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\up0 \nosupersub \ulnone \outl0\strokewidth0 \strokec2 Heller, My Big Sister\'92s First Day of School				page 1\
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\f1\i0\b0 \cf2 \strokec2 My dog Bailey didn\'92t go to school with my sister today. Neither did I. I\'92m too little. Bailey\'92s too big. My sister, Maddie, just started Kindergarten. \
\'93You\'92re going to miss Maddie today,\'94 Mom said. \
\'93No, I won\'92t,\'94 I answered. \
When my sister was at school I\'92d get to play in her room.\
I\'92d get the dog all to myself. \
The bus came and I swallowed hard as it pulled away.\
I told Bailey I was 
\f2\i \cf2 \strokec2 glad 
\f1\i0 \cf2 \strokec2 my sister was starting school.\
I didn\'92t cry. I really didn\'92t. \
\'93Brenna, are you missing Maddie already?\'94 Mom asked.\
\'93NO,\'94 I said. \'93I\'92m happy she\'92s gone.\'94\
As we walked home from the bus I started thinking about all the things my sister and I used to do together every day. Play house. Dress Bailey. Draw. Jump rope.\
Mom was right.\
Bailey and I missed Maddie already.\
I sat on the den floor throwing Bailey his favorite stuffed toy.\
 Mom came in and she handed me my jacket. She told me we were going to story hour at the library.\
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Heller, My Big Sister\'92s First Day of School				page 2 \
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\f1\i0\b0 \cf2 \strokec2 A girl with cornrows in her hair sat next to me on the library rug. She smiled wide and showed me her missing tooth before we listened to the story.
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\f1\i0\b0\fs24 \cf2 \strokec2 The librarian told us the next story hour was on Thursday. \'93See you then,\'94 my new friend said. \
When I got home I showed Bailey the book that I\'92d borrowed from the library. \
Mom read it to us while I sipped milk through my favorite straw and ate a peanut butter sandwich.
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\f1\i0\b0 \cf2 \strokec2 I couldn\'92t wait to show my sister my book. \
Afterward, Mom and I baked chocolate chip cookies. Mom said I could have one when I woke up from my nap. \
I got to eat 
\f2\i \cf2 \strokec2 two
\f1\i0 \cf2 \strokec2  after my nap while I made a noodle necklace for Maddie. \
Then I watered our garden with Mom.\
I washed up after I fell trying to catch a butterfly. \
When I came back out, Mom had drawn a game on the street.\
\'93It\'92s called hopscotch,\'94 Mom told me.\
She taught me how to play.\
 Then we jumped rope just like Maddie and I do.\
\'93It\'92s time for your sister to come home from school,\'94 Mom told me as we drank lemonade.\
\'93Already?\'94 I wondered aloud.  \'93Do you think she missed me?\'94 \
\'93Yes, I\'92m sure she did, Brenna,\'94 Mom said.\
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\cf2 \strokec2 Heller, 
\f0\i\b \cf2 \strokec2 My Big Sister\'92s First Day of School			Page 3\
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\f1\i0\b0 \cf2 \strokec2 Mom, Bailey and I walked down the street to meet Maddie. Mom handed me Bailey\'92s leash; I held it tight in case he saw the neighbor\'92s cat.\
Maddie smiled wide at me as she got off the bus.\
Maybe she 
\f2\i \cf2 \strokec2 did
\f1\i0 \cf2 \strokec2  miss me\'85\
We both shared a blanket as we munched popcorn.
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\f1\i0 \cf2 \strokec2 She asked me what I\'92d done today with Mom. I showed her the library book I\'92d borrowed and gave her the noodle necklace. Then I told her about the girl with the cornrows and about watering the garden.\
Maddie told me about her teacher and something called 
\f2\i \cf2 \strokec2 Show and Tell
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\'93Everyone gets a chance to bring in something special during 
\f2\i \cf2 \strokec2 Show and Tell
\f1\i0 \cf2 \strokec2 ,\'94 she told me. \'93I\'92m going to ask Mom if I can bring you.\'94\
That made me smile.\
Mom made spaghetti for dinner; it\'92s our favorite. \
After dinner, I helped Maddie pick out her school clothes for tomorrow. \
She picked out my P.J.s. \
When it was time to go to sleep, Bailey followed Maddie to her room since he missed her so much.\
I climbed into my bed and was surprised to find a big drawing on my pillow. \
It was from Maddie.The drawing was of a big pink heart with a purple arrow through it.\
Pink and Purple are my favorite colors. \
I went to sleep that night with Maddie\'92s drawing in my hand dreaming about tomorrow.\
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						Word Count 602\
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My Big Sister\'92s First Day of School
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									Maryellen Heller\
4 Harvest Hill Road\
Danbury CT 06811\
Phone# (203)-739-0101\
Cell # (203)- 232-9355\
[email protected]\
}