Gigi and the Pork Chop

 Today's story is not only for my daughter but by my daughter.


Gigi was a family cat. Her family loved her a lot even when she got into big trouble. Her family had a mom and dad and two girls, 9 year old Mary and 5 year old Audra. One day, Audra and Mary were helping their mom and dad make pork chops. They started to make the pork chops. Then, they found out one of the  pork chops had gone bad. They threw it in the garbage, and they ate pasta instead.

Later after they ate, they where all bored and did not know what to do. Finally, out of nowhere, Audra suggested "We should play the board game trouble".

"Okay." they all agreed. They went upstairs and started to play. Meanwhile back in the kitchen, Gigi had her eye on  the pork chop in the garbage. She was sitting on the floor across the room from the garbage  which was in sitting a bag on the counter. It was waiting to be taken out because it was garbage night. Gigi jumped up on the kitchen table to get a better view. Then, she jumped off the table and lunged for the garbage.

She was about to get into the garbage, but she slipped and fell onto the floor.  The loud crash brought the whole family running. They all came down and saw Gigi on the floor. They went over to make sure she was okay.  "Are you okay, Gigi?" asked Audra worriedly.

Mommy went over and checked to make sure she was okay. "Don't worry. She seems okay."

"You should be more careful, Gigi. You can get hurt." warned Mary.

The family went back upstairs to continue their game. Gigi stayed in the kitchen. She continued to eye the pork chop. She got up on the table and tried to reach the pork chop again. This time she climbed up on the chair and tried to jump up from there. The chair wasn't close enough so she slipped to the ground. This time she did not make such a loud noise when she fell so the family didn't come running.

Gigi wasn't about to give up. She saw the step stool in the corner and tried to jump from that onto the counter.  It was too far away, and she couldn't reach the counter from there.

Just then, Mary came down to fill her water bottle at the water cooler. When Gigi heard the noise. She hid under the dining room table and acted innocent. As Mary walked by the dining room and saw Gigi, she gushed, "Oh, Gigi! You're so cute! I love you!" She ran over and started to pet Gigi for a little bit. Then, she gave Gigi a kiss and went back upstairs.

As soon as Mary disappeared up the stairs, Gigi ran back into the kitchen. She began eyeing the garbage bag again. She was determined to get that pork chop. She jumped onto the table. She stuck out her paw and tried to grab the garbage bag from the table, but she couldn't reach it. She leaned a little forward and tried again. She still couldn't reach it. She tried one more time. The next thing she knew she was hanging by her back paws off the table. She meowed sadly.

Audra heard the sad meowing, and she came running down. She found Gigi hanging from the table. "Silly girl." she laughed. She picked up Gigi and put her on the ground. "Be careful." she told Gigi. She went back upstairs.

Gigi still wanted that pork chop. She wasn't about to give up for anything. She decided to try the chair again. She jumped from the table to the chair. That time, Gigi just  jumped up and fell on the floor again. It didn't make a loud noise though.

Gigi still did not want to give up. She tried the step stool again. It was still too far away.  When she jumped, she just landed right back on the step stool.

Gigi was starting to think she would never get that pork chop. She jumped off the step stool and lay down on the floor.

Just then the phone started ringing loudly. It startled Gigi so much that she jumped up in fright. She landed on the chair. The chair flew back into the counter from the force of Gigi's jump. It hit the counter so hard. The garbage started falling out of the garbage bag. The bag and all the garbage fell onto the floor.

Gigi jumped down from the chair. She grabbed the pork chop off the floor. She was so happy she had finally gotten it. She started to eat it.

By now, the family had finished playing their game and wanted to have some dessert. They came downstairs and went in the kitchen.  They saw Gigi with the pork chop in her mouth and the big mess on the floor.

"What did you do?" exclaimed Mary.

"Bad, Gigi."  declared Mom.

"Oh Gigi." sighed Audra.

"Gigi." Dad said sadly shaking his head.

They all went over and cleaned up the mess.

