STORY TIME FOR AN INVITING TREE AND BABY

Story time begins a long, long, time ago when a little girl picked up an acorn, but not just any acorn.

This one had a special shine so she buried it in a special place.

The oak tree from the special acorn grew faster than the other acorns the little girl planted.

As the years passed the little girl grew to be a strong woman and had a little girl of her own.

They often left their village to spend time together near the special tree.

The mom shared story time with her little girl, who passed it down to her family, who passed the special acorn story down to their families.

A hundred years passed, then another hundred. Many of the oak trees fell down over the years, but the tree from that one special acorn grew and grew. It shaded families and became the place to celebrate each new baby born.

More time passed and farmers arrived to clear the land and plant crops, but couldn’t bring themselves to cut the big tree.

A small town grew in the area and the tree became part of a development for houses and families.

Each new mom saw the tree and shared story time under its spreading branches.

It was an inviting tree.

New Moms Loved The Old Tree

Out of one special acorn grew a tree for the ages. Season after season it shaded, dropped leaves, grew them back, and shaded again.

Small children ran around the trunk and climbed on a swing, but it was the new moms and new babies the tree loved most.

“See this acorn, baby? The big tree grew from this little seed, just like you.”

Baby holds the acorn a moment before trying to put it in her mouth.

Mom took it just in time.

“Baby doesn’t need a big tree growing inside her tummy today.”

But baby wanted the acorn and reached out again.

“Let’s save them for the squirrels,” mom said.

Story Time With Old Man And Baby

Every baby needs a granddad, someone content to stack toy cups and boxes for baby to knock down.

One granddad was determined to keep stacking until baby got tired of knocking them over.

“Look how tall this box tower is, baby. It’s not going to knock itself over.”

Baby crawled over and carefully took the top box off and left the rest standing.

“You like the tall box tower? Let’s go outside and look at the tall tree.”

He lifted her to his chest and headed out the backdoor.

“Do you see that tree, baby? It started as something much smaller than you. Then it grew to be as tall as granddad and kept going, just like you will do.”

“This is the tree you’ll learn to climb on. Those big branches will hold you until you don’t want to climb anymore. You’ll be up there with the squirrels chattering and throwing acorns down on your dad. I’ll be up there with you.”

Baby looked at the tree with great curiosity. Granddad picked up a leaf and handed it to baby.

“This is new and green just like you.”

He showed a brown leaf.

“And this is how it ages, just like granddad.”

Baby tried to eat both leaves.

“Let’s wait on salad until later, baby. You’ll have plenty of time for that. This tree is a provider.”

Granddad turned a circle and pointed to other trees further away.

“That’s a special tree for another baby. There’s another one over there. We’re surrounded by them, but your tree is right here. Do you know how it got here?”

Baby’s attention was on the shirt buttons near the old man’s neck.

“A long, long, time ago a mom brought her little girl right here. That little girl picked up a shiny acorn and showed her mom. Together they buried it and every year the small tree grew bigger.”

Granddad waved his muscled arm toward the tree.

“Now it’s so big because people like you decided it needed to stay and give its shade to other little boys and girls. But right now it’s your tree, baby, and you can dream about it forever.”

Baby followed granddad’s arm waving back and forth.

“We will all be here together, baby. From the first mom to the next this tree will be part of story time. Always.”