Arjun and the Rocket Sticker
On a sunny morning, Arjun sat on the orange rug with his toy trucks lined up in a row. Mom came in with a big paper chart in her hands. "Arjun, look at this," said Mom. "It is a sticker chart, just for big kids like you."
Mom held out a sheet of shiny stickers. There were stars, and fish, and one red rocket. Arjun's eyes went wide. "Red!" he said, and he pointed with his whole arm. "You pick," said Mom. "It is your very first one."
Arjun pressed the rocket sticker onto the top square of the sticker chart with his little thumb. He giggled and kissed it. Biscuit trotted over from the sofa and sniffed the chart, as if the rocket might smell like a treat.
Then Mom led Arjun down the hallway to the bathroom. In the corner sat a small blue potty seat, and next to it a yellow step stool. Biscuit padded along behind them with his tail swinging.
Biscuit sniffed the potty seat all around. He sniffed the step stool. He sniffed the green rug, and then he sneezed, and Arjun laughed so hard he had to hold his tummy. "Biscuit says it is okay," said Mom. "Do you want to wait and see if you feel a signal?"
Arjun hopped up and wiggled his hips. He stomped one foot and then the other, and he spun in a circle. Biscuit tilted his head, and then he did a little wiggle of his own, right there on the orange rug.
Arjun twirled so fast that he sat down with a bump, and he giggled and giggled. Biscuit licked his cheek. Mom clapped from the sofa. "Best dance in the whole house," she said, and she was laughing too.
That day, Arjun sat on his blue seat a few times. Sometimes he just sat and giggled. He made funny faces at the sink. Mom smiled each time and said, "That is okay. Next time." Biscuit sat nearby and watched.
The next morning, the sun came through the window early. Arjun was eating his toast in the living room, with Biscuit lying under his chair, hoping for crumbs. Mom was folding towels on the sofa, humming a tune.
Suddenly, Arjun stopped chewing. His face went very still. His tummy had given him a signal, a strong one. He put down his toast and said, loud and clear, "Mom! I feel it!" Then he jumped off his chair.
Arjun ran for the hallway and Biscuit ran after him, nails clicking on the floor. Mom hurried behind, and she said, "You know the way, Arjun!" Arjun went through the hallway like a little red truck on a mission.
In the bathroom, Arjun climbed his yellow step stool all by himself and sat on the blue seat. He held on tight with both hands. Biscuit sat by the door, very still. Mom waited quietly near the sink.
Arjun hopped down from the stool, so proud his cheeks were round. He had done it. Mom threw her arms up. "You did it, Arjun! All by yourself!" Biscuit wagged his whole back end and barked a happy bark.
Then Mom held out a new sticker, and Arjun zoomed back to the chart like a truck. He pressed on a second rocket with a big thump of his hand. Biscuit zoomed beside him, and Mom laughed all the way down the hall.
Arjun stood in front of the chart, and he did a big happy dance. He stomped, he spun, and he waved his arms. Biscuit hopped around him. "Two rockets," Arjun said, and he wondered what the next sticker might be.
