I jolted awake, instantly alert and excited for the day although my body did. It want to cooperate just yet. My mind knew what the day was, but I had to convince the rest of me to rise from the straw mattress and go wake my father and mother. It was my birthday, so they had better be ready.

I reached the handle of their door with a little effort, but it was getting closer now that I was getting taller. It swung inwards on hinges that creaked slightly, revealing the sunlight which steamed in through their window. They both lay in bed still, on opposite edges and facing away from one another, so I climbed up between them and began jumping to wake them up.

“Am I three yet? Am I three yet,” I chanted as I bounced up and down on the mattress, knocking a few tightening pegs loose as I did so. They both stirred weakly at that and moaned in the dazzling morning light.

“No, go back to bed,” father said irritably as he turned away from the window and attempted to regain his dream.

“But it’s my birthday,” I pleaded, dropping to my knees, conveniently landing on his and forcing him awake. The long-awaited day had finally arrived!