Happy 3rd Birthday Emma

The last time I saw my granddaughter Emma, she took me by the hand and excitedly showed me her new toothbrush.  She was so excited about it, she held it up, twirled around and leaped through the air to show me her pleasure.  I couldn't remember the last time I was that excited about a new toothbrush.  Emma taught her grandma that there is magic in simple things that we take for granted every day.  So in case you are wondering . . . that is why I just had to write Emma this short story and poem for her 3rd birthday.

Emma and the Magic Toothbrush

By Grandma Baadsgaard (alias Granny B)

Once upon there was a little girl named Emma who had a magic toothbrush. When most people brush their teeth, they get clean teeth. But when Emma brushed her teeth she turned in to the Mighty Pink Princess of Everything.

One afternoon after playing with her toys in her bedroom for an hour, Emma ran into the bathroom and grabbed her toothbrush. Then she ran around the house waving her toothbrush in the air.

Emma’s mother saw her and said, “Emma, you need to go back in your bedroom and pick up your toys and put them away now.”

“I am the Mighty Pink Princess of everything,” Emma answered. “I don’t have to pick up toys.”

“Oh is that right?” Emma’s mother said.

“Well I’m the queen of everything and I say you need to pick up your toys right now young lady.”

Emma scrunched her eyebrows and frowned. Then she pointed her magic toothbrush at her mother and said, “Disappear!”

“You need a time out in your bedroom,” her mother said. “You can come out when you have your room cleaned up young lady.”

Emma went to her room. She waved the magic toothbrush in the air. When she looked down and noticed she was dressed in a sparkly pink dress and a pair of sparkly pink shoes.

“I am the princess of everything and I don’t pick up toys!” Emma said.

Then she danced on the floor. Then she jumped on her bed.

That’s when Emma’s Dad opened the door to her room.

“Look at this mess,” he said. “Emma you need to clean up your toys.”

Emma scrunched her eyebrows down and frowned.

“I am the princess of everything,” Emma said. “I don’t have to pick up toys.”

“Well I’m the king of everything and I say you need to pick up your toys right now you little rascal.”

Emma pointed her magic toothbrush at her father, “Disappear!”

“I can manage that,” her father said disappearing behind the door. “You can come out when you room is clean.”

“I am the princess of everything,” Emma said pointing her toothbrush at her toys. “Disappear.”

Suddenly the walls in Emma’s room turned into a large pink dining hall in a huge pink castle. There were long pink curtains at all the windows and glistening pink chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Emma sat down at a long table with a pink tablecloth and flickering pink candles. She chose Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Barbie and Baby for her dinner guests. They ate pink cake, drank pink sparkling cider and had pick pickles for dessert. Then Emma got a tummy ache. She was tired or pink castles, cider and pickles.

Emma sat down on the floor and put her head in her hands. Then she scrunched her lips and rolled her eyes. Suddenly she stood up and bravely waved her magic toothbrush in the air.

“I am the princess of everything,” Emma said, “and I am going to pick up my toys now.” And she did.

Ala ka zab

and razzle dee-doo

Emma’s new toothbrush

Can make magic foo.

In Tinker Bell jammies

and breathing a sigh

this magic toothbrush

catches stars going by

If you jump on your bed

and hold it just right

this toothbrush will gather

new dreams out of sight

“Put that toothbrush away

or it will get covered with germs!”

her mother and father

spout with concern.

But Emma, who knows power

and razzle-dee-daz,

keeps waving her toothbrush

to bring in pazaz

While parents are skeptics,

children all know

there is magic in small things

if you love them jut so.