A Cozy Childhood

by LetsThinkPositive

Firsts

At 4:44 pm, during a snowstorm, Cozy Glow was born in the Fillydelphia General Hospital.

“Push! Push!”

Moonglow pushed again, and received a flash of searing pain for her efforts. A guttural scream burst forth from her mouth.

Childbirth was not fun.

This had been going on for far too long. The doctor warned her that this would be painful. The baby was very large, and wouldn't come out quickly. She considered a C-section, but decided she wanted this done naturally. It was she, and not the baby, that was in danger she rationalized. Needless to say, she was now having second thoughts.

“You’re almost there, honey! You’re almost there!” her husband, Cobblestone, said, placing a comforting hoof on her shoulder. His voice and touch were her rock, the foundation upon which she laid, and, without them, she would’ve crumbled to pieces long ago. She couldn’t imagine how much worse this would be if he wasn’t there.

Another push, another scream. The doctor and nurse were crowded at the end of the bed, ready to deliver the foal.

“Deep breaths, in and out!” the nurse called to her. “The head is out; the worst is over! You’re almost done!”

She did as she was told, panting over and over again. More contractions, more pain. It was so close to finishing she could tell, she just needed a little more…

“AHHHHH!”

With one last wail, it was done. Her head fell back on the pillow, her chest heaving up and down. Exhausted both physically and mentally, she peered down to the other end of the bed, and saw a most beautiful sight.

There, in the steady foreleg of the doctor, was her newborn.

“Do you want to see her?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

She nodded rapidly, barely able to say a word through all the emotions flowing within her. Where she once felt the worst pain of her life, she now felt pure and utter joy.

“You did very well, all things considered,” the doctor said. “It’s been a while since we’ve had such a messy delivery.”

She simply shook her head. As she took the babe into her own legs, she knew it had all been worth it.

Looking down on her new child, pride welled in her heart and tears sprung from her eyes. Just like that, a name came to her. Moonglow’s mother always claimed she was named due to her demeanor at birth. Her appearance apparently glowed like that of the moon. Soft and pleasant, she said. Calm yet strong. Consistent and reliable. It was a strange, abstract way of naming a baby to be sure, and she was certain it was really because she had white fur, but that was her mother for you.

This brand-new child also glowed, but in a different way. She didn’t release a single cry. Her eyes were wide and eager, her babbling mouth turned up in a brilliant smile. If Moonglow radiated a certain glow at birth, then this one was absolutely enveloped in it. Like a cozy blanket on this frigid winter’s day. Now she was thinking like her mother. Perhaps the delirium of childbirth was getting to her…

She nuzzled the newborn. “Cozy Glow,” she said in a whisper. “That’s your name, little one, and never forget it! Cozy Glow! Oh, honey! Isn’t she beautiful?”

“That she is, honey,” Cobblestone said, kissing the top of her head. “That she is. Our little Cozy Glow!”

Cozy Glow gazed upon her parents and giggled.

…

The difficulties of parenthood became clear mere days in.

At first, things were fine. Little Cozy Glow stayed as genial as she was upon her birth, and slept quite a bit. This all changed when she began to want. When she wanted something, whether it be food or a toy or her mother or her father, she let everyone know it through her incessant cries. These always seemed to come at the worst of times. Late at night, for instance.

“WAAAAAHH!”

It was now 2:38 am, and they were woken up yet again.

“Dear Celestia, she never shuts up, does she?” Cobblestone muttered, stuffing his head under a pillow.

She smiled wearily as she slipped out of her blanket. “We’re raising a baby, honey. This is what we signed up for.”

He grumbled into the pillow but said nothing else. It only took a moment to walk to the crib, a couple of feet away. As soon as she looked into it, the crying ceased, replaced with laughter.

“I think she just wanted to see me,” she whispered back to her husband with a smile.

“Tell her she can do that tomorrow.”

Suddenly, the crying began anew. Strange, she barely moved her head.

Moonglow lowered said head further into the crib. “I’m here, sweetie! Mommy’s here!”

Still, the crying did not cease.

“Are you hungry? Is that what you want?” Carefully, she took the baby into her hooves, and began to feed her from her teat. Cozy suckled on it, drinking the milk. Moonglow thanked her lucky stars young babies had no teeth, as the gums where they would be chomped down as hard as they could in their quest for nourishment. Soon enough, Cozy pulled away with a satisfied smack of her lips.

“Better?” Moonglow asked.

Cozy giggled again.

“Better!”

However, as soon as she lowered the foal back in, the crying restarted once more.

“What else could she want?” her husband called out from the bed, tossing and turning.

“I don’t see you helping!”

