One beautiful February morning, little baby Pinocchio was in his crib as the sun shined brightly into his bedroom. There was barely a cloud in the sky that morning, yet his eyes still remained closed. Since he was only a baby he was unaware of how significant this particular would be for him, but only Geppetto knew. It was February 23, 1841.

Geppetto had just woken up when Figaro came to him.

"Good morning, Figaro," he said with a chuckle as he picked up the kitten. "Let's go wake Pinocchio. It's a special day for him."

Pinocchio let out a soft little noise as he twitched and started opening his eyes.

"Wake up, Pinocchio. Good morning. Wakey wakey," whispered Geppetto as Pinocchio fully opened his eyes to see Geppetto peeking inside holding Figaro. "Happy Birthday! You're a whole year old today, son."

Pinocchio let out a happy smile as he looked up at his father. Geppetto moved Figaro towards the boy and Figaro gave him a nice nuzzle on the chin.

As Geppetto had said, it had one full year since the day Pinocchio was born. Geppetto still remembered it well the first moment that day when he saw Pinocchio for the very first time after he had been brought into the world. Had it not been for the unfortunate passing of Francesca on the same day it could've been even more happier for him to share with her. If only their one moment together as a family with the boy didn't have to be their only moment. But through it all, All that mattered in the end was that Geppetto still had his son alive and well. And there couldn't have been anything more or less to be happy about than that.

Geppetto lifted up Figaro and gave Pinocchio a stroke on the cheek, much like the one Pinocchio received from him at birth.

"My dear boy," Geppetto said with an affectionate smile as Pinocchio grabbed his finger. Geppetto's mind flashed back to the moment Francesca first held him and that very same moment happened. Geppetto saw that moment as the first moment which linked together their bond as father and son.

His mind suddenly came back to the present. A small tear fell from his eye at remembering Francesca again. His struggle to completely cope with her death was a long and hard one, but he had been managing well. He quickly looked back to Pinocchio.

"Come on, son. Let's go have some birthday breakfast for my special birthday boy," Geppetto said as he happily picked up Pinocchio, making the child giggle and laugh as he carried him downstairs.

"You've already grown several inches in the last several months, I can't even be sure I'm still looking at the same little boy knowing he's mine."

Geppetto sat Pinocchio down in his high chair and fed him a special plate of eggs and pancakes.

Figaro climbed up to the table and tried to grab the plate.

"No, Figaro. No no no. It's not for you! It's for Pinocchio."

Figaro let out a frown. He felt it not fair Pinocchio got to eat first and he get left with nothing.

"Now, now. I'll make you some eggs soon. Good kitty."

Figaro smiled again and climbed back down.

"Open up, Pinocchio. Pancake for you".

Pinocchio opened his mouth wide and chewed and swallowed the piece of pancake Geppetto gave him. This was the first time Pinocchio had ever eaten pancakes and he loved the fluffy taste. Geppetto cut up the rest of the pancakes for Pinocchio to finish himself. And before long, Pinocchio's whole plate was emptied leaving a messy infant sitting in a high chair.

As Geppetto cleaned off Pinocchio and fed Figaro, he told Pinocchio, " because it's your first birthday, we're going to spend the whole day together."

Figaro finished his food as Geppetto walked off with Pinocchio.

"Mow Penkicks!" Pinocchio suddenly muttered.

"What did you say, Pinocchio?" Asked Geppetto.

"Penkicks! All bwant swom mow penkicks!"

"PenKicks? Oh, you mean pancakes! You want more pancakes?"

"Yeh! Penkicks!" the boy squealed.

"Not now, Pinocchio. I'll make you some tomorrow."

"Ah Bwant dem now!"

"Pinocchio, you just ate. Now, I know you loved the taste of those pancakes, but I don't want you eating too much and possibly getting sick. I'll make you some tomorrow. Ok?"

Pinocchio nodded yes and Geppetto placed him down on the counter to pick some clothes for the day. Geppetto picked out a green tunic shirt and some blue suspenders with a pair of brown leather flats. So, after Geppetto changed Pinocchio's smelly diaper and got him dressed, he took Pinocchio back down to the living room and set him down on the floor with Figaro.

"FeegWo, play!" Pinocchio squealed as he reached out for Figaro who was playing with a ball of yarn.

There was a knock at the door. Geppetto left Pinocchio to answer it. There stood Beatrice.

"Bonjourno, Beatrice," he kindly greeted her. "How nice to see you today!"

"Hello, Geppetto," she replied with a hug. "I thought I'd come by to let you know Martina and Fredrico will be by after Martina gets out of school. We didn't want to miss Pinocchio's birthday."

