bABy Island: Chapter 7

After tossing a couple more pantry items in the cart, Daddy wheeled Dakota over toward the desserts section to grab a few final goodies before checking out. It was on the way there that Dakota realized he once again had to pee. His mind had been so preoccupied watching the other babies in the store that he’d been ignoring the pressure building in his bladder. It was stronger this time, even stronger than it had been while he was waiting in the car back at the rental facility.

Dakota was so close to accomplishing his goal of avoiding a public diaper change that he contemplated just holding it for a while. Several minutes from now, he and Daddy would be back in the car on the way to their cottage. If he could make it until then, he would almost certainly undergo his first diaper change in the privacy of his nursery. On the other hand, he could simply relieve himself immediately and hope that Daddy wouldn’t check his diaper until they were home. The urge to pee was approaching the point of discomfort, and Daddy was strangely adept at telling when Dakota needed to go potty. If Daddy noticed Dakota was fighting his bladder, there was a decent chance he’d try to coax the boy into using his diaper right there in front of all the other shoppers. This would be even worse than a diaper change, which would at least take place in the semi-privacy of the restroom.

With each second that Dakota wavered between his two options, the situation in his bladder grew more urgent at what felt like an exponential rate. It didn’t help that Daddy was taking his sweet time picking out desserts, seeming to inspect each shelf as if he were taking inventory of the entire aisle.

Does he know something? Dakota thought to himself as he felt a bead of sweat run down the back of his neck.

It would be just like Daddy to realize Dakota’s floodgates were about to burst and prolong the errand until they did. But how could he possibly know? The man’s eyes had been firmly fixed on the shelves for the last several minutes. Even if Dakota had been squirming and biting his lip, as he sometimes did when he needed to wet, Daddy wouldn’t have seen it.

Dakota finally made a decision when he and Daddy reached the end of the aisle. He thought Daddy might finally toss something in the cart and move on, but he was wrong. Instead, Daddy turned the cart around and then began to slowly scan the shelves on the other side of the aisle.

That was it for Dakota. His bladder was almost painfully full, and pushing the issue any further when he was wearing a literal portable bathroom simply seemed foolish. Unlike when he’d wet in the car, no deep breath was needed for Dakota to get things started this time–a good thing, since any noise he made likely would have alerted Daddy that something was going on. All he needed to do was relax his pelvic muscles slightly, and within milliseconds he could feel the front of his diaper warming and swelling as it greedily soaked up the aggressive stream of urine he’d unleashed.

Once again, Dakota savored the thrill that came with wetting himself in public. He felt simultaneously anxious, helpless, and slightly naughty as he sat strapped into the cart, wantonly soaking his padding as Daddy cluelessly browsed the shelves in front of him. This strange but delicious cocktail of emotions made Dakota think back to the boy he’d watched soil himself several minutes ago. The smirk that had crossed the boy’s face after he finished his business had become etched in Dakota’s mind. Surely, in that moment, the boy had been feeling something akin to what Dakota was feeling right now–an oddly delightful satisfaction in freely committing an act that in most contexts would be considered revolting. Perhaps, deep down, Dakota had wanted to wet in the grocery store. Perhaps he’d subconsciously desired to risk being caught with a wet diaper, to make Daddy make a scene over him like the poopy pants boy’s mommy had. Perhaps….

“Ah! There they are!” Daddy eagerly plucked a box off the shelf and spun around to show it to Dakota, a triumphant grin plastered across his face.

Any boldness Dakota had gained in the last thirty seconds quickly left him as he came back under Daddy’s gaze, his bladder still emptying itself at full strength. He tried to keep a straight face and not betray what was going on in his diaper while Daddy revealed why he’d been lingering in the dessert aisle for so long. It was not, as it turned out, an elaborate ploy to force Dakota to wet himself in the store.

“I was worried for a minute that they were out of these things,” Daddy remarked, handing the box to Dakota so he could take a closer look. “Banana Cabana Shortbread Biscuits - Vanilla,” read the packaging.