Later that night, when Audra was lying in bed ready to go to sleep. Gigi walked in the room and climbed in to the bed. She lay down at the end of the bed. Audra leaned down to kiss her. "Goodnight." she whispered leaning in. As she leaned a little closer, she saw that Gigi had something in her mouth. She leaned even closer to see what it was. Audra realized that somehow Gigi had gotten the pork chop back and had it in her mouth again. "Oh Gigi." she declared. "Your're such a silly little cat." She took the pork chop away and gave Gigi a toy to chew on instead.  She threw the pork chop in the garbage in her room and went to bed.

Gigi had no interest in the toy. She started eyeing the pork chop in the garbage.

Mommy's Little Elves

"But, mommy..." whined Ellery Shumaker. "We are playing a game." Her older sister, Elissa nodded in agreement.

Mommy shook her head. "It's bed time now, and this room is mess." Mommy unhappily glanced around the room. There were toys everywhere all over the floor, on the bed, half hanging out of the closet. "Tomorrow I want this room cleaned." she announced.

"But, mommy." protested Elissa. "There is too much to clean up."

"It is your room. You two made the mess. You are going to clean it." insisted Mommy. She sighed. It had been a long day. She still had a lot more to do, and she was tired.  She yawned sleepily.

"You should got to bed too, Mommy." declared Elissa.

"Yeah." added Ellery. "You're tired, mommy. You're yawning."

Mommy wearily smiled at the two girls. "It's nice of you two to worry about me, but I have more work to do. Unfortunately the house doesn't straighten itself up."  She directed the girls to get their pajamas on and brush their teeth then quickly ushered them into  their beds.

"Goodnight, Mommy."  they chorused as Mommy left the room.

Mommy went downstairs and started to finish cleaning up, but a little bit later she was just too tired and came up to go to bed.

As she heard, Mommy's door shut, Elissa tiptoed across the floor and poked her little sister. "Ellery, are you up?" she asked in a loud whisper.

"I am now." replied Ellery miserably opening her eyes and glaring at her sister.

"Mommy's really tired. We have to help her." insisted Elissa.

"I'm really tired too." declared Ellery.  She rolled over and closed her eyes.

Elissa poked her again. "Don't you want to help, Mommy?"

"Can't we do it tomorrow?" begged Ellery.

"No." insisted Elissa. "Then, it won't be a surprise. Come on." she urged her little sister.

Ellery sleepily got out of bed. The two girls tiptoed down the stairs. They straightened up the living room. First they put all the pillows neatly back  on the couch. They folded up the throw blankets as neatly as they could. They collected and threw out the garbage that was scattered around. They put any of their toys that had been left out away.

When they finished, they went quietly back upstairs. They quickly and quietly cleaned their own room.  Then, they went back to bed. They were so tired they immediately fell asleep.

The next morning, Mommy woke up before either of the girls. That was usual.  "Wake up, sleepyheads!" she called cheerfully as she came in and opened the drapes and let the sunshine in the windows.  "Wow!" she added noticing she hadn't tripped over any toys for once. "This room looks awfully clean. Do you happen to know anything about that?" she asked looking from one girl to the other.

"No, Mommy." answered Elissa as she got up and got out of bed. "Maybe, it was elves or something."

"Elves?" repeated Mommy.

"Yes, elves." declared Ellery as she got up too.

When they got ready and went downstairs and Mommy saw the living room, she asked "More elves?"

"Must be." replied Elissa as Ellery nodded vigorously in agreement.

That night after Mommy went to bed, Elissa woke her little sister once more. "Let's help, Mommy again."

"Okay." agreed Ellery.

They went downstairs but Mommy had already straightened up. They decided to put  out breakfast. They put out bowls, spoons, and napkins and filled the bowls with cereal which they got by standing on a chair next to the kitchen cabinets.

When Mommy and the two girls came down the next morning, and Mommy saw everything laid out on the table, she smiled. "The elves strike again." she stated.

"I guess." replied Elissa pretending not to know anything about it."

"Me too." added Ellery.

"All we need is milk." declared Mommy as she went to the refrigerator and took it out.

For several more days, whenever Mommy came down in the morning, a surprise greeted her: a room was straightened up, breakfast was laid out on the table, the dishwasher was emptied or some other chore was done. Every time she asked Elissa and Ellery about it, they insisted it must have been elves.

