Once mummy had purchased my nappy liners and a stock of zinc and castor oil cream she placed my blanket over me followed by the carrycots apron then returned to her car.
Before putting me and my cot in the car, she opened the back door and put two stickers, one each side of the rear window. It was not until she placed me in the car and dropped the hood to my carrycot I saw what they were. She had placed ‘BABY ON BOARD’ stickers there. She got in the car herself and drove us home.
Once home, the first thing she did was to remove my dress and petticoat, then change my wet nappy, and, as it was now two thirty she decided it was nap time for me. So she dressed me in a little nightdress and my harness, took me back to the kitchen where Cherie had made a bottle for me and fed me.
Mummy asked Charlie to fetch the two packages from the car saying the picture frames they asked for are in one of them.
While mummy was feeding me Cherie asked if she had managed to arrange my christening and mummy told her it was to be held the Sunday before Christmas. Cherie looked and smiled and said ‘how sweet, a Christmas baby’.
Once I had finished my bottle, mummy replaced my dummy in my mouth and took me to my pram where she laid me down, attached the clips to my harness, covered me with a blanket and finally raised the hood to let me sleep.
Mummy returned to the kitchen to have herself a cup of tea and said to Cherie and Charlie, ‘You know that the charity dinner/dance I organise each year in aid of the children’s home is in two weeks; well, that is going to be my little Teresa May’s debut. Everybody who is anybody in this community will be there’.
As mummy always invites her managers and families, also Cheri and Charlie she said to them that she would arrange for a nanny that day so that they could have a nice time too. Cherie became quite agitated at this and said to mummy ‘I am not sure that is such a good idea madam, it could be a little stressful for Teresa and to be looked after by a stranger could be quite distressing for her’.
‘I don’t see any alternative’ mummy replied.
‘I will look after her’, Cherie replied.
‘But that will spoil your evening dear’, said mummy.
‘Not at all madam, I will love doing it and we will be certain she knows who is looking after her, after all she is going to meet an awful lot of strangers that night and one more may be just too much for her’.
‘Alright dear’, mummy said ‘If you are sure and I am sure you are right. I will try and make it up to you somehow soon’.
Charlie then muttered ‘Teresa May, a pretty name for a pretty baby’.
Both mummy and Cherie looked at him and chuckled, surprised by his statement.
After my sleep, I awoke and started crying which made mummy come in to see what was wrong, but as she came closer she just said ‘Oh poo, who has made a stinky then?’ picked me up and took me to my nursery to be cleaned and have my nappies changed.
I wasn’t crying so much because I had soiled my nappy, but because I had been unable to stop myself. From continent to incontinent in just four days was quite frightening, especially when one recalls what Dr. Stone had said to mummy about the longer I am on this diet the harder it will be to go back to solids and potty train again.
The doctor had also told mummy that the longer I was on this diet the more my tummy would shrink making solids virtually impossible for me to digest; but also I would lose some weight. ‘Nothing dangerous’ she said. Also; the Oestrogen will not only give me a softer skin texture but also round my muscle tone out making me a little chubbier and more baby like.
When mummy finished, I was wearing instead of a dress, a white satin romper of mummies design. I had two teddy bears embroidered on the bodice and little lacy edges at the leg and arm hems.
She carried me downstairs, once again going through the safety gates and put me in my playpen.
Carefully checking the gate was properly closed she put a DVD on for me to watch.
Mummy then returned to the kitchen and explained to Cherie and Charlie the outline for the next two days.
Because I had had so much stress and so many changes to my life over the last four days, the next two (Friday and Saturday) were to be quiet days. I would be in my romper suits and left in my playpen except for feeds and naps of course.
Mummy also explained it would give her chance to catch up on farm business before the weekly meeting with Ted.
Friday arrived and as promised it was a very quiet day for me other than my usual baby routines.
Saturday arrived and once again I had my dirty nappies removed and bathed. Clean nappies and panties put on but this time a dress too.
Mummy explained ‘Uncle Ted’ was coming for their weekly meeting but also his wife too, so she wanted me looking pretty.
