Crisis of Confidence

Part 3: Down the Toilet: 1/3

by: ioanhoratio

A/N This one was inspired by the gorgeous afrozenheart412. When she suggested the topic I smacked myself in the head for not thinking about it! What a great idea. I am seriously hoping to do it justice. It is an expansive topic so I have divided it up into 3 chapters. This is in basically the introduction. So prepare yourself for: Potty Training! (Also FF (dot) net gave me hard time when I tried to post this, I tried to go through it and make sure there were no formating errors but if I missed them I'm really sorry!!! Last time they did this, they deleted all the quotation marks and apostraphies...sheesh!)

Special Thank to: jycanucks, DJxDANGAAxCRNPPS, LMooD7, Colie04, tutorgirl86, DAnNSfreak, livingfree, laurzz, lastlovesangel, madhatterette, nwegh, pretty7, KTmac09, Brinchen86, Lindsay1234, LME, tysheda, and of course afrozenheart412! A special thanks to those who took the time to review!

Lindsay slowly cracked an eye at the sound of a baby's wail. She glanced over at the clock and saw it was nearly 3:00 in the afternoon. After blinking her eyes several times to clear away the last vestige of sleep she focused her attention on the tiny baby swaddled close to her. Lindsay gazed at the infant in wonder. Even with his face scrunched up and red from crying, he was unbelievably beautiful. Lindsay slowly unwrapped the blue blanket from around his small frame and watched as he opened his blue eyes.

"Did all that sleeping make you hungry, babe-a-roo?" Lindsay asked her son as she unclipped the strap on her nursing bra and lowered one side of her pink camisole. The little baby's response was to continue to wail.

"Alright," Lindsay assured him, "no need for all that crying. The breast-urant is officially open."

The baby boy fussed a few moments longer before he latched onto Lindsay's breast but was soon sucking happily away when Lindsay heard the door to the bedroom open. She looked up just in time to see Danny poke his head around the door.

"I heard him fussin' and wanted to check and see if ya needed any help," He said softly but loud enough for Lindsay to hear.

"He just got hungry," Lindsay explained, "and so am I."

"So you're up then?" Danny asked.

"Wide awake," Lindsay confirmed.

"Good 'cause I got little-bit here who's been askin' about you for the past half hour," Danny grumbled good naturedly before turning to the hallway and calling, "Luce, ya can come in now."

Lindsay heard her daughter's feet trample down the hall and an excited, "Yay!"

A second later a short figure was pushing passed Danny and running to the bed waving a piece of paper around frantically, "Look what I drawed for you mommy."

"Drew, baby," Lindsay corrected as she helped Lucy climb up onto the bed.

"Oh, look what I drew for you," Lucy replied.

Lindsay took the paper and gazed at the swirls of colors and lines.

"It's beautiful Lucy," Lindsay gushed, hoping she wasn't looking at it upside down.

Lucy smiled hugely at her mother, "It's a carousel, like the one Daddy took us to."

"Of course it is," Lindsay said happily, throwing Danny a shy smile. He chuckled in return.

"That was a pretty fun day, huh Lucy-loo?" Danny asked her from the doorway.

"Yeah," Lucy said sadly.

Lindsay frowned in confusion, "What's wrong baby girl?"

"I wish we could go back one day," Lucy breathed forlornly.

Lindsay's expression didn't change as she pointed out, "We can baby girl."

"Na uh," Lucy shook her head, "Daddy said that baby brother couldn't go outside."

"Oh Luce," Danny jumped in, walking towards the bed, "I meant right now. It's too cold and Damon is only a few days old and we don't want him to get sick. 'K? We'll get to go back to the carousel when the weather is warmer and you'll get to pick which animal he'll ride, a'right?"

"The elephant!" Lucy declared bouncing up and down on the bed, "He'll ride the elephant!"

Danny saw the wince on Lindsay's face and immediately scooped up his daughter, reminding her, "Easy Lucy. We don't get to bounce on Mommy for a little while 'k?"

Lucy froze in her father's arms.

"Sorry Mommy. I fa'got."

Lindsay swallowed her pain as quickly as she could, desperate to reassure her daughter.

"It's OK baby girl. Thank you for apologizing."

Lindsay then puckered her lips out and Lucy, with help from her father, leaned forward and gave her mom a kiss. Danny went to set Lucy back down on the bed but paused. Lucy giggled at getting to hang in the air while Lindsay gave Danny a questioning look.

"Lucy, why are your pants wet?" Danny asked his daughter.

"I dunno," Lucy said simply as she swung her feet in the air.

"Did you have an accident?" Lindsay asked.

Lucy didn't answer.

"Lucy, your mother asked you a question," Danny prompted softly.