“I know banana flavored things aren’t everyone’s first choice, but wait ‘til you try these,” Daddy gushed. “They’re so addicting! And you can only get them here. I’d order these things back in the States by the truckfull if I could.”

Dakota was both relieved that Daddy seemed to be unaware of his wet diaper and slightly confused by the man’s excitement over the humble-looking cookies. He had never known Daddy to get so animated about something so small.

“Um… cool! Can’t wait to try them, haha,” Dakota chuckled halfheartedly, attempting rather unsuccessfully to mirror Daddy’s enthusiasm.

It wasn’t that the cookies didn’t seem appetizing. It was more that Dakota was finding it difficult to keep his head in the conversation while continuing to surreptitiously wet his diaper. He tried his best not to seem distracted as he felt the padding around his rear begin to moisten, but he could sense it wasn’t going well. Luckily, Daddy interpreted the boy’s distant demeanor and sheepish facial expression as disinterest rather than a sign that he was up to something.

“You’ll see,” the man replied. “Once you try them, you’ll get it. But…” He snatched the box from Dakota’s hand and tossed it in the cart’s basket. “Only if you behave.”

Daddy winked, pinched Dakota’s cheek good-naturedly, and, after depositing another second box of banana cookies into the cart, began wheeling the boy back down the aisle toward the front checkout area.

Bullet dodged, Dakota thought as a few final dribbles of pee made their way into his diaper.

He could feel that the seat of his diaper was now soaked, but it hadn’t leaked. And Daddy didn’t seem to be at all aware of what had just happened. Provided there wouldn’t be a diaper check before they left the store, Dakota would likely avoid a public diaper change, at least for now. He supposed he’d almost certainly experience one before his time on the island came to a close–a thought that was both exciting and intimidating. He could always tell Daddy that he was only comfortable with diaper changes at home, but he’d come into this trip determined to push his boundaries. Plus, embargoing public diaper changes would make it difficult for him and Daddy to do things away from the cottage. Dakota knew he’d probably take the leap eventually. He just needed to get settled in first.

Within a few short minutes, Dakota and Daddy made their way through the checkout line and arrived back at the car. It was there that Daddy finally discovered Dakota was wet.

“Ooo boy, someone needs a change soon,” Daddy remarked, sliding a hand into the boy’s shorts and giving the front of his diaper a couple quick squeezes. He’d detected how swollen it had become as he did up the crotch straps on Dakota’s car seat.

Fortunately, with Dakota already fully situated in the vehicle, Daddy opted to hold off on a diaper change until the two arrived at their cottage. It didn’t take long, just about 15 minutes or so. Dakota spent most of the drive looking out the window and taking in more of the peculiar sights the island had to offer. As they exited the downtown area, they passed a park where Dakota spotted several more big babies. One was wearing an adorable pair of light blue shortalls with a puppy dog on the front. A large diaper bulge was clearly visible underneath when he bent over. Nearby were two more boys who were dressed in just their t-shirts and diapers. They looked to be playing a very uncoordinated game of tag, waddling clumsily after one another, their diapers wiggling awkwardly as they moved. Dakota wondered if he’d ever get so deep in the headspace that he’d start walking like an actual toddler.

A few miles beyond the park was Marine Heights. It looked very much like the residential neighborhoods Dakota was used to seeing back home, if those neighborhoods had smaller houses and tropical vegetation. It was partitioned into blocks, each of which contained 10-12 cottages. The cottages were all more or less built the same, but they were painted different colors to make the landscape less visually monotonous. Between this and the various trees, shrubs, and small gardens planted between the houses and along the roads and sidewalks, the neighborhood was quite pleasing to look at. It captured the laid back vibe of a tropical getaway while also mimicking the kinds of suburban environments where Dakota and likely many of the other island-goers grew up. Perfect for helping big babies reconnect with their inner child.

