A Love for Reading

It is very important to me that my kids love to read.  I was a reader growing up and still would be if I could ever find the time...haha!  I'm a teacher for goodness sakes so of course I am going to promote reading!

Brian was easy.  I read to him when I was pregnant.  Often.  Shawn recorded "Where the Wild Things Are" and I played that to Brian in my belly.  Over and over.  He loved to be read to from a very young age.  As soon as he was able he would go get books for us to read to him.  He would sit and look at books for hours.  Now that he's in preschool, he comes home each week so proud of the new letter/sound he has learned.  And I cannot wait for him to be able to put them all together and read to himself.  For real.  He's going to LOVE it!

Lilah was a different story.  Let's face it, there just isn't time to read to the 2nd baby while pregnant when there is a toddler running around.  I tried to read to Lilah in my belly...and did...some.  But not nearly as much as with Brian.  I played "Where the Wild Things Are" read by Shawn to her...once....maybe twice.  I honestly didn't read to her when she was very young.  Not much anyway.  I just couldn't find the time.  I would read to Brian with her around, but his books her too advanced for her really.  I started to get worried when she became mobile and her idea of "reading" was chewing on the books.  I mean, the girl loves to eat, but books?!  So Shawn and I made more of an effort to read to her.  But she really wasn't too interested.  She would tolerate it for awhile, but eventually she would find something else to do.

Recently that has all changed.  Lilah is finally into books.  She brings them to us and says "books" in her sweet little baby voice.  Brian "reads" to her often.  He has several of her books memorized and it's so cute to see them reading together.  They even fight over the toy catalogs that come in the mail.  And demand that I hand them over as soon and I bring one in the house!  They read in the car pretty much all the time.  Last night Lilah even wanted to take a book into the bathtub.  Luckily I remembered we had a bath book of Brian's so she took that into the tub.  I love my little readers!

Brian reading to his cars!

Not sure why they like to read on the steps!

We pulled out the basket of Christmas books which sparked a reading frenzy before bath time!

Don't Want to Forget the Little Things

Just a few things that I wanted to share, and I didn't want to ever forget...

*Yesterday, Brian was very excited to tell me that he ate lunch by Josie.  She had a Dora lunchbox!  I have been hearing about Josie since the first day of school pretty much.  She's the teacher's (blonde-of course) daughter.  I happened to drop Brian off at school yesterday too and I got to see the two of them interact.  Let's just say, the feelings are mutual.

*Over the weekend Brian wanted to stay over at Nana and Pappy's.  Mom told him to go ask Pappy.  He went over and said, "pleeeeaase."  Of course, Dad said okay.  Not to be outdone, Lilah went over to Dad and said "pleeeeaase."  The entire room erupted with laughter. 

*Brian told me in the car today that since Batman and all the super heroes fight crime at night, that makes them nocturnal.  Yep, sure does buddy!

*Lilah says "yeah" to almost anything.  She knows "no" though.  She'll say no if you ask her if she wants a time out.  Shawn is a huge fan of asking her if she is going to take over the world.  "Yeah."

*Monday I realized (again) how much I love being a "stay at home" mom.  (Or how lucky I am to get to take my kids to work with me, which is really what I do.)  We had conferences at the preschool and Shawn was off work so I left the kiddos with him when I left early in the morning.  I was sick over it.  I am not cut off to leave my babies and go to work!  (Not an attack on any moms who do work, just how my heart works.)

*Having lost 34.5 lbs, my hubby was taken OFF his blood pressure medicine today.  Way to go, Shawn! 

Those Looks She Gives

Many people have commented on the nasty looks Miss Lilah is capable of giving.  She has quite the attitude and has no problem letting you know if she is annoyed with you.  The doctor told me at her 15 month check up that I should "expect more attitude" over the next three months.  Um, really?  Is that even possible?  Lord help me! 

Lilah giving Brian one of her famous looks for taking something away from her in the car.

Trick or Treat Brrrr!

 As mentioned in my previous post, Halloween was not pleasant weather-wise.  Brian made it up and down about half of our street.  Lilah made it up and Nana took her home.  It was so rainy and cold and yucky!  

Luckily the kids enjoyed passing out candy just as much as they enjoyed receiving it.  They were so excited to have people coming to our door!  (Lilah was eating M & Ms in her all white costume-hence the ridiculous bib.)

Just one more Halloween pic.  This is of Lilah saying "boo"!