With a grunt, Cobblestone lifted himself off the sheets and picked up a stray toy, a baby rattle, from the floor. “Here. My contribution.”

She rolled her eyes. “Give it to her, then.”

“Here, Cozy!” He shook the rattle over the crib, the beads inside making a racket. “You want the rattle?”

Cozy stopped crying, and stared at the toy, taking it once it was in range of her grasp. With another giggle, she bit down on it with her gums, gumming it like a dog to bone.

“There! See? All she needed was dear old dad’s expertise.”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t get all high and mighty because you picked a toy off the ground,” she said with a snort.

They returned to the bed, snuggling together under the covers.

“Goodnight, Cobblestone.”

“Goodnight, Moonglow.”

As soon as their eyelids shut-

“WAAAAAHH!”

Cobblestone sat up with a start. “I swear, she’s crying because she feels like it at this point!”

Moonglow sighed and chuckled under her breath. “Oh, how spiteful of her…”

…

Her first steps occurred nine months in.

It wasn’t as big of a deal as Moonglow expected it to be. In fact, Cozy Glow performed her first steps as casually as a foal could, and the reason why was just as mundane. Simply put, Cozy Glow wanted.

Cobblestone liked to shake the rattle back and forth on the other side of the carpet in the living room, beckoning Cozy to crawl for it. It was a game both were used to.

“Here, Cozy! Come get it!” he said.

Cozy looked to it with laser focus, and began to crawl towards her prize. Just as she reached it, however, Cobblestone moved backwards.

“Gotta try a little harder, Cozy!”

“Cobblestone…” Moonglow said with a glare. “It’s not right to do that at such an impressionable age! What if she never trusts us now?”

“Don’t you think that’s an overreaction?”

“Studies have shown-“

She cut herself off when Cozy stood on shaking legs, and, with what could only be described as determination, began plodding her way towards the toy. Mouth agape, Cobblestone watched as the foal reached him and pried the rattle from his hoof.

He blinked before donning a wide grin. “Heh… that’s my girl!”

With a babble of satisfaction, Cozy chewed on the toy.

…

Her first word occurred on her first birthday.

It was a humble affair, with only some family and friends in attendance at their Fillydelphia home. Still, Moonglow watched as Cozy’s gifts quickly began to pile up on the kitchen table, which Cozy reacted to with visible glee. While she was just a baby, Moonglow liked to joke that Cozy already knew what it meant to own something. After all, she always cried for her rattle or whatever toy she wanted. Taking them away felt like stealing.

Putting Cozy on her back, contorting her wings in such a way that the child wouldn’t accidently fall off, Moonglow began to mingle.

“Oh, she’s adorable!” her friend, Soft Pretzel, said. “And look at those little curls!”

She ran a hoof through Cozy’s mane, which the baby reacted to with a slight cry of distress. While in the midst of growing, it was still apparent that her blue mane would end up with a multitude of bouncing curls.

As she continued to converse with others, a growing theme quickly became apparent.

“She’s the cutest filly I’ve ever seen!” her younger sister said with a squeal.

“Beautiful, I tell you. She’s won the genetic lottery, sis. Unlike you!” her older brother said with a joking wink.

“I thought you were the most precious baby I’ve ever seen, but she’s real competition alright!” her mother said.

“Everyone’s complimenting how cute Cozy is,” Cobblestone said. “And, yeah, I’ve known. But what about us, honey? What about us?”

He always knew how to make her laugh.

He was right about one thing, though. They had known Cozy was adorable for a while. And not just regular baby adorable, but whatever the tier was above that. Her wide eyes that shone with a certain eagerness, her curls that were blue as the sea, her little tiny hooves that tipped and tapped every time she walked, her puffy cheeks… She was like an angel.

However, Moonglow doubted angels wanted as much as Cozy Glow did. Cozy was staring at the gifts, said eager eyes more excitable than ever. Once everypony had left was the time to open them, Moonglow supposed.

It was only two hours later when the last guest was leaving.

"Nice to see you again, Moon!" Soft Pretzel said at the door, putting on her scarf. "Cozy should meet Nugget sometime."

"I'm with you there. Meet up again soon?"

"Of course!" Pretzel said as they hugged. "Goodbye!"

The door opened, briefly letting in the cold air, and then closed. The first sound she heard in the now silent house was Cozy murmuring gibberish from her back.

"Oh, Cozy! It’s time for presents!” she said as she nuzzled her child.

She and Cobblestone approached the kitchen table. One by one, the pile was opened by Moonglow, Cozy by her side. Some were more for her than Cozy, such as a long picture frame that had spots for the first 10 years of the filly’s life. It was from, who else, her mother. Cobblestone oooed and ahhhed whenever she opened anything, taking particular interest in the little white ribbons Cozy received from her sister.