Individually, the cottages looked just as they had been advertised in the brochure. Modestly sized, one story, with small fenced-in backyards and little concrete parking pads out front. Dakota was somewhat surprised to see that most of the parking pads were occupied. Because of the island’s remote location and the somewhat unusual clientele it served, he’d expected it to be more sparsely populated than it was. It seemed, however, that Dakota had underestimated the amount of ABDLs with enough time and money for an extended holiday in the tropics. Only a few of the cottages appeared to be vacant.

Just before they reached their cottage, Dakota and Daddy passed Marine Heights Park. It seemed bigger than it had appeared to be in the brochure–at least eight or nine acres by Dakota’s estimation. Like the rest of the neighborhood, it reminded Dakota of where he grew up. Lots of open grass, tall shady trees, small wooded areas here and there, paved walking paths with mommies and daddies pushing strollers. The only difference was the size of the babies in those strollers. Dakota couldn’t help but chuckle at one “boy” who looked large and muscular enough to be a bodybuilder being pushed along one of the paths by his short, twiggy caregiver. He was fast asleep, sucking on a giant white pacifier, and wearing nothing but a bright pink cloth diaper and a frilly baby bonnet of the same color.

At the north end of the park was a large playground complete with slides, swings, jungle gyms, bouncy animals, and sandboxes. It was crawling with babies of all shapes, sizes, and genders. Dakota took a moment to observe them while Daddy sat waiting at a stoplight. A small, rotund girl dressed in a pastel yellow romper was being pushed by her mommy in one of the swings, which was outfitted with a seat back and crotch harness like the child swings Dakota often saw at playgrounds back home. On one of the bouncy animals was a boy wearing a blue Eeyore-themed sunsuit. His balding head and slightly weathered skin suggested that he was a little older than the other babies Dakota had seen on the island, likely in his early or mid-fifties. His mommy, who looked to be around the same age, was standing beside him supervising. There were even more babies on the jungle gyms and in the sandboxes: boys and girls in all types of Little attire ranging from infant to three or four years old, sissies wearing frilly dresses, tomboys covered in dirt showing off their skills on the monkey bars. It was a veritable carnival of ageplayers and kinksters in the very best sense of the word.

Some of the caregivers played with their Littles on the playground while others lingered around the edges, keeping watch from afar and chatting idly with one another as adults tend to do. A few sat in the sheltered picnic area that bordered the playground, where Dakota spotted something that caused another rush of heat to flood his cheeks. Laying on a changing pad on one of the picnic tables was a baby-faced boy around his age and height with rosy cheeks and wispy blonde hair. His shortalls were bunched up around his chest and he was fully naked from the waist down. His bottom was resting on the back end of an obviously dirty diaper that his Daddy had left folded open while he fished wipes and a fresh diaper out of his diaper bag.

The boy looked startlingly similar to Dakota from afar, which made Dakota all the more painfully aware that he would likely find himself in a similar position as the boy at some point in the next few weeks. But he also couldn’t help but notice how at ease the boy seemed. He didn’t appear the slightest bit ashamed or embarrassed about having his diaper casually changed in front of a massive crowd of potential onlookers. He simply played with his stuffed lion and sucked placidly on his pacifier as his daddy lifted his legs and began to wipe down his rear. Titillating thoughts again began to seep into Dakota’s mind as he imagined how simultaneously vulnerable and comfortable the boy must feel lying there exposed, fresh air caressing his bare bottom and genitals, his need for diapers on display for the world to see. He began to look forward to the diaper change he was in store for once he and Daddy made it to the cottage.

The light turned green and the park soon disappeared in the rearview as Daddy rounded the corner at the next intersection. After driving another mile or two, Daddy slowed the car and pulled into the parking pad in front of a dark green cottage that occupied the corner lot at the end of its block.

“Home sweet home!” Daddy sang, switching off the car.

He got out and cheerfully strolled around to the back so he could help Dakota out of his car seat. Once Dakota’s feet were on the ground, Daddy grabbed his carry-on bag from the trunk, handed Dakota his backpack, and led the boy toward the doorway.