At the end of the week, Mommy came down and the house was just as she had left it the night before. Nothing was straightened up. There was no breakfast laid out on the table. Everything was just the same as it had been. Mommy couldn't help smiling. Her little elves must have been exhausted after a week of getting up in the night and working so hard. She went upstairs and checked on them and gently kissed each of them on the head as they lay sleeping.

I Want To Be You

Gianna Piper adored her older sister, Graziella. Graziella was smart and pretty and popular. Gianna followed Graziella around and copied what she did and said. Eventually, Gianna decided that wasn't enough. She didn't just want to be like Grazeilla, she literally wanted to be her sister. Instead of just following Graziella around and copying what she did and said, Gianna started following her sister around with a notebook taking notes.

It was driving Graziella crazy. No matter where she went, her little sister was there with that stupid notebook of hers. When Graziella was walking down the hall, she could feel someone behind her looking at her. It was creepy almost like being stalked. She turned around quickly, and of course, there was Gianna with a great big smile on her face. "Hi." she said cheerfully as if it were normal to be following another person around taking notes on them. After all, Graziella was sure the notes were about her. What else could they be about that would make it necessary for Gianna to follow her around?

"What are you doing?" asked Graziella accusingly. "Why are you following me around, and why are you taking notes? Are you spying on me?"

Gianna looked her sister as if Graziella were the crazy one. "Of course, I'm not spying on you." she declared acting hurt that Graziella would even think of accusing her of such a thing. "If I was, I wouldn't be a very good spy if all I did was follow you around out in the open where you can see me."

"Then, what are you doing?" Graziella asked again.

Gianna smiled brightly at her sister maybe even a little too brightly  as if it should be obvious to Graziella what she was doing. "I'm taking notes on you." she explained.

Graziella was more confused than ever. She looked at Gianna as if she were certifiably insane.
"Why are you taking notes on me?" Graziella asked unsure even as she said it that she really wanted to know the answer.

"Someday, I'm gonna be you." declared Gianna as though the answer should have been obvious all along.

"What?" replied Graziella shaking her head. This was just getting crazier and crazier. "You can't be another person."

"Sure I can." insisted Gianna.

"Okay, let's say for a minute that you could be me." conceded Graziella. "Even though of course, the very idea is ridiculous and you can't. But, let's just say for a minute you could. When are you going to be me?"

"When I get a little older."

"Who will I be when you're me?"

Gianna was silent for a minute. She bit her lip and thought hard. Then, she smiled as an idea came to her. "You'll be George Clooney." she declared.

"There's already a George Clooney." pointed out Graziella.

"That's okay. You're going to be him." insisted Gianna.

"I don't want to be George Clooney." replied Graziella equally as insistently.

"It doesn't matter. " declared Gianna stubbornly. "You're going to be George Clooney.

Graziella just shook her head sadly. "You're crazy." she said. Still shaking her head, she went out of the room.

For a few more days, Gianna continued to follow Graziella around with a notebook. It was incredibly annoying.

Sometimes, Gianna even asked questions. That was even more annoying. "What flavor ice cream are you eating?"  Gianna asked or "Where did you get that shirt? I want to know where to shop when I'm you." Usually, Graziella just looked at Gianna like she was crazy and didn't bother answering.

Finally, one day Graziella had enough. She'd had a hard day at school, she had a lot of homework, and she was really tired. Gianna following her around with that notebook of hers asking a billion questions did not help Graziella's mood at all. "Will you just stop following me around!" she screamed at her little sister.

Gianna who had been about to ask her sister another question was stunned into silence. For several minutes, she didn't even move. She just glared at Graziella. Then, finally she shook her head and left the room.

For the rest of the day, wherever Graziella went there was no sign of Gianna. At first, Graziella was relieved to not have anyone following her around any more. Then, she felt guilty for yelling at her little sister. She went to find Gianna and apologize.

She finally found Gianna in the family room. Gianna was sitting on the couch watching TV. The notebook was in her lap, and she was taking notes as she watched.

Graziella smiled at her. "Hey," she greeted her sister cheerfully. "What are you doing?" she said, but she said it nicely not like she was accusing Gianna of anything.

