Playtime at the park.

Juleka grabbed at her front and back and found that her diaper was still clean.

Still in her headspace, Rose asked if Juleka could take her to the park to play, her request muffled by the pink pacifier in her mouth. Since Little-Rose -- or "Rosie" as Juleka liked to call her -- was so well-behaved today, she agreed, packing her diaper bag as Rose ran to and sat in her stroller, holding onto her stuffed-animal -- Pigella the Pig, named after her favorite superhero -- as she waited patiently. Juleka managed to push her and her stroller out the door and into the street.

Most littles found it embarrassing when they are brought out into the streets in their headspace, usually when the come out of their headspace to realize what had happened, but Rose wasn't the type to feel that kind of angst. She always got compliments from strangers by how adorable she was. While in her headspace she giggled and clapped her hands excitingly from all of the attention. She would always squee and coo when she saw a baby or another little as Rose, so she was proud of "Rosie" for bringing that kind of joy to other people.

As her caregiver, Juleka herself got a form of maternal satisfaction out of showing off her baby to the people. She wasn't Rosie's actual mom, but she was Rose's best friend.

When they made it to the park, they saw that they weren't the only ones there.

Sitting on a collection of blankets were Alya and Alix, talking and watching something on their cell-phone as their eyes would occasionally look up to check on their friends.

Only a few paces away were two other littles playing what looked like a n impromptu pretend tea-party.

Marinette was dressed in her usual white t-shirt and denim shorttails, a ladybug stitched on the front and snaps in the crotch area. Her butt bulged out to indicate that she was wearing a diaper underneath. She was holding onto a teddy-bear, its body made of a series of red and pink fabric patched together.

Mylene was in a full-body onsie. It was hoodie-grey, zipped-up from her leg to her neck, and a pacifier occupying her mouth.

Juleka recognized the onsie as one of Marinette's creations. When Marinette was diagnosed as a little, she was naturally embarrassed by it. To help cope, she would use her tailoring skills to make herself clothes to wear whenever she falls into her headspace. Some of them were made to look role-neutral, the sort of thing you could wear as a baby and an adult. Others were made to be so adorable and fashionable that any little would want to wear it in or out of their headspace. Soon she started making them for other kids at school trying to cope with their diagnoses and soon enough everyone was wearing designer onsies and sundresses and even a few stuffed animals. That, combined with coaching and cuddles from her caretaker Alya, did wonders for her confidence.

"Hey guys. Are we interrupting?" Asked Juleka, getting everyone's attention.

Rosie became so excited, she was bouncing in her stroller before she leapt out of it when Juleka unbuckled her.

"Mylen! Mawinette!"

"Wosie!" Marinette called out, her eyes big and sparkly in a way only a little could manage. Her mouth occupied by a binky, all Mylene could do was reach out with both hands as she hiccuped a giggled.

As the three baby girls practically tackled each other, Juleka went to sit down with Alya and Alix.

"Hey Juleka. How's it going?"

"I'm fine. Rosie has been really well-behaved and she asked if we could come to the park. Is Mylene with you too?"

"Yeah. Mylene asked if I could look after her this weekend. Her parents are too busy to watch over her and Ivan has plans this weekend, so I offered to schedule a play-date with her and Marinette. Aren't they the cutest thing ever?" Ayla took out her phone and snapped a picture of the littles.

"I guess," said Alix. "I mean, they all are pretty cute. You know, for a bunch of bright-pink poop-machines anyway."

Alix wasn't a caregiver. Nor was she the "nurturing, motherly"-type either. Sure she was fine with hanging out with them in their headspace. She wasn't prejudiced. She just wasn't the type to help with the crying and drooling and the diaper-changes.