0:00:06 > 0:00:09So there's one, two, three, four,
0:00:09 > 0:00:13five sleeps until... Oh! Hi! I'm Kym.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17I'm really excited as I'm going to a friend's birthday party soon.
0:00:17 > 0:00:22I was just working out how many sleeps I'll have before the big day.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25It's a good way of working out when something will happen.
0:00:25 > 0:00:30That's what the little mouse in tonight's bedtime story is doing.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33Toast is very excited. It's nearly his birthday.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37He can't wait and he's very busy counting.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40The story is by Amber Stewart and Layn Marlow
0:00:40 > 0:00:43and it's called "How Many Sleeps?"
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Toast woke early one morning.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50He knew that something exciting was going to happen
0:00:50 > 0:00:51and it was going to happen soon.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54He could smell it in the morning air,
0:00:54 > 0:00:59in the mists hugging the ground and autumn leaves trembling on branches,
0:00:59 > 0:01:02ready to tumble a golden blanket over the wood.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06Toast watched, waiting for the first leaf to fall,
0:01:06 > 0:01:08because when the first leaf fell,
0:01:08 > 0:01:11it meant that it was nearly his birthday.
0:01:11 > 0:01:17"How many sleeps till my birthday?" he asked, as Mummy tucked him in.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20"Too many to start counting now," smiled Mummy.
0:01:20 > 0:01:25"How many sleeps till my birthday?" Toast asked the next night,
0:01:25 > 0:01:28and the next, until one night, Mummy said,
0:01:28 > 0:01:34"Just enough sleeps to deliver party invitations to all your friends."
0:01:34 > 0:01:37So the next day, that is exactly what they did.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41They delivered invitations all the way from Little Hollow
0:01:41 > 0:01:44to Big Oak Tree, to Rabbit, Mole and Squirrel Red Tail.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48"How many sleeps till my birthday now, Mummy?" murmured Toast,
0:01:48 > 0:01:51so tired from his long walk.
0:01:51 > 0:01:57"Just enough sleeps to go collecting party treats," whispered Mummy.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00After breakfast, they gathered armfuls of gold and rubies
0:02:00 > 0:02:03and special leaves for wrapping.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07"How many sleeps till my birthday from this exact moment?"
0:02:07 > 0:02:12Toast wondered, right in the middle of his bedtime story.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16"Exactly enough sleeps to help Mummy decorate the cake," said Daddy.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20In the morning, Mummy and Toast picked petals and berries
0:02:20 > 0:02:22and nuts for the cake.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Then together, they decorated it
0:02:25 > 0:02:29so that it was the best birthday cake Toast had ever seen.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31In bed each evening,
0:02:31 > 0:02:35Toast lay dreaming of invitation delivering, of party treats,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39of birthday cake and at what his present might be
0:02:39 > 0:02:42and each evening, Daddy wondered quite worriedly,
0:02:42 > 0:02:46"How many more sleeps until Toast's birthday?"
0:02:46 > 0:02:50"Just enough, I'm sure," Mummy always said,
0:02:50 > 0:02:52secretly crossing her fingers.
0:02:52 > 0:02:57"Guess how many sleeps now, Toast," said Mummy one morning.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00"How many?" wailed Daddy.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03"Just enough to wrap the party treats,
0:03:03 > 0:03:08"put the candles on the cake and get an extra special early night."
0:03:08 > 0:03:11"But that means..." squeaked Toast,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14"..That means my birthday's tomorrow!"
0:03:14 > 0:03:19And it was, and there was easily enough time to love the gifts,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22play the party games and eat up all the cake
0:03:22 > 0:03:26and best of all, time for Toast to open a very special present
0:03:26 > 0:03:30and let all his friends share in the fun.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34When Toast's day had drawn to an end and he was giving Daddy a hug,
0:03:34 > 0:03:40he whispered dreamily, "How many sleeps till my next birthday?"
0:03:40 > 0:03:44"Just enough sleeps for Daddy to start on your next present,"
0:03:44 > 0:03:49Mummy whispered back, but Toast was already asleep.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53And that story was called "How Many Sleeps?"
0:03:53 > 0:03:56I've got one, two, three, four,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59five sleeps until my friend's birthday
0:03:59 > 0:04:03and it's nearly time for the first sleep right now.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07Maybe you're counting sleeps until something special happens, too.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Well, it's time for you to go to bed now.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14Sleep tight and I'll see you soon for another story. Night-night!
0:04:14 > 0:04:19Now I think I'll just make myself a cosy cuppa before bedtime.
0:04:19 > 0:04:24Subtitling by Red Bee Media Ltd