3 Cheers for Books!

I have to say, I mark it up as a parenting victory that my son gets just as excited about going to the library as he does about going to the swimming pool. Not quite as excited as he gets about ice cream, but let's be realistic about our expectations, here. When we get through the library doors, he beelines it straight for the early literacy computer, where he spends half an hour listening to/ reading/ playing with/ laughing out loud at 'Green Eggs and Ham.' Then we spend another 20 minutes picking out books before heading to the self check-out, so that the little guy can push the buttons himself.

We're a reading family - my husband and I are book lovers of just about any genre. We have growing shelves and boxes full of books. Occasionally, one of us will grumble that it's time to clean up the bookshelf and get rid of some. When it comes down to it, though, very few books actually make it out our door to the used book store. I develop attachments to my books in a way that I don't to any of my other 'things'. Across the span of my life, books have been my escape, my solace, my companions, my teachers. As I sort through the overflowing bookshelves and hold each book in my hands, I am inundated with the memories of not just the stories and characters, but of the hours spent cradling the book in my hands. Caressing it's pages. Holding it against my heart to contemplate an especially meaningful passage. Even if I know I'll never read it again, it's hard to get rid of these books (but I'll always lend them out).

That's why I'm so excited to see my son developing and sharing that love of books. We have read to him every day of his life. Day one in the hospital, it was a pulp mystery novel that I was reading at the time. He didn't seem to object to the content, though, and simply enjoyed snuggling into my chest and listening to the sound of my voice. These days, in addition to any books we may read throughout the day, he gets to choose one book for Poppa and one book for Momma to read at bedtime. Lucky Poppa has read 'Curious George and the Big Parade' for 4 nights in a row, now. Last week for me, it was all Gruffalo. But the repetition doesn't matter for now; it's the excitement, the appreciation, the love of reading. I am, however, looking forward to him being old enough for Harry Potter. I can't wait to read that series again, through his eyes.