"How kind, Beatrice. Do come in. Can I get you a cup of tea?"

"Oh, yes. No sugar, please."

As Pinocchio and Figaro played with the yarn and unraveled it in a tug o' war together, Geppetto poured Beatrice her tea.

"So, it's not much. Just a small little gathering?"

"I didn't want to overwhelm Pinocchio with a huge party. But I'm sure the villagers send their regards for the occasion. And as you know, I have no other family to share the occasion with. Even if Francesca were alive, I'm not sure that would make things different. But you and Fredrico and Martina, I do consider family in a way."

"Geppetto, that's very kind of you. I was wondering if you need any extra help today," she asked.

"Well, see. I've never baked a cake before and I want to make a nice cake for Pinocchio. Nothing fancy."

"I suppose I can help. It's been a while since I baked myself, but I'll help."

"Thank you, Beatrice. And I'm really looking forward to letting Pinocchio have his first taste of ice cream today."

"Dada!" squealed Pinocchio. Geppetto turned around to see Pinocchio with an innocent look in his eyes and a smile on his face."

"What is it, Pinocchio?"

"Up. Up."

"Oh, you want to be picked up. Ok," Geppetto replied with a smile as he walked from the table and picked up Pinocchio in his arms and cuddled him.

"Awww. He likes it when you pick him up, doesn't he?" Asked Beatrice.

"Yes, he does. Makes him happy," Geppetto responded. "Even though he can walk, he finds good comfort in being carried. I guess it's that warm feeling he gets from it." Geppetto knew this because he could feel Pinocchio hugging him and placing his head on his chest close to his heart.

"Heh," gurgled Pinocchio. "Ega."

"I think he's hungry," said Geppetto. "You want a snack, Pinocchio? A little snackie?"

"Eye Squee. Eye Squee," Pinocchio replied. Ah bwant Eye Squee."

"What's that, son? I can't understand." Geppetto giggled.

"EYE SQUEE!" Pinocchio screamed.

Geppetto flinched a little bit. But he realized what Pinocchio meant.

"Oh, you want to try ice cream finally," Geppetto said with a smile.

Geppetto sat Pinocchio down in a high chair and left him with Beatrice for a moment while he gathered the ingredients and made a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Figaro came in and started cuddling around Geppetto's leg.

"No, Figaro. No. This is for Pinocchio."

Figaro let out a small meow.

"Well, alright. Just one small bite." Geppetto put out a small bite of ice cream and gave it to Figaro. Then, Geppetto went to the table.

He brought it out to the table and put a small scoop into a spoon.

"Open up, Pinocchio," Geppetto told him.

Pinocchio opened his mouth and as Geppetto placed the spoon into his mouth, he closed his eyes and savored the sweet sickly taste of the cold confection. He opened his eyes with a happy squeal reaching for the bowl.

"Awww. He likes it," said Beatrice as she smiled at Pinocchio and Geppetto. She then got up to leave.

"I've got errands to run. I'll be back later for tonight. See you then, Geppetto."

"Bye, Beatrice. We'll see you and Martina and Fredrico later. Don't forget to help me with the cake."

So after helping him finish the ice cream, Geppetto took Pinocchio into the workshop and played with him for the rest of the afternoon.

Soon, around half past 4, Beatrice came back with Fredrico and Martina. Geppetto embraced them with a warm hug.

"I'm so glad you could all come," he said to Fredrico.

"You didn't think we'd want the miss the first birthday of our best friend's son, did you?" Asked Fredrico kindly.

Geppetto turned his attention to the girl.

"Martina, would you keep Pinocchio company for a little bit while your parents help me with the cake?"

"Sure thing," said Martina. She went to play with Pinocchio who was playing with Figaro's yarn. Figaro tried to swipe it back but Pinocchio was too quick for him.

"No! MY Baw Yahn!" He shouted out at the kitten who frowned.

"Pinocchio! Share the yarn with Figaro!" Martina commanded. "Share!"

"Share" babbled Pinocchio as he handed the yarn back to Figaro, Who cuddled around with it while Pinocchio and Martina played together.

Geppetto and Fredrico worked endlessly to mix and batter the cake. While they waited for it to finish baking, they caught up with other over a few cups of tea. Fredrico mentioned that his sales in the merchant markets had gone up and Geppetto said his toy shoppe businesses was running just fine especially with having the extra responsibility for raising a child on his own.

"I can't believe it's been a whole year since Pinocchio arrived. If only Francesca had survived and could have been here."

