Twisted Blankets & Big-Bed Rules

Ellie was excited. Her dad and big brother, Justin, had taken a huge box into her bedroom and shut the door. She knew they were building a surprise for her in there. Mom came down the hall to find Ellie lying on her stomach trying to peek under the door.

“Ellie,” Mom said, “you can’t see it until it’s put together. Let’s go make dinner while we wait.” Ellie followed her mom to the kitchen, wishing she could see her surprise now.

Finally, Dad and Justin came downstairs for dinner.

“Is my surpwise weady now?” asked Ellie eagerly.

“It sure is. You can see it right after we eat,” said Dad. Ellie gobbled down her food and waited impatiently for her family to finish eating.

Finally, they all headed upstairs and opened Ellie’s door. “Surprise!” they all shouted.

Ellie skipped into the room and froze—there by the window was a brand-new “big-girl” bed. In a flash, Ellie climbed onto the new, pink bed and began jumping around in circles. “Yay! My verwy own bed! I’m a big gwirl now.”

“Yep,” said Justin. “It’s your new bed. But did you know there are rules you have to keep when you’ve got a big bed?”

Ellie stopped and stared at her brother. “Huh?” she asked.

“Here.” Justin handed Ellie a thick envelope. She quickly opened it and pulled out some papers, each with a different drawing on it.

“Dat’s me!” she exclaimed, looking at the first picture.

“These will help you remember the big-bed rules,” he said. “See this one?”

“It’s me jumping on da bed.” Ellie laughed. “But how come it’s got a big X on it?” asked Ellie.

“That X means you’re not supposed to do that,” Justin explained.

“That’s right,” agreed Mom. “A bed is not a trampoline.”

Ellie gasped and quit jumping around. “Oops!” Instead, she dove onto the soft blankets and smooshed her face into the pillow, which made her sneeze—whachooo!

“Now go get your pajamas on so you can use your bed,” said Dad, scooping Ellie up in a big hug. Mom and Dad read Ellie a story, said good night, and tucked her in then left the room.

Ellie snuggled down in the bed. She turned this way and that way and talked to herself, but it wasn’t long before she couldn’t stand it anymore. Ellie was too excited to sleep, and she could hear Dad reading to Justin in the next room. She scooted silently off the bed and tiptoed to Justin’s door, peeking in with one eye.

Dad stopped reading. “What are you doing up?” he asked.

Ellie scampered into the room. “I wanna hear da storwy too.”

“Ellie,” said Justin, “you’re breaking another big-bed rule.”

“I am?” Ellie gasped. She ran to her room and brought back the pictures Justin gave her. “Which one?”

“This one.” Justin pointed to another picture with an X over it. “You got out of bed after Mom and Dad tucked you in.”

“But I can’t sweep,” Ellie whined. She looked closely at one of the pictures. “See? Dere’s a bear in dis picture. Where’s my bear?”

“It’s in your room in the toy box,” said Dad.

“Okay.” Ellie ran back to her room and searched inside her toy box for Brownie, her favorite teddy bear. She climbed into her bed again and tried to get comfortable. First Ellie stretched out then she scrunched up. She turned to the right then to the left. She flopped with her head at the top of the bed then at the bottom. She squirmed and wiggled—until suddenly, Ellie toppled right out of bed—bump, ka-plunk! “Mommmy!” Ellie shouted, trying to escape from the twisted blankets.

Mom was in Justin’s room when they heard Ellie holler. They ran to Ellie’s door and peered in to see what the fuss was about. It was quite a funny sight; Ellie’s feet were sticking up in the air where her head should have been.

Mom rushed in to untwist her daughter from the blankets. “Are you okay, Sweetie?”

The little girl frowned and put her hands on her hips as if she were very angry. She waggled her finger at the bed and said, “Dis is a vewy naughty big bed. It tossed me wight out!” Then she stomped her foot.

Justin laughed. “Are you sure the bed tossed you out? Or did you just wiggle too much and fall out like this?” Justin pointed to another picture, which showed Ellie twisted up in her blankets with her feet sticking up.

“Dat’s what jus happened!” she said, surprised. “How did you know?”

Justin grinned. “Because I did the same thing when I got my big bed. That’s how I know all these rules. This picture means you have to be still,” he said. “If you wiggle too much—off you go—plop! That’s why there’s an X on this one, too. But,” Justin continued, “if you stay nice and still, then you’ll be just like the last picture.”

Ellie gazed at the last picture from her envelope. She saw herself lying in her big, pink bed, holding a teddy bear and smiling. “I like dis one da best; dere’s no X on it.” Ellie climbed into bed, hugging Brownie close.

“Do I look like da picture?” she asked, lying very still.

“Yep, just right,” said Justin. “Good night.”

“Good night!” Ellie yawned and closed her eyes then smiled. “Now I’m following da wules just wight.”

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