Mom Toma had always been known in her little village as the most loving, caring mother anyone could imagine. She adored her baby daughter, Tilly, a tiny bundle of soft cheeks, bright eyes, and gentle giggles. Every morning, Mom Toma would scoop Tilly up into her arms and give her the warmest hug to start the day. But one unusual morning, something quite unexpected happened.
The sun had barely risen, and Toma was still half-asleep when she heard Tilly start to babble from her crib. Wanting to comfort her right away, Mom Toma rushed over, still yawning, still dreaming, and definitely not paying attention to where her hands were going. In her sleepy confusion, she lifted Tilly from the crib—but somehow grabbed her by the legs instead of under her arms. Before she realized it, Baby Tilly was dangling upside down, her tiny face wide-eyed with surprise.
Tilly wasn’t crying, but she was certainly confused. Her little hands waved in the air, her soft curls pointing toward the floor. Mom Toma blinked hard, then gasped loudly. “Oh goodness! Tilly, my baby! I’m hugging you upside down!” She quickly and gently flipped Tilly right-side up and cradled her properly against her chest.
Poor Baby Tilly blinked, looking slightly startled but still completely adorable. Mom Toma’s heart melted with guilt. “So pity my baby Tilly,” she murmured, pressing kisses across Tilly’s forehead. “Mama was just too sleepy.”
Wanting to make it up to her daughter, Mom Toma carried Tilly to the rocking chair and hummed a soft song. Tilly soon relaxed, curling her fingers around her mother’s shirt. By the time the sun filled the room with warm golden light, Tilly was giggling again, happy as ever.
For the rest of the day, Mom Toma couldn’t stop retelling the story—with a blush, a laugh, and a hand over her heart. The neighbors would chuckle, shaking their heads. “Only you, Toma,” they teased. But everyone agreed it was just another reminder of how unpredictable motherhood could be.
And Tilly? She didn’t remember a thing. But every time Mom Toma hugged her afterward—upright, of course—Tilly would smile, as if forgiving her mother all over again.