"Aren't they beautiful?" she asked, holding them up.

"They really go with the blue of her mane," Cobblestone said as he looked them over.

"Since when were you so interested in fashion?"

"Got a daughter now. It had to happen sooner or later, right?"

There were further gifts to open, toys and clothes and knick-knacks from various ponies, before there was one left, enveloped in purple wrapping paper. From Soft Pretzel, it said.

With its rectangular shape and heft, Moonglow figured it was a book. One rip into the paper, and she found she was right. In large, golden letters, the title stared back at her from between the tear. Ponicchio. As the cover revealed itself further, she saw the titular wooden colt illustrated in the middle of a village street, a crooked smile on his face.

It came with a note. “It’s a fantastic children’s story. Lots of lessons and morals. I thought Cozy might like it more than my little Nugget would. Enjoy!”

I’m sure she will, Moonglow thought to herself, putting the book aside with the other gifts.

She noticed that whenever she did that, Cozy would approach and eye the gifts up, testing them with her hooves. She now pawed at the white ribbons.

“Mine!” she said.

The parents gasped in unison.

Cozy Glow began to touch the multitude of gifts. “Mine! Mine! Mine!” she said with each gift touched.

“Her first word…” Moonglow whispered.

“Never heard of this one before,” Cobblestone said sardonically. “What about ‘mama’? Or better yet, ‘dada’?”

"And who exactly do you think she heard it from?"

He held up his hooves defensively. "Hey, when's the last time I bragged you were mine in front of her? Months ago!"

Cozy began to flip through the pages of Ponicchio, her clumsy baby hooves having no concern for the damages that could occur as a result.

“Easy there, girl!” Moonglow said as she lifted Cozy away before anything could happen to the book. “Not all of these are toys, you know.”

Cozy began to wail. “Mine!”

Moonglow flinched at the shrill screech. Wasn’t the first word meant to be an important moment? The novelty had already worn out. “Come on, Cozy,” she said, patting the child on the back. “I think it’s about bedtime. You can play with the toys tomorrow.”

She carried Cozy to her crib, the foal yelling all the while.

“'Mine', huh? What a word to choose...” she said as she placed Cozy in the crib, ignoring her continued tantrum. “Why did you choose that word? Did Cobblestone really say it that much? Or maybe I did? You seem to understand what it means, too. 'Mine'... Did you find it that important to label what is yours? Is there some sort of innate ability within you to understand that?”

Cozy stared back up at her, face emotionless. When did she stop crying?

"...Look at me, getting all philosophical with a baby. Goodnight, Cozy, and happy birthday."

Just as she went to leave, Cozy spoke up.

"Mine!" she said again. She was pointing up at her.

"Heh... I guess I am yours, aren't I?" She yawned. "My little angel, Cozy Glow. I am yours, forever and ever..."

…

Her first friendship occurred a year and a half in.

Soft Pretzel invited Cozy over for a playdate with her own daughter, Nugget. Nugget was two years old, a calm and often quiet child. The only reason the two children hadn't met yet was because Soft Pretzel's family ran a pretzel business that was popular in Fillydelphia, which Moonbeam and Cobblestone were frequent patrons of. Now, the schedules finally lined up just right.

Cozy seemed receptive to the new foal she was introduced to, smiling at her immediately. The two mothers placed their children together in the playroom of the house and left them to their own devices. They watched as the children played, chatting all the while.

“We should’ve done this ages ago,” Soft Pretzel said. “Don’t they get along swimmingly?”

Moonglow just nodded. They weren’t interacting much, really. They both sat in the center of the room, toys surrounding them. Cozy was playing with her favorite rattle, while Nugget was hugging a teddy bear to her chest. Cozy looked up to the sight and made her way over to Nugget.

She seized the stuffed bear. “Mine!” she said.

“No, mine!” Nugget retorted, moving to take it back.

“Mine!” Cozy screeched, hugging the bear to herself. She glared at Nugget, as much as a year-and-a-half-old foal could glare. The older child backed off.

“Cozy!” Moonglow exclaimed, picking her up. “You can’t just take what you want. How would you feel if somepony took your rattle?”

Cozy pouted as she let go of the bear. Nugget took it back in an instant.

“Thank you, Moon,” Soft Pretzel said with a sigh. “Guess I spoke too soon?”

“They’re only kids, it should be fine.” Moonglow put down her child. “Go on, have fun!”

