Adventures with the Bears | Once Upon a Pancake

“’It was a dark and stormy night…’” Bella speaking slowly, suspense in her voice. 

“No, no, you read us that one recently, something else!” Zoey cuts her off. 

“Once upon a time in a land far, far away…” Bella tried again. 

“Bella, we know that one, too, we want a NEW one!” 

“Not every 13-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trial, and found guilty.” 

Zoey quickly sat upright, “We’re trying to fall asleep tonight, Bella, maybe something a little … happier?” 

Bella, running out of books, dug to the bottom of the bin and pulled out Madeline. “Ah yes, I forgot about this one, this should be perfect”, Bella thinks to herself. 

“In an old house in Paris covered with vines lived 12 little girls, in two straight lines.” 

“Ooh, we like this one… keep going,” Zoey whispered slowly, while tucking herself back under the covers and snuggling up next to Allie. 

As Bella finished reading, she looked up and noticed Zoey’s drool running down her cheek and Allie smiling from her dreams.  

This. This right here, makes me happy to be a big sister. 

Zoey’s nose tickled at the smell of bacon. Jumping out of bed, she raced down the stairs two at a time.  

“YES!! Bacon AND Pancakes?! Best Saturday EVER!” she yelled out as she poured herself a cup of orange juice and sat down at the table, swinging her legs, waiting patiently to be served. 

Allie followed closely behind, slowly, rubbing her eyes, and clearly still asleep.  

“Is it a special occasion?” questioned Allie, as Bella added fresh strawberries to the table. 

Bella simply smiled. 

Allie continued looking around the room, “Are we having visitors?” 

Bella smiled again, but still remained silent, as she started serving the pancakes. 

Zoey squeezed so much syrup on her plate, it started spilling onto the table. 

“Allie, don’t ask so many questions, just enjoy the pancakes!” Zoey spit out between overstuffed bites. 

This. This right here, makes me happy to be a big sister. 

Bella heard whimpering from the other room just as she finished cleaning up from breakfast. 

“I just don’t get it! It doesn’t make any sense!” Zoey cried out. 

Math has never been Zoey’s favorite subject, but she’s been trying hard to understand it.  

Bella ran into the room, wrapped her arms around Zoey and explained the homework.  

Zoey let out a sigh of relief, wiped her tears from her cheek, and squeezed Bella’s paw, “how do you know exactly what we need when we need it?” 

Bella smiled up at Zoey, just as Allie walked into the room, “Because I’m the big sister, and this, this right here, makes me happy to be a big sister.”