SUMMER READS. (Sketch Pro, iPad2)
“Up feet, Down feet, Here come clown feet. Small feet, Big feet, Here come pig feet, Oink, oink, oink!…” This is my one year old daughter’s favorite part of Dr Seuss’ The Foot Book. The Oink, oink, oink is really not in the book but it’s an adlib I’ve added and it never fails to crack her up
I’ve been reading to Summer since she was a newborn and the last few months, she has become more interested and appreciative of being read to. Now she actually listens and participates. My night table has always been stacked with books and lately, children’s books have started piling on it too. Her favorites are: Dr Seuss’ The Foot Book, Eric Carle’s 123 To The Zoo, an Adarna book titled Kulay (Colors) given by her Ninang, the classic Goodnight Moon and a Bible board book given by her Lola. I read to her the same books every night before sleeping and every time, she listens and watches with eager anticipation. Her face lights up in delight and at the same time, the reading, as part of her nightly routine, calms her down (Most of the time!).
Even I, reading to my daughter the same stories and rhymes each night, some nights even more than once, am calmed down. It’s something I look forward to not just because she’ll finally be asleep and I can do my chores or whatever it is I cannot do when she is awake, but because it is an activity that bonds us. I am delighted when she is delighted and I sleep satisfied when I know she slept happy, having had a complete bedtime routine. Reading to her has, therefore, become an important part of the day for us. No matter how long and tough my day was, when bedtime comes and we start to read and I see the smile in her eyes, my heart lightens and I find peace.
My husband and I are book lovers. We like stories. I am glad my daughter, even at such a young age, has started to appreciate books as well. I vow to keep reading to her, to her sister and to the other children we may have in the future. When the day comes when Summer can finally read by herself, maybe then she’ll even be the one to tell us stories.
If you want to know more about the books I mentioned in this post, check out my GoodReads Kids Shelf.
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