Thara sat cross-legged on the Family Room rug, watching Eli toddle in happy circles. They had been for a check-up earlier in the day and he was glad to be home. She was thankful the doctor had agreed that she should continue breastfeeding him for a while longer. Of course, she was proud of the big boy he was becoming, but she saw no reason to rush his growing up.
"Ba, ba, ba!" Eli babbled, waving his hands. Toddling over to his mother, he plopped into her lap with a giggle.
"My sweet boy." She pressed him to her heart.
Eli nestled against her, then pulled on the front of her tunic.
"Are you hungry, my Eli?"
Thara unfastened her tunic to feed him. He snuggled closer and latched on, gazing up at her. Those big, brown eyes said I love you, Mommy to the ears of her heart just as clearly as any words. And yet, she longed to hear him say those words.
Other babies his age spoke dozens of words. Her precious boy only babbled. The doctor had assured her that she had no cause for alarm. Eli would soon learn to talk.
"You'll talk when you're ready, won't you, Baby?"
She moved him to her other side to finish his feeding. The doctor was pleased with Eli's continued weight gain and Thara was pleased that her milk was responsible.
"He seems to be eating well today."
A strong hand rested on her shoulder and she smiled. Thrawn.
"Yes," she assured him. "Toddlers can be fussy eaters, but today he has a healthy appetite."
Finished, Eli let go and popped up.
"He heard your voice," Thara laughed.
"Ba, ba, ba!" The little boy scrambled out of her lap and hugged his daddy's legs.
Thara stood. Thrawn scooped up their son with one arm and pulled her into a an embrace. He tenderly refastened her tunic, smoothing the rumpled fabric.
"Ba, ba," Eli babbled again, pointing to the sound system.
"You want music," Thrawn concluded. "Do you want to hear Zoom, Zoom, Starship?"
Eli clapped and giggled. Thrawn selected the song on the system's control panel and put Eli back on the rug. As the music played, Eli bobbed his little bottom up and down to the rhythm.
"One, two, three- we're ready to go!" the recorded voice sang.
Eli shrieked with delight.
"Have you noticed how well he follows the rhythm?" Thrawn asked, unmistakable pride in his voice.
Thara curled up to him again. "He has heard this one about a hundred times. And he's such a smart boy. Did you see him do the peg puzzle this morning?"
"Yes. He did quite well."
Their conversation was interrupted by the chime of the doorbell. Thrawn opened the door to his brother, Syndic Mitth'ras'safis, and his brother's girlfriend, Lorana Jinzler, a petite Human woman from Lesser Space.
"I wanted to get some insights from you, Thrawn," Thrass explained. "You know I'm one of the Syndics taking part in the multi-species peace meetings next week."
"I had heard, yes. Of course, I am happy to help. Come in."
Thrass and Lorana followed Thrawn into the Family Room where Eli still danced.
"Wa, wa, wa," he sang as he bobbed.
Lorana knelt, watching him. "You're a good dancer, Eli."
He paused in his dancing to toddle over and hug her. Thara knelt, too.
"Lorana," she said slowly, "have you been around many Human babies?"
"Some. Mostly Jedi babies." Lorana returned Eli's hug. "I don't how different they are from other babies."
"I was just wondering if most Human babies are…talking by Eli's age."
"Oh." Lorana kissed Eli's hair and the little boy returned to his dancing. "Some of them are, I think, but not all. Development in Human children does follow a general pattern, but at the same time, there's a lot of individual variation."
"Wuh, wuh, wuh!" Eli squealed.
"I think he's added some new sounds," Thrass observed.
"Yes. A new consonant and a new vowel sound." Thrawn handed Thrass a datacard he had retrieved from his study. "I believe you'll find this to be useful information regarding the species in your meeting."
"Thanks." Thrass pocketed the card. "Would you two like to join us for a meal this evening?"
Thara glanced at Thrawn. "Why don't you join us for a meal here?", she asked.
Thrass smirked. "I forgot. No babysitters for Eli."
"He's not old enough to be left in the care of others," Thrawn insisted.
"Uh huh." Thrass arched a blue-black eyebrow. "And when will he be old enough?"
"Not until he can clearly express his wants and needs, at least." Thara picked up her dancing baby, feeling a sudden need to hold and protect him. "An unfamiliar caregiver might not understand when he points or babbles."
