Nina stomped her boots on the floor.
Her mom had forgotten to pack her sneakers.
So she had to wear these hot boots all day.
Nina's baby sister, Lulu, took up most of Mom's time now.
"Baby first," her mom always said.
"Nina, please join us for the craft," Miss Shelly said.
Nina slowly walked over.
The table was covered in orange, brown, and green.
"It looks like a pumpkin patch!" Izzie said.
"We're going to make yarn pumpkins," Miss Shelly said.
"Everyone will work with a partner.
The pumpkins have to dry overnight, so it will take two days.
Bobby, I'll work with you."
Izzie and Jason were partners.
Ethan looked at Nina. "Want to be partners?"
Nina blushed. "Okay." She looked at the instructions.
"First, blow up a balloon about halfway.
This will be the size of your pumpkin."
Nina blew up her balloon halfway.
"Tie a piece of yarn to the balloon and hang it from a stick," Ethan said.
Nina tied the string while Ethan held the stick.
"Great. Now dunk one string of yarn into your glue bowl," Miss Shelly said.
"You can use a plastic fork to help with the dipping."
Nina gently slid the yarn through the plastic fork.
She giggled as she dipped. "This part is fun!"
"One partner holds the stick.
The other wraps the yarn around the balloon.
Carefully press the yarns' ends down on the balloon.
They must stick," Miss Shelly said.
Nina dipped more yarn into glue.
"Now we repeat the steps one more time," Ethan said.
"You can make a few more pumpkins," Miss Shelly said.
"The pumpkins must dry overnight.
So we'll finish them tomorrow."
"I want to make four pumpkins," Nina said.
She blew up two larger balloons.
Then she blew up one very small balloon.
Finally everyone set their sticks on the table.
The pumpkins had to dry.
The next day Izzie pointed to Nina's dried balloons.
"A baby pumpkin! Cute!"
"Is that baby Lulu?" Jason asked.
Nina was surprised. "You can tell?"
"No, I mean, is that baby Lulu?" Jason pointed to the gym door.
"Mom!" Nina jumped up.
"Shh, she fell asleep," Nina's mom whispered.
"So I decided to pick you up early."
"Does that mean you can help me with my craft?" Nina asked hopefully.
"Yes!"
Nina showed her the four pumpkins.
"What a beautiful family of pumpkins," Nina's mom said.
"It's our family," Nina said.
Miss Shelly showed everyone how to push on the dry balloons to release them from the yarn.
Next they cut a hole at the top to let out the air.
Then they pulled out the balloons.
"Now make vines and a stem," Miss Shelly said.
Izzie wrapped a green pipe cleaner around each pointer finger. "Curly vines!"
Nina and her mom picked up their pipe cleaners.
Just then baby Lulu let out a cry.
Nina's mom rushed over.
Nina smiled. "I guess I'll finish my pumpkins at home. Baby first!"