Gianna looked up and glared at her sister, but she didn't say anything.

"How can you be taking notes on me if I'm not even in the room?" Graziella teased.

"I'm not taking notes on you." replied Gianna.

"Why not I thought you wanted to be me?

Gianna didn't say anything.

"I'm really sorry." said Graziella and she genuinely meant it. She hugged her little sister. "I love you."

"Okay." said Gianna hugging her back. "I love you too."

"I'm going upstairs " announced Graziella. "Do you want to come? Maybe, we can play a game?"

"No." said Gianna. "I have to stay and take notes."

"How are you going to take notes if I'm not there."

"I'm not going to be you anymore."

"You're not?"C

Gianna shook her head. "No, I'm not " she verified. "Now, I'm going to be Doc McStuffins."

Melly and Mischa

Melora Dopler hated her name. Mostly only various older relatives and her teachers called her that anyway. Everyone else called her Melly. Melly lived with her Mom and Dad and her twin brother, Mischa in a town that was crazy about baseball. That was okay with Melly. She loved baseball.

Mischa, on the other hand, didn't like baseball. In fact, he didn't like sports at all. He was more interested in photography. He would much rather have a camera in his hand than a bat or a racket or anything similar. 

Every year in the Dopler's hometown, there was a  great big town picnic for the 4th of July. It was a day filled with food and fun. Everyone loved it. They waited all year for it. One of the highlights of the celebration was a big baseball game. Traditionally, only the boys in the town played  in the game. It was a tradition that Melly thought was stupid. "Why can't I play in the game too?" she protested to anyone who would listen. "I'm a better baseball player than most of the boys in this town." She truly was. She could run faster, hit harder and catch better than almost all of the boys, and on a really good day she was better than the rest of them too.

Still, the townspeople would not break tradition and let her play in the 4th of July game. "Those boys are just jealous because I'm so much better than them." she declared bitterly.


Her brother felt just the opposite. "You're lucky you don't have to play." he told her. He hated to play in the game. His instinct wasn't to catch a ball; it was to run away from it. Every year, he usually faked some injury to get out of playing.

"No, your lucky you get to play." insisted Melly."I wish I was you."

"No, I wish I was you and no one expected me to play." replied her brother. "I am running out of illnesses and injuries to pretend to have. Do you think anyone will believe me if I come up with a sudden case of Rocky Mountain spotted fever?"

"That's it!" exclaimed Melly.

"It was a joke, Melly." her brother informed her.

"No, I don't mean about you getting Rocky Mountain spotted fever." she told him. "I mean about me being you and you being me. Let's trade places."

"How are we going to do that?" asked Mischa.

"Don't worry." Melly assured him.

'Oh no' thought Mischa. Melly's plans didn't always work out that well.

The day of the game of the game Melly dressed in her brother's clothes. She pinned her long brown hair up and tucked it under her cap. She took her earrings out of her ear and wore no jewelry.

Mischa was dressed like Melly. He wore a dress and a big floppy hat. He was not happy about it either and did not see how it was any better than him being forced to play in the game.

"Don't worry." Melly assured him. "You'll never have to play in the game again or wear a dress after this." she promised.

When Melly took the field with the other boys in the town whose side she'd been put on.  Her crush, Shane Leahy moaned in disppointment. "Oh man. Do we have to have him on our team?" When he was told that they would indeed have to have Mischa on their team because every boy in town had a right to play in the game, he shouted practially in Melly's ear. "You do know the object is to catch the ball and not run away from it, Dopler." Melly gaved him an angry look. but didn't talk to him for fear of blowing her cover.

The game started Melly was at her best. She had the most hits and the most runs. The other kids didn't even come close. She even hit the game winning run. When the game was over even Shane came over to congratulate her. "I apologize Dopler." he said sincerely. "I don't know what you've been doing over the past year, but you're actually a good baseball player now. You don't play like a girl at all anymore."

His pronouncement made Melly's blood boil. She threw off her cap and quickly let her hair down. Everyone was stunned. Whereas a minute ago, the field and bleachers had been full of noise, now there was complete silence.  |

Then, one person stood up and applauded and then another and another until the sound of clapping filled the entire stadium. Melly blushed. She didn't do it for glory. She just wanted to play baseball.