Lucy huffed, "I had an ac'ident."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Danny asked her as he set her on the floor.

Lucy just shrugged.

"Come here baby," Lindsay called gently. She then put the drawing down on the bed and shifted her son so she could reach out a hand to her daughter. Lucy placed her smaller hand into her mom's bigger one and stood close by the bed.

"It's OK if you have an accident Lucy. You don't have to be embarrassed. Mommy and Daddy are really proud of how well you've been doing. You're doing a great job keeping your big-girl panties dry. If you have an accident we won't be mad, but you've got to tell us so we can help you, alright?" Lindsay asked, being sure to maintain eye contact with her little girl.

"OK Mommy," Lucy said easily.

Lindsay beamed at her daughter, "Good. Now go put those wet clothes in the laundry room and Daddy will get you some clean pants and undies."

"Yes ma'am," Lucy answered as she pushed down her pants and underwear then stepped out of them, and picking them up ran out of the room, naked from the waist down.

Danny and Lindsay laughed at their daughter's retreating form.

"Oh brother," Lindsay groaned and looking down at her now well fed son said, "You've got a silly big sister."

Danny took his newborn son into his arms to burp him while Lindsay readjusted her top.

"That was odd, right?" Danny asked her.

"What?"

"Lucy. I mean, why wouldn't she tell us she peed her pants?" Danny wanted to know.

Lindsay thought for a moment then responded, "I think that's to be expected right now. Things are changing and she's not used to having our attention divided. She's always been the center of attention and now she has to figure out how to share the lime light. Spending all day yesterday with Mac and Stella and then not having me home the last two nights has got to be really weird for her. Plus I think everyone's been on her to make sure and behave the last few days so she's probably not sure how we would respond to her having an accident."

Danny nodded his head in understanding, "Ya probably right," he let out a little sigh as he rubbed his son's tiny back, "Are we sure we can handle parentin' two kids?"

Lindsay's eyes grew wide at Danny's joke and she couldn't resist adding, "Two days in and your already complaining. Need I remind you this was your idea?"

Danny smirked, "I don't recall you objectin' at the time Montana."

Lindsay snorted.

"Wow, your argument is a sex joke. That's great Danny," she teased as she stood. She couldn't help the grimace as her tired body screamed in protest. Danny reached out a hand to help her, which she took gratefully.

"You could chill in here a little bit longer while I fix dinner," Danny offered, hating to see his wife is pain.

Lindsay shook her head, "It's OK. It's not too bad plus I feel like I haven't really spent time with Lucy in two days. I miss her and I don't want her to think I've forgotten about her."

"Yeah," Danny agreed. He was blessed in life with an adorable, smart, funny, darling daughter who could also be extremely sensitive. Everyone had tried to keep her involved and comforted since Lindsay went into labor and Lucy had been doing a wonderful job, but nothing compared to getting to spend time with mommy. Danny knew his little girl had been missing her mom which had manifested itself as Lucy crawling into bed with him the last two nights. So continuing to hold his wife's hand, he slowly led her into the living room where he deposited her on the couch.

Lucy came out of the laundry room still half naked and declared, "I did it Mommy. I put the wet clothes in the basket."

"Good girl," Lindsay praised, "why don't you grab us some coloring books while Daddy gets you some clothes. Then we can color together until dinner's ready."

"Woo hoo!" shouted a pleased Lucy, "What will baby brother do?"

"He's goin' to help me with dinner," Danny declared with a wink.

Lucy giggled then ran off to grab her coloring books and crayons.

"Lucy," Lindsay called over her shoulder as she finished an email, "Do you need to go potty?"

"No Mommy," Lucy answered vaguely, as her attention was really focused on the latest adventure of Agent Oso on the TV.

Lindsay turned away from the computer and tried again, "Lucy, are you sure you don't have to go potty."

"I sure," Lucy said.

Lindsay was skeptical. It had been a week since Damon had come home and in that time Lucy had peed in her pants more times that when they had started potty training her. Lindsay was starting to get frustrated. She and Danny had decided it was a good idea to start Lucy's potty training before the baby arrived to cut down on costs and to make things a little easier. Lucy was old enough, which had also been part of the plan when they decided to have a second child. The prospect of having two children in diapers was not at all appealing so they had waited until Lucy was old enough before they started trying to get pregnant. Around Lindsay's 6th month of pregnancy they had started the arduous process of introducing their daughter to Mr. Toilet and big-girl panties. Lucy had loved the attention and praise. She had immediately taken to being a "big girl" and flourished. Her parents had congratulated themselves on the ease of potty training and laughed in the faces of all those who told them of the perils that surely awaited them. Sure, Lucy had not always made it to the bathroom in time and sometimes she needed reminding--not to mention she hadn't really developed the skill of properly cleaning herself up yet--but overall Danny and Lindsay had breathed a sigh of relief at how beautifully Lucy had responded to giving up her pull-ups during the day.

