Little Bird Storytime
Randy & Friends: Good Morning, Little Bird!
© 2012 Andi Schoenbaum

Each morning, Randy wakes from her perch atop the open door in the room that she shares with Andi’s arts & crafts.  Randy blinks and wiggles her head, fluffs her feathers and stretches.  First she stretches her legs by standing up, then lifts a foot and extends a wing, one side at a time.  Then she stretches her neck up to the sky, taking a good look around the room.  She turns her head sideways to exchange a morning greeting with her friend Dragon the red betta in the fish tank by the window.

Randy’s soft tiny ear feathers perk up when she hears Andi’s alarm clock ringing in the next room.  It’s time to say good morning!  Randy lifts off from her perch and flies down the hallway into Andi’s bedroom and onto the bed.  Andi places a special cover over the bedding so that Randy can visit her in the morning.

Randy has to be careful not to disturb Kira the cat, who sleeps with Andi.  They are friends with special boundaries.  Kira is the Queen of the House and big sister to Randy, who only recently arrived.  They are slowly learning about each other.

Randy tiptoes across the bed following the hump of Andi’s body.  Kira is starting to understand.  Kira observes Randy then settles back into her spot on the bed.  Tip Toe.  Tip toe.  Wobble Wobble.  Here comes Randy up to the top of the covers where Andi is starting to wake up.  Randy peers at Andi over the top sheet.

Andi’s eyes blink in and out of dreamland.  “Good morning, Little Bird,” she says sleepily.  Her hand comes out from under the sheets and rests gently on Randy’s back, petting her slowly as Randy bows with rounded wings to let her.  After a few minutes, Randy turns around and nuzzles her beak between Andi’s fingers.  Andi taught Randy to nuzzle for a few seconds then turn around in a circle to play.  Now Randy is doing it on her own. Randy loves nuzzling her beak between Andi’s fingers and toes.  It reminds her of being fed as a baby bird.  She felt nurtured and loved, just like she does now.

After a few minutes, Andi is finally awake.  It’s breakfast time!

Randy flies into the room she shares with Andi’s arts & crafts.  Kira waits at the top of the stairs.  Her breakfast will be in the kitchen.

Randy arrives at her food bowl and begins pecking at her leftovers, which do not go bad because she eats seeds, dried peas, dried corn, rocks and shells.  Andi sees that Randy’s bowl is missing some of her favorite seeds and adds a small scoop from the feed bag.

Some visitors for Randy have arrived!  Daddy, Brother, and two friends Randy’s age have come to say “Good Morning, Little Bird!” Since they are wild birds that have lots of resources for food, Andi gives them a small snack as a greeting and gratitude for coming to visit.

Then Andi feeds Dragon and Kira, who patiently waited at the top of the stairs.  Once everyone is fed, Andi fixes herself a cup of coffee and buttered toast before a day of adventures with Randy and Friends begins!