicator a yellow-green color. I sigh when Brian stops tickling me and lifts me into his arms.
       I dart my eyes around the park and notice toddlers being chased by their older siblings on Art Hill on my left while a band can be seen walking toward the Boat House on my right, “A band is gonna play?” I smile toward Brian seconds after he sets me on my feet.
       Brian pats my padded bottom, “Right.” and holds my right hand. “Ready?”
       I swing Brian’s arm and giggle as I waddle alongside him toward the boat house, “Yeah!”
……
Date: Friday 26-Nov-21 12:00 (Friday, November 26, 2021, 12:00 PM)
Location: Forest Park Boathouse, Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America, Planet Earth
       I smile and stand up on the table, blocking Brian whose seated across from me. I clap loud and giggle seconds after the band finishes up their sixth jazz number, “I love jazz music!” I turn to Brian with a wide smile, “This is awesome huh Brian?!”
       Brian chuckles and ruffles my hair, “Yep.” He delivers a playful swat to my padded bottom, “It’s not proper to stand on the tables though. I can’t see, Little Bro.”
       I sit down on the table and smile back at Brian with a giggle, “Is this better?”
       Brian rises so he can lift me into the air, “I got a better idea…” He sits down at the table with me on his shoulders, “This is a better position for the both of us.” Brian holds onto my legs and blinks twice as the band begins packing up, “I guess they’re heading out. That was a good time, wasn’t it?”
       I smile down at Brian, “Yeah. I remember us doing this…way back when I was an adult.” I glance down to our table and notice the empty trays that once contained our food orders: my two hamburgers with chocolate cake, and Brian’s burger with chocolate cake. “I can’t believe we ended up back here.”
       I crawl off Brian’s shoulders and waddle toward the pond, stopping at the boardwalk a full two feet before I reach the water, “Brian?”
       Brian walks over to me and kneels, “Yeah, Stacey?”
       I turn to wrap my arms around Brian’s neck and kiss his cheeks, “I love you, Brian. I’m glad we came back here.”
       Brian smiles as he returns my hug whilst patting my padded bottom, “I’m glad we came back here too.” Brian releases me from the hug five minutes later and glances down to my Pampers Cruisers to see the yellow wetness indicator. He hugs me again and rises to his full height whilst patting my bottom.
       I wrap my arms around Brian’s neck and rest my head over his shoulder with a smile as he carries me toward the bathrooms, “Brian? Where are we going now?”
       “Bathrooms, Stacey.” Brian pats my bottom, “You need a dry diaper, and I need to use the restroom too.”
       I giggle as Brian enters the men’s restroom and sets me on my feet. I waddle around the bathroom while Brian takes care of business and I notice the black and white photos of the Muny and other historic St. Louis sites, “Interesting…heh…”
       Brian walks over to the sink and washes his hands, “Enjoying the art huh?”
       I turn to Brian and waddle over to wrap my arms around his leg, “Uh huh!”
       Brian lifts me into the air and walks over to the changing table resting against the wall at the back of the bathroom, “Are you glad we came out here?” He lays me down and unfastens my soaked diaper.
       I smile toward Brian while he lifts my legs to slide the soaked diaper away and works on getting me clean and dry whilst tossing the old wipes into my old Pampers resting out of range of my kicking legs, “I am. I’m sorry I’ve been an emotional wreck lately.” I turn toward the wall while Brian lowers my legs so he can roll my diaper into a ball and tape it shut.
       Brian chuckles as he holds my legs with his left hand and grabs the baby powder with his right hand so he can powder my uplifted bottom, “Don’t worry about it, Stacey. It’s just another thing I have to adjust to.” Brian sets the baby powder down and shuts it with his right hand so he can grab my fresh Pampers Cruisers diaper, “And I think I’m adjusting well. Don’t you think?”
       I smile toward Brian as he slides the fresh diaper under my bottom and brings the green circle decorated shell up to my belly, “I think so, Brian.” I giggle when Brian secures the new diaper snug around my waist and I kick my legs allowing my fresh Pampers to crinkle, “Thankies for the change.” I stop kicking my legs and poke Brian’s nose. “Heee…”
       Brian lifts me into the air and sets me on my feet with a loving pat to my freshly diapered bottom, “You’re welcome, Stacey.” Brian tosses my old diaper into the trash and returns the supplies to my diaper bag so he can swing it over his shoulder. He walks over to the sink and begins washing his hands.
       I giggle and waddle over to Brian so I can wrap my arms around his legs, “I love you, Brian. You’re the bestest big brother in the whole world!”
       Brian dries his hands and scoops me into his arms for a warm hug, “I love you too, Stacinator.” He pats my freshly padded bottom as he heads out of the restroom and sets me on his shoulders so we can watch the paddle boats sail down the river. “This is fun, huh?”
       I smile down at Brian and boop his nose, “Uh huh!” I direct my smile toward the boats on the water and giggle, “Spending time with you is always fun, Brian. I think I’mma like it here.”
……
       Brian chuckles when he hears me yawn and he lifts me off his shoulders. He chuckles as he holds me out at arm’s length and watches me rub my eyes, “Sleepy?”
       I blink my sleepy eyes and nod as Brian brings me in for a hug. I wrap my arms around his neck and smile as his gentle caress and bottom pats lull me to sleep as he carries me back to the car, “I love you, Brian. I…I’m gonna stay…toddler forever. Don’t…don’t leave…”
       Brian smiles at my adorable confession as he stops at his car and sets me down in my car seat, “I will never leave you, Stacey.” Brian buckles me in and sets my diaper bag at my feet. He hums as he shuts the sliding door and hops in the driver’s seat for the quick drive home. “I’ll always be here.” Brian scans me through his rear-view and smiles at me napping with a smile on my face, “I will be with you…forever. No matter what happens, no matter how many diaper changes and meltdowns, I’ll always be here.”