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soLs: becoming a reader

Slice of Life Stories hosted


As long as I can remember, I've always been a reader.

My mom shares a story of the day she spotted me at about five years old reading aloud to a small group of children in Sunday school.  I regularly go through phases of can't-put-a-book-down to quick magazine reads to blogs and emails to professional reading and then back to my nose in a book.  I'm always reading something.

I am hoping to instill this love of reading with my two girls.

We have lots (and lots) of books in the house.  
Books upstairs and books downstairs. 
Books in a basket on the dining room floor. 
Books stacked on the counter in the bathroom.  
Books in the playroom on the floor and on the shelf.  
Library books, magazines, favorite 'read-it-again' books.  
Board books, real books, books with a CD.
Big books, little books and books-in-between.
Books of nursery rhymes, books of no rhymes.
Books of opposites and books of counting.
Books of pure-make-me-laugh silliness.

Did I mention we have lots and lots of books?

It started early on before the girls were born.  I collected books.  My awesome colleagues decorated the tables at my baby shower with books.  Grandmas and Grandpas sharing books old and new and even tractor and farm equipment magazines.  And I can't stop adding to our library.  "It's a gift."

A gift in so many ways.

There are many times the girls will pick up a book and start reading.  Books at the dinner table can be commonly seen.  At the end of a long day, I'll suggest we snuggle and read a book.  At bedtime, they will usually ask for just one more.  How can I resist?  Dadda usually gives us a look . . .

'Last one,' I mouth back to him.

We have read many books over and over and over again.  I love when P. points at the words as I read and M. talks about the pictures.  They amaze me with their language at two and a half.  And the 'reading.'  They are reading the pictures, saying the words, telling a story.  Sometimes retelling and sometimes making it up.

It doesn't matter.

To me, it's just simply amazing what books can inspire.





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Comments

  1. JudyOctober 16, 2012 at 7:32 AM

    How can they not love reading when they have such great examples in you and me! I love when the girls will sit still long enough to cuddle with Grandma and we read and learn together. It is so amazing to me that they notice all the little things in the books. And, lots & lots of books is an understatement!

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  2. CarolOctober 16, 2012 at 8:54 AM

    What a gift you are giving them. I love the rhythm of the part that starts, "We have lots of books in our house…"

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  3. Deb DayOctober 16, 2012 at 10:47 AM

    Love this in my grandkids too. And when they do start "really" reading, think of all the good ones you can share!

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  4. NancOctober 16, 2012 at 5:16 PM

    You are simply amazing too...mama of twins...lots on your plate, but you know what matters most. xo nanc

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  5. elsieOctober 16, 2012 at 7:47 PM

    What a rich literate world you are raising you girls in!

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  6. Linda BOctober 16, 2012 at 9:24 PM

    It just gets better day by day, doesn't it, Michelle? I love the continuing added language and book love that my granddaughter shows every time I see her. You painted a wonderful picture that every one of us can imagine. Book love!

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  7. Christy Rush-LevineOctober 17, 2012 at 6:55 AM

    This is a slice with the best of everything: your girls, reading, a bit of poetry (in that list of all the places in your house books hide), a little window into the dialogue of your life (between you and your husband over just one more book), and a mother's pride! Those girls have some lucky teachers in their futures because of the groundwork you are laying each day.

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  8. Amanda VillagómezOctober 17, 2012 at 7:25 AM

    I loved hearing about the sense of community of readers that you are fostering in your house. I am glad that your girls are able to experience the joy of reading together.

    ReplyDelete
  9. PAMELA HODGESOctober 17, 2012 at 6:18 PM

    Thank you for the book tour of your home. It sounds like it is filled with love and laughter and books!

    ReplyDelete

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