A Reader Lives a Thousand Lives

Your papi and I are avid readers. I can often be found reading modern-day fiction and papi is usually reading the news or informational books. I read to escape and for entertainment, and papi reads to learn new things. No matter what you enjoy, read about it. And if you don't like reading, or don't think you are good at it, keep trying, that is all I ask.

One of my favorite things to do is read to you right before bed. It amazes me that you will transition from actively crawling all over the place to relaxed and engaged the instant I open a book. We sit on the floor together, you on my lap, as you flip the pages (sometimes the wrong way, but you'll sort it out), listen to me speak and look at the colorful illustrations. I am not sure what you are thinking, but I do know you like books and you like being read to.

Your favorite right now is Goodnight Moon. I know

this because any time I reach for another book you swat it away, pick up Goodnight Moon and hand it to me. I kid you not, at just 9 months old, you know what you like. You also like the story of Noah's Ark. These two books are our regulars, even though I try to sneak in another one from time to time. You know the difference, however, and are happy with just these stories for now. I'll happily read them to you as long as you would like.

You have a plethora of bright, colorful, loud, flashy toys scattered across the living room. I enjoy watching you pick up a toy, play with it until you get bored; and then abandon it and quickly move on to another. I've caught you several times, pausing from the commotion and picking up one of your little Sesame Street books. Papi bought you about 12 very small cardboard books, each one containing a story with a different Sesame Street character and some sort of learning activity, like shapes, colors or numbers. There is really nothing that pleases me more than seeing you, sitting in the middle of the crazy clutter of your toys, flipping through a book. I hope that as you grow, you'll always take time to pause and get lost in a good read.