That was apparently was a thing of the past.

Lindsay was about to suggest Lucy going into the bathroom and just trying anyway when the front door opened and a snow covered Danny barged in. He had walked down to the grocery store to grab a few items they'd developed a need for since they had been barricaded into the house for the last week with a toddler and a new born.

"It's really comin' down now," Danny pronounced as he shook the snow off his body and the few bags of groceries he had. It had been snowing for several hours and was really accumulating fast, "After I put these groceries up why don't you and I go outside and build a snowman Luce?"

Lucy's face lit up at the idea and she gushed, "Yeah! I can wear my new pink snow boots!"

"Good idea," Danny agreed, "I bet Mommy will help you get your snow clothes on while I put this stuff up."

Lindsay immediately stood, eager to help her excited daughter.

"Mommy?"

Lindsay opened the hall closet to grab Lucy's snow suite out and asked, "Yeah babe?"

"Are you goin' to come outside with us?"

At his hearing her question, Danny paused on his way to the kitchen and heard Lindsay reply, "No baby. I'm going to stay inside with Damon while you and Daddy have fun in the snow."

"Oh," came Lucy's pitiful response, "maybe I don't want to go outside after all."

Lindsay threw Danny a desperate look. He shrugged in response.

"Lucy," Lindsay started as she knelt down to the child's level, "You and Daddy love playing in the snow."

"I want you to come too," Lucy whined, clearly tears were close to the surface.

"I know babe and soon enough I'll be feeling better and baby Damon will be big enough to play outside, but today you get Daddy all to yourself. Doesn't that sound fun?" Lindsay petitioned.

Danny jumped in to help his wife, "Yeah Luce, jus' me and you. We can build a special snowman for Mommy."

"She won't ever get to see it," Lucy huffed.

Lindsay had to fight to not roll her eyes at her oldest child's exaggeration. Danny swallowed his chuckle. Lucy definitely had a flare for the dramatic.

"I'll make you a deal," Lindsay placated, "When you and Daddy are done building my extra special surprise snowman then I will come down for a few minutes with the camera and take a bunch of photographs and then we can email them to Pappy and Gram in Montana. Alright?"

Lucy sniffled a few times but nodded her head.

"Good. Now let's get you in your warm snow suit and new pink snow boots."

After a few minutes of wrestling, stuffing, and zipping, Lucy was finally ready to go outside. The only part of her that was visible was her eyes as she waddled towards where Danny stood waiting at the door. Lindsay grinned at Danny, which he returned readily. Lucy looked adorable all bundled up in her nearly 100% pink outfit.

"Yeah ready baby girl?" Danny asked his well ensconced daughter.

Lucy stood completely still for a moment then muttered, "uh oh Daddy."

"Wha's wrong?" Danny wanted to know as he pulled Lucy's scarf down from covering her mouth.

"I peed."

"Lucy," Lindsay groaned throwing her hands up in exasperation, "I just asked you a few minutes ago if you had to go potty and you told me no."

"I know Mommy. I sorry," Lucy began to wail; the tears they had avoided earlier quickly making their way down her cheeks.

"Lucy, why didn't you just tell us?" Lindsay pleaded desperately, "You could have just told Mommy you needed to go before I got you dressed."

Lucy's simply continued to cry.

"Lucy," Lindsay started again but Danny lifted a hand to indicate to his wife to back off. Lindsay bit her tongue but remained silent.

Danny crouched down to Lucy's eye level. He pushed the hood of her coat off her head and unwrapped her scarf then brought her little head to rest against his shoulder as she cried. Lucy wrapped her arms around Danny's neck, as well as she could in the bulky snow suit.

"Lucy," Danny spoke gently but firmly, "Mommy and Daddy aren't angry with you. You don't have to cry. We're just confused baby girl because you were doing such a great job telling us when you had to go potty. You were being such a big girl and now you act like we need to put you back in your pull-ups."

"I'm not a big girl," Lucy cried, "I'm a baby." She clung to Danny and bawled.

Lindsay and Danny made eye contact, both unsure of how to respond. So much for things going as planned.

End of Part 1

Thank for reading!

I've learned my lesson; NEVER potty train before a new baby comes...It does NOT work. I hope this story is ok because I know I don't really write case/suspense stories (what CSI:NY is actually about) and this is a story about a toddler (and her parents) learning to potty train. I guess what I'm saying is I hope it isn't boring or too pedestrian. If it is, we'll just blame afrozenhear412, LOL! (You know I adore you right?)