“We appreciate you coming all the way out here to help us, … put us on the straight and narrow,” said Ken, through his CCVS, always the comedian.
They all got a chuckle out of the religious reference, with the loveliest giggles coming from the infants. Maribel had grown up Catholic in her last life and was growing up Catholic in her new life too, as her new mom was Catholic. Emily was also a fellow Catholic, but was raising two Mormon regenerates. Since the previous month, on Sundays, she had been dropping them off to a volunteer who had been taking them into the Mormon services while she spent her time at Mass. Before that, the babies would be with their mother at Mass. It broke Emily’s heart that she couldn’t baptize them as infants in her own church because it was against Mormon beliefs to infant baptize, almost as much as it did to drop them off on Sunday for a few hours of being away from them at such a young age.
“I’m hear to help you with your new childhood, and to make it as good and healthy as your first one. First, I need to talk something over with your mommy, and come back to you to talk to you both,” she said with loving, cutesy, older-sister type affectionate inflections in her voice
Maribel McMillan and Emily Trudeau were going over the questionnaires that Ken and Karen Henderson had taken long before the consultant date when Karen started crying. Both babies were overdue for their after-breakfast diaper change. Maribel offered to help with the situation because she had packed two changing pads in her cases, thinking it would be better if routines were as synchronized between both infants as possible. They each took a baby and started their work.
“I notice you don’t cry when you are wet and stinky,” said Emily as she poked Ken’s tummy.
Flailing his arms and giggling in response to the stimulus, he talked through his anklet CCVS, which was muffled by his pants being around his ankles, “I was like that in my last childhood too. I never cared if I was wet, or yucky. I was potty trained late for my time, just about the time I turned three.” Physically incapable of controlling their weak pelvic floor muscle for long periods of time rendered all 4-month-olds incontinent, despite the adult cognitive level and the faster advancement of the motor skills of the Hendersons. “I do want to start a little earlier than that the second time around. Maybe I can start … exercises … for my potty muscles. … However, mommy doesn’t think elimination communication is practical right now and thinks diaper changes at this age are easier.”
“Kegal exercises for 4-month-olds?” she replied, ” … um … I think I’m going to have to side with your mommy on this one. And I’m sure your pediatrician would do the same. Let’s wait until all your muscles are toned up before we give special worry about the ones down there. Maybe when you are able to walk to the potty?” The babies giggled at the cute sassy inflections of their consultant. “I was not able to go potty all by myself until about the same age as the first time I was potty trained: 31 months. I too wanted to be a little earlier to help my mommy out but had to accept my limitations. Enjoy being a baby for now,” said Maribel.
She turned to Emily, “Ms. T., you don’t mind me calling you that, do you?”
“Not at all dear,” responded the babies’ mommy.
“Is it okay if I get out their play mat while we finish up?”
“Sure, let’s do that.”