Andrew Birthday Burps the Baby
by Kathy Warnes
Andrew jumped out of bed and ran to the bedroom window. He looked out at the darkness covering everything like a horse blanket. Brrrr! It was cold enough for father's horse Sam to need the blanket!
Andrew dressed and hurried downstairs. Mother fixed special pancakes for his birthday and hugged him. "Happy birthday, Andrew. How does it feel being ten years old?"
"It feels older. Now I can go on rounds with father!" Andrew shouted.
He and father finished eating breakfast and father smiled. "It's time to go, Andrew," he said. "Mrs. Thompson has an earache and Paul James has the measles."
Andrew hurried into the barn and hitched Sam to the sleigh. He climbed on to the seat beside father. Andrew clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and slapped Sam's rump with the whip. Sam looked back at him and slowed down almost to a stop.
"What's wrong with you Sam!" Andrew shouted.
"He knows the way and he hates the whip. Think the problem through," father said.
Andrew didn't use the whip anymore and Sam trotted far into the country. Finally Sam turned into a drive and stopped in front of a snow covered farm house. Mr. Thompson opened the door. "Come in," he said. "Mrs. Thompson has just finished feeding the baby."
Andrew saw a wooden cradle sitting in front of the fireplace. As soon as he had taken off his boots and coat he hurried over to look at the baby. "Today's my birthday," he told the baby. The baby looked back at Andrew. Then he screwed up his mouth and cried. Andrew didn't know what to do, so he rocked the cradle as hard as he could. The baby cried louder.
Andrew hurried to the kitchen. Mrs. Thompson was standing at the stove cooking, with her back to him . "THE BABY'S CRYING MRS. THOMPSON!" Andrew shouted. She didn't turn around. Andrew went back into the living room and rocked the cradle. The baby still screamed.
Then Andrew had an idea. The baby was lying on his stomach and Andrew knew that babies had to be burped after they ate. He patted the baby gently on the back. This time the baby screamed. "I'll give you an extra pat for my birthday," Andrew said. He patted the baby again. "URP!" said the baby. He stopped crying.
"Lands sake," I'd better check on the baby!" Mrs. Thompson hurried into the living room. She took two cotton balls out of her ears. "I'm trying to help my earache," she told father.
Father looked into her ears with his light and gave her some medicine. He smiled at Andrew. "You thought your way through that problem, Andrew." Andrew grinned and smiled at the baby.
"BURPPPP!" said the baby.
Andrew jumped out of bed and ran to the bedroom window. He looked out at the darkness covering everything like a horse blanket. Brrrr! It was cold enough for father's horse Sam to need the blanket!
Andrew dressed and hurried downstairs. Mother fixed special pancakes for his birthday and hugged him. "Happy birthday, Andrew. How does it feel being ten years old?"
"It feels older. Now I can go on rounds with father!" Andrew shouted.
He and father finished eating breakfast and father smiled. "It's time to go, Andrew," he said. "Mrs. Thompson has an earache and Paul James has the measles."
Andrew hurried into the barn and hitched Sam to the sleigh. He climbed on to the seat beside father. Andrew clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and slapped Sam's rump with the whip. Sam looked back at him and slowed down almost to a stop.
"What's wrong with you Sam!" Andrew shouted.
"He knows the way and he hates the whip. Think the problem through," father said.
Andrew didn't use the whip anymore and Sam trotted far into the country. Finally Sam turned into a drive and stopped in front of a snow covered farm house. Mr. Thompson opened the door. "Come in," he said. "Mrs. Thompson has just finished feeding the baby."
Andrew saw a wooden cradle sitting in front of the fireplace. As soon as he had taken off his boots and coat he hurried over to look at the baby. "Today's my birthday," he told the baby. The baby looked back at Andrew. Then he screwed up his mouth and cried. Andrew didn't know what to do, so he rocked the cradle as hard as he could. The baby cried louder.
Andrew hurried to the kitchen. Mrs. Thompson was standing at the stove cooking, with her back to him . "THE BABY'S CRYING MRS. THOMPSON!" Andrew shouted. She didn't turn around. Andrew went back into the living room and rocked the cradle. The baby still screamed.
Then Andrew had an idea. The baby was lying on his stomach and Andrew knew that babies had to be burped after they ate. He patted the baby gently on the back. This time the baby screamed. "I'll give you an extra pat for my birthday," Andrew said. He patted the baby again. "URP!" said the baby. He stopped crying.
"Lands sake," I'd better check on the baby!" Mrs. Thompson hurried into the living room. She took two cotton balls out of her ears. "I'm trying to help my earache," she told father.
Father looked into her ears with his light and gave her some medicine. He smiled at Andrew. "You thought your way through that problem, Andrew." Andrew grinned and smiled at the baby.
"BURPPPP!" said the baby.
