Party on the Lily Pads

You can name us. . . . .

. . . Mod. . . . . . . . . Tod. . . . . . . . Mama Frog . . . . Naylita. . . . . . . . George

by Roberta Denn

As the sun was coming up over Wallaby Pond, the lily pads looked like beautiful green puddles in the water.  Mod was just waking up from her beauty sleep and couldn’t wait for the day to start.  Tod, on the other hand, was still sleeping on his overgrown lily pad and was snoring loudly.  This irritated his twin sister, Mod, and so she got up and leaped over to her brother’s pad and jumped right on top of him. THUMP!

“Good morning sweet brother!!!!  It’s time to wake up!!!  We have ALL day to celebrate our birthdays!” Mod sang to him.

Tod grunted when his sister landed right on top of him.  He looked right at her and wanted to shrug her right off of him, into the water, but saw her big golden tiara-crown that she must have placed on her head before jumping on him.

“Get off of me, Mod!  I need to wake up more before you start with your games!”

Mod hopped off her brother’s lily pad and back onto her own.  She then jumped again onto the soft grass where her mother was.

“Ah, there’s my birthday girl!  Are you ready for your birthday party today?”  Mod loved her mommy.  She thought she was the prettiest frog around. 

“Oh I am, Mommy, but does Tod really have to be there?  Can’t I just have my own party?”

Mod’s mom grinned at her daughter, “Oh, Mod, you know it’s your brother’s birthday too.  All of your friends are going to be there.  You two will have a great day.  There will be a party on the lily pads…what more can you ask for?”  With that, Mod quieted down because she knew her mommy was right.

Mod and Tod were playing in the fields with a few of their friends that were coming to the party.  Over the hill, a black, sleek shadow came towards them.  Naylita pounced on to her best friends’ back and said, “Hellllloooooo birthday girl!”  This made Mod smile from ear to ear and hugged her best friend.  “Are you coming to my birthday party, Naylita?”

Tod interrupted, “AHEM!  OUR birthday party!!”

Mod rolled her eyes at her brother and rephrased her words, “OURRRRR party. FINE!” and back at her bestie, “You’re coming right????”

Naylita answered honestly, “I want to, but I am afraid of the water.  Most cats are.  With your party on the lily pads, I’m afraid of falling off.”   With this statement, Mod stopped what she was doing and told her, “I had no idea Naylita.  Come to think about it, you haven’t ever been on my lily pad to play. NO cat has.”

Naylita looked away shyly but then announced, “I’m totally willing to try. For you guys!  It IS your birthday after all.”

The twins and Naylita, along with the rest of the gang, headed towards the pond for the party.  As they got closer, they all noticed tons of streamers in EVERY color and a big ‘Happy birthday’ Banner!! Turning FOUR for Mod and Tod was going to be something else!  Mama Frog had been busy decorating while they were gone.

When they got to the lily pads, all of Mod and Tod’s friends were laughing and talking and playing.  Mod and Tod opened their presents and couldn’t believe all the great things their friends had gotten them. 

Mod’s favorite toy was a pink karaoke microphone.  She couldn’t WAIT to start singing her favorite songs with her best friend.  And Tod’s favorite toy was the camouflaged walkie talkies that George, the raccoon, gave him.

Mama frog started cleaning up and said it was time to play on the lily pads.  All the animals started yelling with delight.  Everyone but Naylita.  All of Mod and Tod’s friends jumped into the water and onto a lily pads.  The whole gang started playing tag and catch.  Mod and Tod looked at one another knowing they wouldn’t have ANY fun as long as Naylita was sitting on the grass looking worried.

“I got it!!!!!” Tod yelped and jumped over his sister hopping over to the shed.  When he returned, he had three small pastel-colored plastic pieces on his back.  He threw one at his friend, George.  “Here, blow this up for me please!”  He then gave one to his sister and told her to do the same.  Tod took the last item off his back and started blowing up his item as well.  Once they were all finished blowing into the plastic pieces, three floaty devices sat in front of them.  Tod was so happy and handed the pastel floating board to Naylita.  “Here you go.  You still have to make your way to the water….BUT it’s so much bigger than a lily pad.  And it’s like being on one but it should make you feel safer than just on a pad.  You can also use the floating ring or other floaty that George blew up.  Either way, these should work!” 

This interaction stopped Mama Frog in her tracks, and she watched Tod and Naylita.  Her son was a good frog.  He made his mama proud.

“Thank you, Tod!  These will help!”  Naylita carefully made her way on the floating board and Mod held her breath as she stood right next to her.  Naylita got herself situated and cried, “I’m doing it. I’m doing it.  I’m on the water!” Mod was delighted and laughed with her friend.

Mod and Tod clapped their legs together with glee.  This truly was the best birthday ever.  Naylita got used to her floating board and started playing all the games with the others.  After everyone was able to play for a while, Mama Frog chanted out,   “Who’s ready for cake???”

“ME! ME! ME! ME! ME! ME!” everyone sung in unison.

Click on the image to purchase the toys from the sTOYry for your child. . . . .