MY little BOOKWORM

I love to read. I've always loved to read. That is something that was instilled in me from a very young age. All of my sisters read and my dad is a reader. I remember my mom telling me that if I didn't put down my book and fold the towels, she was going to take all my books away and never give them back. That is how much I read. From the time Brody was real small, I've always tried to read to him. I have wanted him to have a love for reading, to have that place to escape reality, to have a magical land for his imagination to travel. As a result, and probably a little too obsessively, I have encouraged him to read. It is working and it has been fun to watch him get more and more interested in books. Sometimes when he is in his room playing and I go to check on him, because it is too quiet, he is either into something he shouldn't be or he is reading. Even if the books are upside-down, it still counts as reading; right?

For the last year or so, on the Tuesdays that I don't work, I take him to the library for "Toddler Time." During the summer, we go to the library for the Summer Reading Program, where there are various people who come and do a presentation, i.e., The Snakeman, Ronald McDonald, The Magician, et cetera, et cetera. When I read to him, he always picks up on one word from the book and then will repeat it at random throughout the day. We have a Peek-A-Boo Blue Clues book and out of the blue he will scream "Peeeeeeek-A-Booooo. Anyway, tonight wasn't any different. He had obviously picked up on a word in a story I had read to him, I just wasn't smart enough to figure out what he was saying.

We had just finished our prayers, and Brody asked me to read him a story. I walked over to his bookshelf and was asking him which one he wanted me to read. In response, he kept saying Poo-Poos. Now, I had just changed his diaper and put him in his Jammies, so I was a little surprised at his response. I checked his little diaper and no Poo-Poos. I asked him what book he wanted and again he said Poo-Poos. Thinking he was just being silly, I picked up a book about airplanes and laid down in his bed with him. He said no. Speeeeeeeeng Tee Poo-Poos. (If anybody knows what that means, I'll give you a medal.)

Well, after asking him a couple times what he was saying and him repeating Speeeeeeeeng Tee Poo-Poos, he got a little disgusted with me, got out of bed and chose a book off the bookshelf. He came back with the little book tucked under his arm and climbed in bed. At this point I just smiled to myself because I had seen which book he chose and knew what he was saying. He opened up the book and pointed to the inside cover where Christopher Robbins is pushing Winnie the Pooh in a swing. Speeeeeeeeng Tee Poo-Poos. Duh Mommy!!