When the standing ovation was over, Melly gathered up her things and got ready to go eat. Just than Shane approach her. "You played good, Melly." he told her.

"Good for a girl?" she asked.

"No, just good." he replied.

After that anybody that wanted could play in the 4th of July game. Some girls wanted too, some didn't.  Some of the girls who played were good; some weren't. It was pretty much the same with the boys. Some were good; some weren't. Nobody ever played as well as Melly though.

Ruthie Goes for a Ride

"When are you going to take me for a ride in your new car?" Ruthie Yothers asked her older brother, Adam.

Adam shrugged. His car was his pride and joy. He wasn't anxious to take his little sister for a ride in it. He had worked really hard for a landscaping company for three summers to earn enough money just to get a used car.

"I need you to get some things for me at the grocery store." Mom told Adam. "Why don't you take Ruthie along for the ride. She has been wanting to go for a ride with you." Adam rolled his eyes and shook his head no.  He did not at all want to take his little sister for a ride. However, Mom ignored him. "Put your jacket on, Ruthie." she said instead of telling Ruthie that she couldn't go.

Ruthie broke into a huge grin and ran and got her coat. Then, she followed Adam out to the car. She immediately ran over to the front passenger side door, opened it up, and jumped into the seat. When she went to slam the door, Adam stopped her. "You're too little." he said. "Get in the back." Ruthie frowned disappointedly, but she got in the backseat.

Once Adam started the car, the smile returned to Ruthie's face. She bounced excitedly up and down on her seat as her brother started the car. Adam glanced back at her through the rearview mirror. "Seatbelt, now!" he told her. Ruthie frowned but immediately put on her seat belt.

Adam turned on the radio. "Where are we going?" Ruthie shouted over it.

"To the supermarket." replied Adam temporarily turning down the radio.

"To the Shop-Rite or Stop and Shop." asked Ruthie shouting over the radio again.

Adam frowned and turned off the radio. It definitely wasn't going to be a nice peaceful ride. "Shop-rite." he replied to Ruthie's question.

Adam made a left turn. "Didn't you want to go right?" asked Ruthie as if she had any idea what she was talking about.

"No, I didn't." insisted Adam. He tried to concentrate on his driving and not how annoying his sister was being.

Ruthie busied herself singing loudly for a few minutes. After a minute or two, she asked. "What would you like me to sing, Adam." Adam didn't say anything. "Adam?" she repeated. "Adam, I asked you what you want me to sing."

"I don't want you to sing anything!" Adam finally replied angrily. "Just be quiet and let me drive."

Ruthie was insulted and sat quietly. That only lasted  for a couple of minutes, however. Then, she said. "Adam?"

"Yes, Ruthie." replied Adam trying very hard to remain calm and not yell at his little sister again.

"I think you missed a turn back there."

"No. I didn't Ruthie."

"I think you did."

"Ruthie! I am the one with the driver's license. Let me do the driving please." begged Adam.

Ruthie rolled her eyes and frowned. She looked out the window for a few minutes. Then, she looked back in the car and stared at the speedometer. "I think you're going too fast, Adam." she told him.

"I'm not going too fast." insisted Adam.

"I think you are!" declared Ruthie confidentally.

Adam slowed the car down to a snail's pace.

"Now, you're going too slow." Ruth complained.

"Ruthie!" exclaimed Adam in exasperation as he brought the car back up to regular speed.

Ruthie took something out of her pocket. It was a chocolate candy bar. She unwrapped it, shoved it in her mouth and took a bite. Adam frowned as he glanced at her through the rearview mirror again. "No eating in the car." he told her firmly.

Ruthie smiled at him. "Don't worry." she assured him. "I won't make a mess." Even as she said it, she was dropping crumbs all over the seat."

"No eating in the car!" Adam repeated angrily. Ruthie ignored him and kept right on eating her chocolate bar. "Ruthie!" Adam shouted loudly and angrily.

"Okay, okay." replied Ruthie finally. She shoved the candy bar back in her pocket as Adam made a sudden turn. "Adam, your going the wrong way again." pointed out Ruthie. She slid in her seat as they made the abrupt turn.  Suddenly, Adam's driving was scaring her a little bit. She closed her eyes.