She then took me down to the kitchen, but this time put me in my highchair, put my bib on me and fed me whilst having her own breakfast. She let Cherie give me my bottle while she finished her own breakfast.
Once I had finished my bottle, Cherie cleaned me and took me to my playpen and calling mummy asked if she should put the TV on for me. Mummy said ‘yes’ and I was then left to watch Teletubbies and such on the Cbeebies channel.
Mummy then busied herself with farm business while Cherie and Charlie went about their duties and before anyone knew it, it was ten AM and Ted arrived with his wife.
Mummy greeted them and Ted’s wife said ‘where is she, I have been longing to see her’. Mummy bought her into the lounge and to my surprise and a little horror it was Betty, the lady I worked next to in the bulb shed.
Betty looked and said ‘Awwwwww, what a pretty little thing, I knew she did not belong in that bulb shed. She belongs right where she is’. She then looked at mummy and said ‘may I hold her?’ and mummy replied ‘of course, you cared for her in the bulb shed for me’.
Picking me up from my playpen Betty just looked at me and said ‘sweetheart you are so lucky having the loving mummy you have and you are the prettiest baby girl too’.
It turned out mummy had asked Ted if Betty would do four days in the bulb shed to watch me’. Of course Ted had arranged with the shed foreman for Betty to be sat next to me. Betty had agreed but when she saw my hands on the second morning, and the fact I could not break a small chocolate bar into pieces she knew I had to be taken from there and hence I arrived at the Big House two and a half days early.
While Betty was fussing over me and playing making me giggle I realised how comfortable I now felt with her. I was no longer embarrassed.
Mummy and Ted went over all the farm details of things done, things to do etc. and when finished said to Ted ‘I want to take Teresa to church on Sunday, but, I do not want to take her in her carrycot. I would rather she be in her pram. Can you help please?’
Ted replied ‘I could use the farms mini-bus to take Betty and the two girls too which would allow me to remove the back seats to make room to carry the pram for you. BUT, he said I would advise that you take her to church in her carrycot and change her to her pram once there’.
‘Would you mind doing that?’ mummy asked. ‘Be a pleasure, I will pick the pram up Sunday on the way to church’ Ted replied.
Mummy smiled and looked at the clock; she tanked Ted for sorting the pram problem out and said it was my feed time.
Ted the surprised everyone by saying ‘Perhaps I am out of order but, it has been many years since I had a baby in my arms and gave her, her bottle. Would you allow me please?’
Mummy looking surprised too, said ‘well of course Ted if you wish’.
Taking me from Betty’s arms into his own and cradling me as he did in the bulb shed I once more felt that affection a parent gives a child and was this time comfortable. Cherie arrived with my bottle and Ted quite deftly with his little finger removed my dummy teat to replace it with the teat of my bottle. I instantly began to suc-kle feeling neither embarrassment nor humility but a strange euphoria settled about me.
Betty looked at mummy and said ‘Well Teresa has certainly taken to Ted’. And mummy explained what had happened that day in the bulb shed when I was hysterical.
Betty simply said ‘He was always good with our girls too, a natural’.
When my bottle was almost empty Ted asked for a towel and when it arrived Betty knew what would happen. Ted asked for it to be placed over his shoulder.
Once my bottle my bottle was empty he handed it to mummy then before lifting me to his shoulder gently rubbed my back for a moment.
Betty looked at mummy and said ‘watch this’.
Ted then lifted me so I was looking over his should and again gently rubbed my back and patted it. With a minute I gave a great big burp, threw up a little milk and was turned around to have my face cleaned.
Ted then replaced my dummy (which was still on his little finger) and cradled me in his arms once more. Gently rocking me I was asleep in minutes.
This six foot two inch muscular man was truly a gentle giant.
He nursed me for a few minutes longer then passed me to mummy so she could put me in my pram and strangely even when putting my harness on me I never woke up. All I knew was when I did awake I was in my pram and not Uncle Ted’s caring arms.
So, what had apparently started as a very embarrassing day actually was about the best day of my new life.