Author's Note: Any parent reading this story, will be able to totally relate to this next chapter.
Chapter 16, Sing the Happy Happy Happy Happy Song
Tommy POV
It was six months since I was bornded and came home from the hopcickle. I hadn't seen Chubby, Phil, Lil, or Yucky since, and I sort of missed them, but I was so busy growing, sleeping, and exploring this new world I was in, that time seem to pass quickly. I experienced everything, from thrush, to diapie rash, to a nice exercise lady who came along, and played with me once a week, getting me to move my arms and legs, and head, as I was having trouble turning my head in both directions at first, but after a while, I knew I could do it, so kept on trying, and finally, one day, I could turn my head in both directions. I also had a little bit of trouble nursing at first, but mommy talked to a nice lady who gave her some tips on how to help me drink better out of her, and I learnded how to do it. Of course, for the longest time, I thought everybody's brest was full of food, only to learn from my daddy that only mommy could provide me the food. And then came the day, when I ate real food for the firstest time! Mommy gave me carrots and sweet potatoes, and I ate them right away! Every new thing was like a new adventure to me, but I would soon be going on my firstest real adventure ever.
My mommy and daddy were taking me to meet my grandpa Boris and grandma Minka, who my parents kept mentioning they hadn't gotten to meet me when I was still at the hopcickle. So we gotted into the car, and went on what felt like the longest car ride of my life.
While I had Larry the lady bug, this really neat lady bug toy that had a mirror on his tummy and several dangly things that hung off of it, Jeffery, my giraffe with a binky on one end for me to suck, and my favorite set of keys, my pink squeaky ball, and my green wormy, none of that was keeping me happy. I kept looking out the winblow, at all of the grass and things we passed by, longing to get out of the car, and explore the big, wide, world, that lay ahead. But mommy and daddy kept driving, and wouldn't stop, so I did the only thing I could do, I started to cry.
End of Tommy POV
"Didi, can you please check on Tommy? He's making it hard for me to concentrate, and I haven't driven to your parents house since before we got married!" Shouted Stu over Tommy's loud crying, hoping Didi would hear him.
"I will." Didi replied, as she reached back to Tommy's car seat, trying to check to see if he was ok.
She tried to give him Jeffery to suck on, but he wouldn't take it. Then, she dangled Larry and the keys in front of him, again, no luck. She even squeeked his pink ball, and handed it to him, but Tommy threw it, causing it to bounce off the back window of the car, as he was riding backwards, facing the back of the back seat, and continued to cry. Finally, she tried to give him his green worm, but even that wasn't working.
"Stu, maybe we should find a rest stop, and see if Tommy needs to be changed. I'd like to pump, or feed him soon." Shouted Didi, so Stu could hear her.
"There's one coming up at the next exit." Stu replied.
They got off at exit 23, and went into the Mcdonalds, where Didi changed Tommy's diapers, as he was wet, and nursed him. He was calm at this point, because he was out of the car.
Tommy POV
We finally gotted out of the car, so I was happy cuz we would finally be going some place else than that boring old car! Of course, I was still stuck in that car seat, as all mommy did, was move it to the stroller thing from the base it sat on in the car, and we went inside a place that smelled of lots of yummy food. Mommy took me to where the potty was located, and changed my diapies, and afterwards, she fed me a snack. My favorite, mommy's milk, but after she feeded me, we got back into that car again, where I was no longer happy, so I started crying again.
End of Tommy POV
"What's wrong with Tommy now?" Stu asked.
"I don't know. I changed him, I fed him, but he's still upset." Replied Didi.
"Hey, maybe we should put on some music." Said Stu, as he reached into a compartment and pulled out a Dummi Bears CD.
He put the CD into the player, and the first track started playing.
Sing the happy happy happy happy happy happy song. Sing the happy happy happy happy happy happy song.
While this song played, Tommy was quiet for the entire song. When it finished though, and went on to the next track, he started crying again. He continued to cry while the rest of the CD played, but when The Happy Song started over again at the beginning of the CD, Tommy stopped crying.
Tommy POV
My daddy putted on the Dummi Bears CD. It started with my favoritest song, The Happy Song. I loved that song so much, that I stopped crying, just to hear it. But I didn't care for the rest of the songs on there, I just, wanted to get out of the car, and for longer than a simple snack and diapie change. So, I started crying again. The only thing that would stop me from crying was either, leaving the car, or that happy song.
End of Tommy POV
When Stu and Didi realized that Tommy would only be quiet during The Happy Song, they continued to play that track on the CD repeatedly, until they finally arrived at Boris and Minka's house.
"You know Didi, I love The Dummi Bears, but I swear, if I have to hear The Happy Happy Happy Happy Happy Song one more time, I think my head is going to explode." Shouted Stu, as he was finally turning off on the exit that would take them to Boris and Minka's house.
"It kept Tommy from crying so you wouldn't miss the turn off. By the way Stu, we'd better start looking for their street." Said Didi, as they turned off of the turnpike and drove into the town where Boris and Minka lived.
They continued to play The Happy Happy Happy Happy Happy Song, for fear if they turned it off, Tommy would just, start crying again.
"You know Didi, I read in Entertainment Weekly that the first full length Dummi Bears movie will be coming out in six months. It's called A Land without Smiles. Think we can go see it?" Stu asked.
"Oh I don't know Stu, but I guess we can. Tommy will be a year old by then, I guess he'd be old enough to go to his first movie." Said Didi, as she was helping Stu to look for the turn off on to Boris and Minka's street.
"Yeah, they were going to wait and release it next Christmas, but they think it might be too depressing for the holidays, so it's going to be released in mid to late August instead." Continued Stu, as he was all excited about this.
"We're almost to the turn off Stu, it's the next street on the right after this one." Said Didi, as they passed by a couple of birch trees and another street.
Finally, they made it to Boris and Minka's house, pulled into the driveway, and were relieved they could finally get out of the car, no longer having to listen to Tommy cry, or that Dummi Bears song for a while.
Tommy POV
Yay! Daddy was turning off the car and stopping, and this place looked nothing like the lastest place we stopped. It looked like a house! We must be at my grandma and grandpa's house, and I was excited about the new adventures, that lay ahead!
End of Tommy POV
And so, what will happen at Boris and Minka's house? Well, I can say this much. Tommy is going to surprise everybody, but you readers, will have to wait until the next chapter, to find out what he does!
Author's Notes: So now you know why The Happy Happy Happy Happy Happy Song from the Dummi Bears, was so popular. It was the song, that kept Tommy quiet on long car trips, so the grown ups wouldn't get lost, or worse, crash. This chapter was inspired by real life events that took place with my nephew Zachary over the summer. He too was going to visit his maternal grandparents, and he too, had a very long car ride ahead of him. And the only thing that would keep him quiet? Mash Potatoes, by David Grover. It was the only song on the CD he would stay quiet to. He cried during every other track. So they had to continue playing Mash Potatoes, until they reached their destination, and I'm sure by the end of that trip, my brother and sister-in-law, were sick of that song. And, notice the reference to a Rugrats episode that would be appearing in season 1? The Dummi Bears, A Land without Smiles, was the movie they went to see at the theater in the episode, At the Movies, of course, unknown to Stu and Didi, Tommy and his friends sneak off to see Reptar, but just the same, I told you there'd be references to Rugrats episodes throughout this story, and there's one of them. Also, three of the toys he plays with, are the toys that Dil gets during the episode, Hand-Me-Downs, and Jeffery the Giraffe and Larry the Lady Bugs, are real toys that my nephew Zack has, I thought it would be cute had Tommy had those, at six months of age as well too. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and, there'll be more chapters, coming soon!