When Ruthie opened her eyes again, the car had stopped. She saw a big familiar yellow house. It was their house. They were home again. They had never even gotten further then a couple of blocks away. "Why are we home again?" Ruthie asked in confusion. "Aren't we going to the store?"

"I'm going to the store." corrected Adam as he led her into the house. "You are staying here with Mom."

"Okay." replied Ruthie less than happily. "Thanks for the ride." she added. "I can't wait to go for a ride with you again." She instantly brightened at the thought of going for another ride with her big brother in his car blissfully unaware that Adam didn't feel the same way at all. In fact, he hurried out of the house shaking his head in horror at the thought of another ride with his sister as his passenger.

The Girl Who Cried Cat

Yulissa Zorich woke up in the middle of the night. She was wide awake and couldn't fall back to sleep. She wanted her Mom and Dad so she hurried into their room. They were fast asleep. Yulissa got into bed with them. Just when she got herself all warm and cozy and comfortable in their bed, Daddy turned on the light. "Yulissa, he said sternly. "What are you doing in our bed?"

"I can't sleep in my room." Yulissa insisted.

"Why not?" asked Daddy.

"Well, " began Yulissa. "There's a cat in my bed." she added after a long pause.

"A cat in your bed?" repeated Daddy.

"Yes. I think it's  a horrible lion that wants to eat me." explained Yulissa.

Daddy frowned and look at Yulissa with disbelief "A horrible lion?" he replied shaking his head.

Yulissa nodded yes. "And it has terrible claws and  a great big roar."

Daddy reluctantly got out of bed. All he really wanted to do was go back to sleep, but he knew Yulissa would never leave him alone if he didn't take her back to her room himself. "Come." he ordered. "Let's go see this lion." He hurried to Yulissa's room and went in while Yulissa hung back by the door.

"Be careful, Daddy." warned Yulissa. She tiptoed into the room and quickly got behind her father.

He looked at Yulissa's bed. Then, he lifted off her purple quilt and peaked under it. Finally, he turned to Yulissa. "There are no lions in your bed." he assured her.

"Maybe it's hiding." suggested Yulissa.

Daddy opened the closet door and peaked in. "No lions here." he stated. He got down on his hands and knees and looked under the bed. "No lions under here either." he declared. "There are no lions in this room. You are perfectly safe. Now go to bed." He tucked Yulissa into bed, gave her a kiss, and went back to his own room.

Yulissa lay in her bed for a while. She still couldn't fall asleep. She still wanted Mommy and Daddy. She went back to their room. They were fast asleep. She got into bed with them again. This time, Mommy woke up. "Yulissa," she said tiredly. "Aren't you supposed to be sleeping in your own room?"

"I can't Mommy." insisted Yulissa. "There's a cat in my bed."

"A cat in your bed?" repeated Mommy.

Yulissa nodded bobbing her head up and down. "I think it's a  terrible tiger that wants to eat me ."

Mommy shook her head." A terrible tiger?" she repeated in total disbelief.

Yulissa nodded. "Yes." she said. "A terribly tiger with terrible teeth."

Mommy shook her head at Yulissa. "What would a tiger be doing in your bed?" she asked. Yulissa shrugged. Mommy frowned. She was much too tired to be playing games with Yulissa. However, she knew she would not be able to go back to sleep if she didn't take Yulissa back to her own room. Mommy reluctantly dragged herself out of bed and followed Yulissa back to her room

"There are no tigers here." declared  Mommy as they entered the room.

"Are you sure?" asked Yulissa. "You haven't checked the whole room."

Mommy frowned. All  she wanted to do was go back to her own room and her own cozy bed and go back to sleep. However, she knew she would not be able to do that until she had thoroughly checked Yulissa's room. She quickly checked the closet and then under the bed. "This is a completely tiger free room." she assured Yulissa after she had finished checking. She tucked Yulissa into bed and kissed her.

"Go to sleep." she commanded before leaving the room.

A little while later, Yulissa was in Mommy and Daddy's room again. She went over to her father. "Daddy, there is a cat in my bed." she told him.

