Books, books, and more books!

Book Time/Story Time has definitely become a favorite around our house over the past few months. Not a day goes by that books are not read and stories are not shared at least multiple times and for I can not tell you how many minutes! This has not always been the "story" if you will and I am so glad that Elem has developed a love for books! I spent many a night reading books and magazines to Elem when he was not even born yet! Secretly hoping that he would come out calm and collected, and a true book lover. Instead, I got a sweet but rowdy little boy who could have cared less to stop by and glance at the books I was reading, much less sit down and enjoy them with me. It never stopped me though, I just kept reading and reading, and I hoped that one day all my hard work would pay off. And it finally has! Elem loves books just about as much as he loves football and basketball. And that means a lot! Our current routine includes piling in Elem's bed with the lamp light on, or piling on the couch with some covers and PLENTY of good books to keep us occupied and help us drift away into the land of make-believe. This is the usual set up at home:


And this is the usual set up at school. He and Robert indulging in a little Jack and the Beanstalk (his MOST favorite book of all time).


I'm so lucky to be with Elem all day and see how much he carries the lessons and routines that he learns at home with him to his school day. And even to share those lessons and tendencies with his friends. As I mentioned he LOVES Jack and the Beanstalk and he would read that book/ listen to the CD that goes along with it about 20 times a day if we would let him...which I usually do because it makes him so happy! :)So what! I love to see his eyes light up as he grabs a book, and see his little mind churning while he listens and anticipates what is about to happen next. He is so clever with his questions and I can just feel his sense of understanding as the books go on. I love sharing things like this with Elem and I hope that this love for books carries on throughout his life. I really feel that reading to him and his continuing love for books has really played a big role in his current excitement for imagination and his insane knowledge and use of words. I guess the teacher side of me, tries to take advantage of every single story as a chance to teach him even more words, while the mom side of me tries to capture the "mother/son" story time "moment" for all its worth, each and every time! So, as a general rule, I figure I am doing both of us a favor and I rarely ever skip over words or abbreviate what is written on the page. I try to expose him to new words every day, and I figure why not, if he seems to get the story no matter if I say the words or not. It is just an overall fun time and gratifying moment if I do say so myself. I love to see my kid enjoying books. I mean who wouldn't. And why wouldn't you. What a great chance for him to use his imagination and escape to a place he can only create with his imagination and a few words on a page.

His current favorites are:

1. Jack and the Beanstalk
2. Three Little Pigs
3. There's a Wocket in my Pocket (By Dr. Seuss)
4. Brown Bear Brown Bear...what do YOU see?
5. The Runaway Bunny (By Margaret Wise Brown)......I often catch his grabbing this book and saying..."Ill be a fisherman and I will catch you if you run away little bunny"
6. Head to Toe (Eric Carle)...this is where he learned about "penguinos" and how they turn their heads :)

So those, as well as MANY MANY others seem to work their way into our nap time and bed time routines. And I have to admit, as much as it takes a lot out of me to read like 18-20 books at one sit down, it is totally worth it. And adorable to hear your little 2 year old quoting out of a random part of a story in the middle of a conversation during the day. hehe. Hope your story time is as enjoyable as mine! And if you don't think your kiddo is listening, just keep on reading, and they will eventually come back around. Even if only for a minute.