The cottage was simple but homey. Like the others, it was roughly rectangular in shape and was about the size of a large two-bedroom apartment. The front door opened into a small entryway at the left-hand corner of the living room, to the left of which was a small closet for coats and shoes. The living room was separated from the kitchen by a small breakfast bar, which extended from the back wall of a short hallway leading to the bedrooms and bathroom. The door to the backyard opened from the kitchen along the wall opposite the breakfast bar. To the right of the back door was a dining area with a small round wooden table. Dakota’s high chair was nestled in the corner behind it.

The living room was carpeted in gray and had been decorated tastefully. The walls were eggshell white and adorned with framed photos and artwork depicting various tropical landscapes. A navy blue L-shaped sofa sat with its back against the breakfast bar partition, and a matching chair sat to its right. Both were flanked by small wooden side tables. The one near the couch had a ceramic lamp on it. Dakota could see Daddy spending a lot of lazy afternoons laying on the couch reading under the lamplight.

“Okay soggypants,” Daddy grunted as he hefted his roller bag over the threshold of the entryway and shut the door behind him. “How’s about we get that diaper changed and put you down for a nap. Sound good?”

“Oh, uh…” Dakota replied timidly. “But most of the bags are still in the car. I can help you bring them in first.”

Daddy gave Dakota a quizzical look, as if the boy had just said something in a foreign language.

“Um… I think it’ll be at least a few years before a Little boy like you can handle suitcases as heavy as those.”

Dakota went silent for a few moments, unsure what to say. He’d been teased by Daddy like this in any number of situations, but this time it felt different. Daddy’s patronizing expression wasn’t wavering. Usually there was a break somewhere–a wink, a glint in the eye, a subtle smirk–something to remind Dakota that the belittling words were all part of the act. But this time it almost seemed as if Daddy thought he was speaking to a real toddler–as if Dakota had suddenly aged backward 18 years when he stepped through the cottage door.

“Uh… I… uh…” Dakota stammered, disarmed by Daddy’s swift change in demeanor.

“C’mon, bud” Daddy interrupted before Dakota could find his words. “You’re gonna end up with a rash if we wait too much longer.”

Grabbing the handle of his roller bag, Daddy gave Dakota a couple quick pats on the rear and began ushering the boy toward the hallway.

A few seconds later, the two were in Dakota’s nursery. It wasn’t quite as big as the one Daddy had back home, but it looked just as authentic. The crib sat along the wall to the left of the doorway. It was made of wood painted a soft gray and came with a zoo-animals-themed bumper that lined the base of the bars. The sheets, comforter, and pillow cases featured the same theme, and their white and pastel blue color-scheme complemented the crib and bumper nicely.

Behind the crib was a small play area fenced in by a gray and white plastic gate designed to look like the walls of a castle. Inside was a foam playmat of the same color made up of interlocking squares that could be taken apart and rearranged like puzzle pieces. Each square had a removable letter or shape in the middle.

In the center of the room was a large, soft-looking light blue carpet that matched the color of the crib sheets. To the left of that was the changing table–wooden and painted white with shelves underneath occupied by several packs of diapers. A large diaper pail sat behind it. It was also white, and it was made of metal. Dakota could tell based on the magnetic letters stuck to it spelling out his name.

They certainly have fun getting things ready for their guests, Dakota thought to himself, slightly amused.

Before Dakota got a chance to finish scoping out his new digs, Daddy clasped a firm hand on his shoulder and pushed him toward the changing table. As Dakota approached it, he realized it was taller than the one Daddy had at home. Climbing up onto it was like trying to scale a workbench or countertop. Even with the wooden stool strategically placed at its foot, Dakota still felt clumsy and ungraceful as he clambered over the table’s edge and situated himself on the plastic-lined, blue and white polka-dotted foam pad that sat atop it.

