Sam is two. He wakes with a big grin. He claps his hands. "Happy day!" he says.
Mom is in the kitchen. Dad hangs a garland. Tap-tap goes the tape. Pop-pop go the little balloons. The cat rubs his leg. The dog gives a soft bark. "Hello," says the cat. "Woof," says the dog.
Sam puts on a bright tee. He hops and says, "Hop!" He pats his head. He pats his toes. He is ready.
Friends come. Knock-knock at the door. "Come in!" says Dad. Tiny shoes tap-tap. Little friends bring a toy and a drawing. They sing. "La la!" they sing. Sam smiles big.
They make the cake. Mom mixes soft flour. Dad pours milk. Sam stirs. Swish-swish. "One, two, three," he counts. The cake is warm and smells sweet. Sam helps put the sprinkles on. Plink-plink go the sprinkles. He giggles.
A tiny wind comes. Oh! One balloon floats to the rug. It bumps the cat. The cat purrs. Sam hugs the balloon. He holds it tight. "No fear," says Mom. She lifts the roll of tape. She ties the string. The balloon is safe. Sam claps. Problem small. Problem fixed.
Lights go dim. A string of small lights hums and glows. The room is cozy. "Look!" says Dad. They switch on a bright lamp. The room is warm and kind.
Time for a surprise. Friends hide behind a chair. "Peek!" says one. "Boo!" says another. Sam laughs. There is a box with a soft bear. He hugs the bear. The bear hugs back. "Thank you," Sam says.
They eat cake. Yum-yum. They sing, "Happy day!" Sam blows. He tries to blow big. A small puff flies. Everyone claps. Dad helps him blow a bit more. The candle goes out. Hooray! Confetti falls. Whee!
At the end, Sam is sleepy. He has a warm hug from Mom. He has a sweet kiss from Dad. He holds his new bear. He hears soft songs. He feels safe. He sleeps with a small smile.
Help and hugs make the day bright.
