Sometimes I close my eyes and let myself drift into the life I really want.
Not the half and half life. Not “big boy in the day, little at night.”
I imagine waking up in my nursery.
The room is warm and hazy with early morning light, all soft pastels and sleepy shadows. The walls are a gentle blue and mint, with little planets, stars, rockets and dinosaurs dancing across them in stickers and prints. There is a soft night light still glowing in the corner, shaped like a chubby little dino, casting a friendly glow that makes everything feel safe and small.
My cot is big enough for me, but still very babyish. High rails, chunky bars, a thick, crinkly mattress protector under my sheets. The bedding smells like fabric softener and a hint of baby lotion. My favourite blankie is half over my face, half scrunched up in my fists. And under all of that, my nappy is heavy and swollen from the night, wrapped snug and puffy between my legs.
There is that sleepy morning feeling.
That slow, floaty moment where I do not have to move yet.
Just feel the warm, soggy weight hugging me, reminding me that I do not have to be in control here. That I am allowed to be like this.
The room smells like a nursery should.
A mix of baby powder, lotion, wipes, and a faint whiff from the nappy pail in the corner that says this is a place where changes happen a lot. Not something to be ashamed of. Just normal. Expected. Taken care of.
My shelves are full of toys and stuffies. Dinosaurs in little rows, a chunky rocket ship, a couple of well loved teddies sitting together like they had a meeting while I slept. There are crayons in little pots on a low table, colouring books stacked up and waiting for scribbles. A soft playmat on the floor, bright with shapes and silly animals, ready for tummy time, block towers, and little car crashes.
Above me, there is a mobile.
Planets, stars and tiny rockets slowly turning in a lazy circle.
Sometimes I imagine falling asleep to it every night, watching the tiny Saturn go round and round until my eyes close and my thumb finds its way into my mouth.
The soft sound of the door.
Mummy or Daddy comes in with a warm smile that is just for me. Not the tired work smile. Not the polite “you are an adult, sort yourself out” face. The one that melts my chest a little because I know what it means.
“Good morning, baby,” they say, voice low and full of love.
There is a quiet rustle as they lean over the cot. Fingers slip under the waistband of my nappy for a quick, practiced check. No rush. No sighing. Just that slightly teasing, fond tone.
“Ohhh, someone is very soggy this morning.”
The words go straight to the softest part of my brain. I feel tiny and safe and seen, all at once. I do not have to hide it. I do not have to apologise for it. They expected this. They planned for it. They wanted to be the one to take care of it.
I get lifted out of the cot and cuddled against their chest, my legs naturally spreading with the bulk of my night nappy. Their hand supports my padded bottom, giving it a little pat that makes it squish and crinkle. My head tucks under their chin like it was made to live there.
There is a changing table waiting, set up just how they like it.
A little toy just for my fidgety hands.
I get laid down gently. They talk to me the whole time in that easy, reassuring way. Their hands move with calm confidence. Tabs peeled, wipes used, cream spread, fresh nappy snug and secure. The whole ritual says the same thing again and again.
You are meant to be here.
You are meant to be taken care of.
You are allowed to just be my baby.
After my change, I get scooped up again and settled into a cosy corner of the nursery. Maybe a big nursery chair with a blanket draped over it, or a beanbag nest next to my stuffies. Cartoons go on quietly in the background. Bluey, or something silly and gentle. They put a bottle in my hands, or hold it for me if I am especially small that morning, tipping it just right so I can drink without thinking.
No emails. No to do list. No “I really should be doing something productive.” Just cuddles, cartoons, and the soft rhythm of my breathing slowly matching theirs.
Later there are little routines.
Colouring at the low table while they write a shopping list nearby.
Stacking blocks while they fold laundry.
Nappy checks without asking, just a quick pat or a gentle squeeze followed by
“Hmm… I think someone is getting a bit squishy again.”
And instead of shame, there is a kind of glowing relief.
Because every time they notice, it means I do not have to.
In my dream nursery, I am not visiting little space.
I do not have to put the armour back on at the end of the morning. There is no sharp line where I have to suddenly act like I am fine and independent and on top of everything. The same person who puts me down for a nap is the one who helps with my meds, my wobbly days, my meltdowns, and my “oops I leaked again” moments.
The giggly, crinkly, colouring-in-the-lines version.
The quiet, overwhelmed, staring-at-the-floor version.
The tired, twitchy, dribbly version.
And instead of pushing any of it away, they tuck it under their wing and say,
“You are my baby. That is that. I have you.”
That is my dream nursery.
Not just the room, but the feeling inside it.
The soft smell of powder and lotion.
The rustle of a full morning nappy.
The glow of a night light.
The sound of someone who loves me walking in, already knowing what I need before I even say a word.
And me, small and safe and home. 🍼💤🧸