"What about a familiar caregiver?" Thrass suggested. "Me, for example."
Lorana eyed him. "Have you ever taken care of a baby by yourself?"
"Not all by myself," Thrass admitted. "But Eli's a toddler now. They're easier."
"That's what you think," Lorana laughed.
"Eli is still quite young and in need of a great deal of care." Thrawn's eyes narrowed.
Perched on Thara's hip, Eli bounced to the music, blissfully unaware that he was the topic of discussion. Her sweet boy. She kissed his soft cheek, then wrinkled her nose.
"Thrass, would you like to demonstrate your capability?" she asked, hiding a smile.
"Of course," he answered eagerly.
"Here." She handed Eli to him. "Change him."
"Change him?" Thrass echoed.
"He needs a clean diaper," Thrawn explained. "Would you like to try?"
"A diaper?"
Lorana giggled. "If you want to be a babysitter, you'll have to change diapers. Don't worry; I'll tell you what to do."
"This way." Thara led the way to Eli's special bathroom, where his changing table was set up.
"First step, gather your supplies," Lorana instructed, "a fresh diaper, wipes, diaper cream in case he has a rash."
"We use an ointment at every diaper change as a preventative," Thara interjected.
Lorana nodded. "And, most importantly, you need the soiled baby. Next step, lay him down on the table and take off his pants."
Thrass frowned as he complied. "This seems a little invasive."
"You can't change his diaper with his pants on. He's a baby. He doesn't care." Lorana pointed to Eli's diaper. "Now, undo the tabs and open the diaper."
As Thrass cautiously obeyed, Lorana ruffled Eli's hair. "You are such a good boy, lying so still for Uncle Thrass."
"Now what?"
"Use the wipes to clean him."
Eli whimpered softly at the touch of the cold wipes.
"What am I doing wrong?"
"He likes warm wipes." Thrawn moved closer to Eli.
"I forgot to show you the warmer." Thara opened the small warming box on the changing table.
Thrass pulled a warmed wipe from the box. "Do you think you two might be spoiling him just a little?"
"Of course not." Thrawn took Eli's hand in his. "He's Human. Cold can be distressing for him."
"Wuh, wuh!" Eli giggled.
Thrass finished cleaning him and Thara showed him how to apply a thin layer of ointment.
"One last step." Lorana handed him the new diaper. "Well, except for throwing away the old diaper and hand washing."
Thrass eyed the diaper and Lorana laughed again.
"Like this." Lorana grabbed a second diaper and opened it. "Slide it under his bottom, then- one, two, three." She demonstrated folding the diaper up and fastening the two tabs.
Thrass copied her, slipping the diaper under Eli. "One, two, three. I did it!"
Eli clapped and squealed. "Wuh, two, fee!"
The four adults stared at him.
"Did you hear him?" Thara squeezed Thrawn's hand. "Our baby talked."
"Yes." Thrawn lifted Eli into his arms, ignoring Thrass's attempts to put the little boy's pants back on. "Well done, Eli."
"Wuh, two, fee!" Eli counted.
Thara snuggled close to her husband and son. "Sweet Eli. Daddy and Mommy are so proud of you."
Eli smiled. "Da-da." He patted Thrawn. "Ma-ma." He patted Thara.
Thara froze, clutching Thrawn tighter. "Eli," she breathed.
She caught the gleam of tears in Thrawn's eyes.
"Da-da, Ma-ma." Eli patted both of his parents again, then glanced down at his own little body. He looked up, pointing first to Thrawn, then to Thara and finally to himself. "Wuh, two, fee!"
"Yes, my Eli." Thrawn pressed a kiss to Eli's forehead. "We are a family of three."
Thara kissed him, too. "And you are the best number three in the whole universe."
Author's Note: Baby Eli is talking! Of course, his first words would be numbers. He might be a late talker, but he's good with mathematical concepts, including rhythm and spatial concepts. Also, he knows the toddler dance!
I took both Thrass and Lorana from Timothy Zahn's Outbound Flight. The diaper changing scene sets up Eli's first words and connects this story to the one where Thrass babysits. I hope you don't think it's too strange. Babies have to be changed, after all! (I like to count "one, two, three" when I am finishing a diaper.)
Feel free to share your thoughts! Thanks for reading and God bless you!