The First Birthday by Ruth Collie — Read

It's all as strange as it can be, and Baby wonders, silently. Mother / hugs him even more than she ever did before. Father has such / boisterous ways, bellows words of petting praise, flings him high / into the air. "Oh! " shrieks mother, "do take care. " 'Tis four / o'clock, he's been to sleep and yet he's not allowed to creep; not / allowed the happiness of sucking bits of his clean dress. He has to / sit in his high chair and let a lot of people stare. They bring him / things to touch and squeeze, and sister plagues him to say "please. " / Then someone cries, "Now, Baby, look! Here is a lovely picture / book. " And someone else says, "Here's a bunny, a soft, white woolly / one, for Sonny. " He's feeling bored. He thinks he'll cry. Just / then he catches mother's eye. She lifts him up, oh! pretty sight, a / little candle burning bright! And Mummie whispers in his ear, "It's / your first birthday, precious dear. "