Daddy sleepily opened one eye and then the other. "Go back to bed, Yulissa." he said drowsily when he saw her standing next to him. "There aren't any cats in your bed." He closed both his eyes, turned over and went back to sleep.

Next, Yulissa went over to Mommy. She shook Mommy and startled her awake "What!?" cried Mommy groggily opening her eyes. "Yulissa!" she sighed unhappily when she saw her daughter standing there. "What are you doing out of bed again?"she asked angrily.

"There is a cat in my bed!" insisted Yulissa.

Mommy kissed Yulissa on the head."Go back to sleep." she insisted. "There aren't any cats in your bed. It's way past your bed time, and your imagination must be playing tricks on you. Go get some sleep and you'll feel better in the morning."

"But, Mommy!" insisted Yulissa. "There really is a cat in my bed this time!"

"Yulissa!"  Mommy replied firmly giving Yulissa an angry look. "How long do you think we are going to keep playing this game? It is very late. Daddy and I are tired now, and we need to sleep and so do you. Now go back to bed."

Yulissa slowly and reluctantly went back to her room. In the middle of her bed was a fluffy black cat. It was Pip the family cat. "Pip, you're taking up my whole bed." Yulissa complained."Please move over and give me some room." she begged. The  little black cat didn't budge. Yulissa sighed. By now, she was getting really tired, and she was ready to go back to sleep. She crawled up into her bed. Pip lay right next to her. Pip felt really warm and cozy curled right up to Yulissa. Yulissa sighed dreamily. 'Maybe, it's not always so bad to have a cat in your bed.'  she thought happily as she drifted off to sleep.

Gretchen Wants to Grow Up

Gretchen Lidstrom  was a four year old girl. She couldn't wait to grow up. She wanted to be able to wear makeup. She wanted to have boyfriends. She wanted to have kids. Everything about being a grown up sounded wonderful and exciting to her.

"Mommy?" asked Gretchen. "When am I going to grow up?"

Mommy didn't hear her. She was sitting on the floor busy trying to get Gretchen's little sister, Addie's diaper changed. Addie kept trying to wiggle away. "What?" asked Mommy in a distracted way when she finally realized Gretchen was talking to her. "Can you wait a minute, honey?" she added a minute later.

"When am I going to grow up?" Gretchen repeated her question when Mommy was finished diapering Addie.

Mommy smiled. "Much sooner than you think." she replied.  Gretchen made a face. She didn't think so. She thought it was taking forever.

"It's time for your nap." Mommy said to Addie. Addie gave Mommy a big smile and quickly crawled off into the other room. Mommy went chasing after her.

Gretchen thought that maybe having kids wasn't always so great. Kids don't always listen. She was sure everything else about being a grown-up was wonderful though. She still couldn't wait to grow-up.

Gretchen went upstairs. She found her older sister, Andrea sitting at her desk. "Andrea, come and play with me." Gretchen begged.

Andrea shook her head no. "I've got a a ton of homework to do." she said pointing to the huge stack of papers and books piled on her desk.

Gretchen's eyes opened wide at the sight of it all.  She was glad she didn't have to do all that work. Maybe, homework wasn't such a great thing about getting older either. However, she was sure everything else about growing up was wonderful, and she still couldn't wait to grow up.

That night when Mommy was putting Gretchen to bed, Gretchen asked "Where is Daddy?"

"He's at work." replied Mommy.

"But it's nighttime." protested Gretchen.

Mommy nodded in agreement. "I know." she replied. "He had to work late."

"But he left early this morning, and I didn't even see him the whole day!" Gretchen reminded Mommy unhappily.

"I know, honey." replied Mommy  understandingly. "He is working on an important deal right now, and he will probably be working long hours for a few more days."

Gretchen's eyes opened wide with horror. She thought about everything she'd learn today about getting older. When you get older, your kids don't always listen to you. When you get older, you have to do a lot of homework. When you get older, you have to work long hours and spend a lot of time away from your family.

Suddenly, Gretchen burst into tears.

"What's the matter?" asked Mommy worriedly.

"I don't want to grow-up any more!" insisted Gretchen.