"You've done well, Geppetto," Fredrico reassured him. "Even though it's only been one year already, I think you've been a wonderful father. I'm sure she'd be very proud."

"I know she would," Geppetto replied calmly. "It's just hard to believe I lost her the very same day."

Beatrice hugged him, understanding that though Francesca's death was something Geppetto had come to accept, he still had a hard time trying to ease the pain he felt from it. Everyone knew that Geppetto loved her very much.

"If there was anything that could be done to bring her back…." He started to say, but it couldn't help much. It only brought more tears to him.

"Geppetto, Francesca's death was not your own fault," Fredrico assured him. "Life is not meant to be fair all the time. People die all the time, even when they least expect to. And yes, if it's someone you truly love, it does hurt. But letting that hurt affect you can only make it harder to let them go. Sometimes there are things no one can prevent or help."

"I know. There was nothing I could do to help her," Geppetto said with a tear. "But I wish I could have."

"But just because she's gone doesn't mean you can't still love her," Beatrice assured him. "Your love didn't die with her. It lives on in you. And with Pinocchio too."

Geppetto pondered and then stood and spoke.

"It's true. Life is not all about loss. Death can hurt, but it doesn't have to be something to dwell on forever. Francesca is still here in spirit. She always will be. But if something happened to Pinocchio, I don't how I would be able to manage."

"That's the spirit, Geppetto," Fredrico said. "Now come on, let's get the cake out."

Fredrico helped Geppetto take the chocolate cake out of the oven. And he called out to Martina, who picked up Pinocchio and brought him down to the table. Everyone gathered around as Geppetto placed the round cake with the single candle in the center in the middle of the table, and they all sang,

"Happy birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you.

Happy birthday, dear Pinocchio!

Happy Birthday to you!"

Pinocchio clapped happily as Geppetto told him, "go ahead. Blow out the candle. You can do it."

Pinocchio let out a gust of air from his tiny lips and out went the candle. As he buried his hands into the cake and splattered it all over his face.

"Well, more where that came from," said Geppetto as everyone chuckled. As they all each had their own slices of cake, Pinocchio sat in his high chair as Figaro jumped up on the table to Pinocchio and licked his cake covered face. Pinocchio let out a few giggles as he felt the ticklish feeling of the cat's tounge on his face.

Afterwards, when the cake was finished, Geppetto opened the box containing Pinocchio's birthday present. A pair of rubber ducks and water animals to play with during his baths. Hand picked by Martina herself.

"It's time for us to leave, Martina has school in the morning and I have to leave town for a few days for an important trade to discuss with a French ambassador," Fredrico explained calmly.

Geppetto said goodbye to his friends and took Pinocchio to give him a bath to play with his new rubber duck. Pinocchio enjoyed it and laughed at the squeaky sounds the ducky made. Soon, Geppetto dressed Pinocchio in his Pajamas and put him to bed.

"What a wonderful day, Pinocchio. One whole year since you came into my life. There's no greater treasure I could ever want in the world more than you."

Pinocchio still fidgeted about.

"Dada. Da-da-da. Daddy. Daddy," Pinocchio giggled.

Geppetto let out a smile as he saw Pinocchio had learned how to put new syllables and letters together. Now he could say daddy instead of dada.

"Oh, Pinocchio, you're growing up so fast. It seems only yesterday I held you and placed in your crib in this room for the very first time," he said with a tear of happiness as he placed the sheets over the boy and began to sing a lullaby.

Little wooden head go play your part

bring a little joy to every heart

Little do you know and yet it's true

that I'm mighty proud of you.

little wooden feet and best of all

little wooden seat in case you fall,

Every single day upon this bed,

My little wooden head

As Pinocchio fell asleep with his precious cricket doll and his teddy bear, Geppetto leaned in kissed his forehead. And he whispered, "Happy first birthday, little wooden head. Daddy loves you."

Figaro came in too and Geppetto lifted him up and let Figaro walk over to Pinocchio and lick his nose with a kiss good night.

Geppetto lifted Figaro out of the crib and put him in his small wooden cat bed.

Geppetto opened the window and looked above at the stars.

"Francesca my love. Though I have carried on this past year very well with Pinocchio, The fact that you could not be here to share him with me still, it has brought great sadness to me. Every time I look into his eyes, I'm reminded of you. Federico and Beatrice today helped me understand that even tho you are gone, a part of you still remains here. Perhaps that part of you lives on in Pinocchio. I miss you so much, yet I have kept my promise. I shall continue to do so until the end of my days. I love you, Francesca. I always will."

And with that, Geppetto closed the window and went to sleep.