Cozy shook her rattle and glanced back at Nugget, the other child catching the look and freezing like a deer in headlights. Cozy made her way over. It wasn't in an aggressive manner, it was actually quite calm and friendly, but it made little difference. Nugget abandoned the bear at the first sign of movement. Cozy laughed and began to play with both toys, hitting the bear over the head with the rattle multiple times.

Moonglow sighed before going to scold Cozy yet again. What a child she had...

...

Her first visit to a child psychologist occurred two years in.

The family went on a trip to the Wissahockin Trail on the outskirts of Fillydelphia. It was an easy, pleasant trail, perfect for pushing a stroller through. It traveled along the edge of a large creek, giving one a great view of the surrounding nature. The three of them sat on a bench next to the creek, having stopped to snack.

Cobblestone watched as a pony walking a dog passed them by. “You want to get a dog?”

“While we still have to deal with this one?” Moonglow asked, handing a piece of her pretzel to Cozy.

“Why not? I heard some breeds are great with kids.”

“I heard some breeds basically are kids.”

Cozy, chewing on her food, shook her rattle in contentment. With one particularly powerful shake, the toy flung from her grip and on to the dirt below. It continued to roll until it went off the edge of the trail into the creek below. She immediately set to crying.

Cobblestone cursed as the creek’s current carried the rattle downstream. “There’s no way we’re getting that back!”

“Well, we’re going to have to think of something!” Moonglow said, covering her ears at the loud screams.

He shook his head. “The problem is we give into Cozy every time she complains. We need to teach her that you don’t always get what you want.”

“So... We don't get her a new rattle?”

Cobblestone snorted. “It’s a toy, she’ll survive. We’ve got plenty more at home.”

However, as they traveled home, the crying never stopped. It felt as if Cozy’s vocal chords were made of steel they were so strong. As they presented every toy they had at her, the crying never stopped. No matter what they tried, the crying never stopped.

"Are you hungry, Cozy?" Moonglow asked, presenting a bowl of chopped grapes.

For a brief second, the crying did stop. Cozy's eyes dried and stared at the bowl, and then at her. Then, with a blink, she threw the bowl to the ground and began crying yet again.

“Jeez, this kid’s a different beast...” Cobblestone said as he saw the mess on the floor.

"I'm scared for her, honey," she said, tearing up. "All these cries and screams aren't good for somepony her age! It can hurt their eardrums, let alone their vocal chords-"

"It'll be OK, honey," he said rubbing a hoof on her back. "She needs to see a shrink; there's no way this is normal. Let's search around."

It wasn't long until they found one. Warm Heart was her name, a child psychologist who was among the most heavily recommended in Fillydelphia. Of course, when they brought Cozy to see her, the foal was as calm as can be.

"Well," Warm Heart said, "many children at this age experience temper tantrums. They usually occur because the child is frustrated they cannot express their needs correctly."

"But we tend to her needs all the time..." Cobblestone muttered.

"It's not just the tantrums, it's the amount of them. It feels like they happen constantly," Moonglow said.

Warm Heart rubbed her chin. "You said they usually revolve around her toys? Such as the rattle?"

"Yes. It was her first toy, and, until she lost it, she held on to it all the time."

Warm Heart nodded. "Many children form attachments to toys. Its often a source of familiarity in a world full of new things they are unsure about."

Cobblestone quirked an eyebrow. "So, it would actually be better if we get her a new one?"

"I didn't say it's healthy, and I'm not saying to give into her tantrums. That's the worst thing you could do. However, such a sudden change as has occurred here is rarely the best way to do this. You can't just let her cry and hope it'll end sometime. Make the transition gradual. Set limits. If she acts as nice as she has during this meeting, then reward her for it. And ensure that you can be as much a source of comfort as the toy."

"Thank you for your advice, Warm Heart. It means a lot," Moonglow said with a sigh.

"No problem!" she said as she approached Cozy. She ran a hoof through the blue curls. "You've got a wonderful child here."

And so, in the end, they bought her another rattle. Of course, it came with the stipulation that Cozy couldn't have it whenever she wanted. They wanted to gradually wean her off of it, after all. It made little difference to Cozy. When they presented it to her, she hugged it to her chest with a laugh.

"Mine!"

Author's Note:

This will most likely be the only chapter not from Cozy's perspective. Out of these first three chapters that I published at once, this was definitely the most difficult for me to get down.

Comments

[LetsThinkPositive]

9910274
Yeah, I mostly approached this from a human development perspective and so stuff like that slipped my mind. Thanks for pointing that out.

[vinyldash23]

A visit to a shrink at two? Holy crap, this kid's crazy. Then again, I already knew that. I like this already. Turns out that she was always a manipulative little b*tch.

[ledezma25]