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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Christmas Tree (10/09/08)
OK… so I’m a baby. I can’t talk yet, but I can think. You didn’t know that about babies did you? I see that look on your face – one of bewilderment and downright incredulity. You’ve just got to go with me on this… Yeah I can understand everything the Big People around me say. I’ve heard their dreams for my future. Mama wants me to be a ballerina. To Daddy I’ll always be a Princess. But I’m getting off track here. There’s something I want to talk to you about today. Something so wondrous it took my breath away.

I’ve only been in this world since February and there sure have been a lot of things to see. You wouldn’t believe all the new things I experience all the time. My eyes are sometimes on overload, there’s so much to take in. Nothing, however, will top what I saw today when my mama got me up and brought me out to the living room. There was this huge green tree in there! Why in the world my parents wanted a tree like that in the house left me bewildered and full of incredulity. But that was just the beginning. I heard Mama say to Serena, my older sister: “Are you excited about decorating the tree tonight?” Serena bounced up and down and started talking to me in that baby talk that drives me crazy.

“Ooooh sissy. We’re gonna decowate the tree tonight.”

Decorate the tree? What does that mean?

When I got up from my nap there were boxes laid out on the couch – I pulled myself up to look, and was told, “No!” That made me start crying. I sat down hard on the floor. I pulled myself up again… and this time Mama swatted my bottom and said no in a firmer voice, which made me cry harder, but this time I knew she meant business.

After supper Mama and Daddy started taking things out of the boxes, and there was this long string like thing that they looped all around the tree. And then… magically, there was so much color! Red. Blue. Green. Yellow. And then, the most magical thing of all! The colors started twinkling. I sat on the floor in the middle of the room and just stared. I figured out those were lights, but I never knew there were such tiny colorful ones.

Daddy held Serena up to the top of the tree where she placed the bright yellow star she was holding on the tip-top of the tree. It lit up from the inside! It was so cool. Then, everyone started pulling stuff out of the boxes and hanging them from the tree. There were snowflakes, hearts, bows, and these bright colored balls – the same colors as the lights. There was also some stuff that looked handmade and Mama ooohed and ahhed over those the most.

After everything was on the tree Daddy turned off all the lights, so only the lights on the tree were shining bright, and we all sat, mesmerized by the sight, but I think me, most of all. Then Daddy said, “OK, let’s join hands around the Christmas tree and pray.”

Christmas Tree?

Daddy prayed something about being thankful for Jesus and the start of what the season was all about… I have no idea what he was talking about. I guess over the years, I’ll learn about it. For right now, I was enthralled with the Christmas tree and all it’s pretty decorations.
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This article has been read 1013 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Shelley Ledfors
10/19/08
This is sweet! I like the POV. The "grown up" baby's voice is cute. (I did one of those once.) If any of us could remember our thoughts from that age, the voice may be more accurate than we'd think!
Celeste Ammirata
10/20/08
This is so cute! I like the creative use of the baby thinking grown up thoughts. The only thing that didn't feel right to me was the baby knowing the difference between store bought and homemade decorations. But it didn't take away from this well written story. Nicely done.
Yvonne Blake 
10/20/08
Interesting POV ! It might have helped to put it more in the limited 'vocabulary' of a child. The thoughts are too big for an infant. I like your creative perspective of this tradition.
Gregory Kane
10/20/08
a fun, alternative approach to the topic. I quite like the way you used adult vocabulary - emphasises the contrast between the child's sense of comprehension and her physical limitation.
Marijo Phelps
10/22/08
“Are you excited about decorating the tree tonight?” Serena bounced up and down and started talking to me in that baby talk that drives me crazy." You often wonder what they do think of all our cootchie-coo talking. I enjoyed this piece and POV.
Angela M. Baker-Bridge
10/22/08
Great creative approach to the topic. There are obviously two camps on the baby's language. Personally, I thought it was too grown-up, educated, and distracting for me. But others seem to love it, so stick to your gut! Good job.
Laury Hubrich 
10/22/08
Very clever. Love the swat on the behind. Very cute:)
Karlene Jacobsen 
10/23/08
Nice angle. I often wonder what babies think when we coo, and talk funny, and they stare like we've just fallen and hit our head.
Leah Nichols 
10/23/08
I enjoyed reading this one. I won't get technical....yeah, you could change some stuff, but it's still excellently done. Totally identified with the POV and it was a very fun read!