As soon as Dakota was finally laying on his back, Daddy cinched the changing strap around his abdomen and popped a large red pacifier he’d fished out of his bag into the boy’s mouth. Like Dakota’s t-shirt, it was also Paw Patrol-themed. Daddy then slipped off Dakota’s shoes and socks before going to work on the boy’s shorts. Since a nap would be in order shortly, Daddy opted to do away with the shorts entirely rather than make use of their crotch snaps. Grabbing Dakota’s scrawny ankles with one large hand, he folded the boy’s legs back, grabbed the shorts’ rear waistband with the other hand, and skillfully tugged them down to the boy’s ankles and off. After that, he pushed the hem of Dakota’s t-shirt up toward his chest to get it out of the way and began undoing the tapes of his now exposed–and very soaked–diaper.

As all this was going on, Dakota had a chance to survey the rest of the Nursery. In the corner in front of the crib sat a large rocking chair with light blue cushions. Along the back wall, there was a white dresser with a lamp and a small picture frame on it. Dakota couldn’t quite make out what was in the picture frame, but a large cartoon puppy face was printed on the front of the lamp’s shade. There was similarly childish decor in other places. Animal decals filled the wall around and above the crib. On the back wall were three framed images of cartoon animals–a lion, a zebra, and a hippo– smiling and holding the letters A, B, and C. The ceiling featured glow-in-the-dark moons and stars, and sitting along the front wall beside the doorway was the largest stuffed bear Dakota had ever seen. At least six feet tall, perhaps more.

Eventually, Dakota’s eyes drifted to the wall beside the changing table. He was somewhat surprised to see a large mirror hanging beside him. He wasn’t sure how he’d missed it earlier. Perhaps he’d just been distracted by all the nursery’s other curiosities. The mirror was about four by three feet and had a white wooden frame with floral shapes carved into it. It was positioned such that Dakota could see his reflection perfectly. He watched himself groggily suckle on his pacifier while Daddy went about his business, first wiping down Dakota’s nethers, then replacing his old, waterlogged diaper with a fresh one, then gently applying lotion and powder, and finally folding the new diaper over the boy’s groin and cinching up the tapes.

Wow, Dakota thought dreamily, continuing to stare at his reflection while he waited for Daddy to to dispose of his wet diaper and fold up his shorts. I don’t look a day over three years old.

The notion was likely fueled in part by the boy’s increasing level of sleepiness, but it wasn’t untrue. It would have been hard not to look like a baby in Dakota’s position, splayed out on a changing table, pacifier in, wearing nothing but a Paw Patrol t-shirt and a poofy, booster-thickened ABU Super Dry Kids diaper. His diminutive stature and youthful facial features helped as well.

“Alrighty Kota honey,” Daddy said sweetly as he undid the changing strap and began coaxing Dakota down off the changing table. “Let’s get you off to dreamland, shall we?”

The height of the changing table along with Dakota’s low energy level made for a slightly awkward landing as the boy’s feet hit the floor. He stumbled clumsily for a second before catching himself, his acrobatics causing his diaper to crinkly noisily. He imagined he must have looked very much like a toddler learning to walk for that brief moment. Once he regained his balance, Daddy led him over to the crib, slid down the front gate, let him crawl inside, and began helping him get situated under the covers.

“Sleep tight, kiddo,” Daddy whispered, giving Dakota a gentle pat on the head once he was tucked in. He then slid the crib gate back into place and made his way to the door.

“Ight-ight, addy,” Dakota mumbled through his pacifier as Daddy shut off the lights.

Not a minute later, Dakota was out. It would be some of the best sleep of his life–rest that was much needed and well deserved. It had been a big day for him. Lots of new sights, and already a few new experiences. Quite a bit for a newly-minted baby like him to take in. But he’d made it through the hard part, or at least one of them. He’d let other people see him in Little mode for the first time. He’d summoned the courage to wet his diaper in public. Twice! As he drifted off to sleep, snug in his crib and comfortably padded, he knew he was ready for whatever the next set of challenges and thrills would be. Life on bABy Island was underway..