book worm

up until a week ago henny has never had an interest in books. and when i say he didn't have an interest, i mean that he would slap any book away and/or scream until i gave up. this frustrated and depressed me to no end. when bee was a baby we read to her all the time. throughout the day and at night, i'd even recite favorite books to her in the car or during diaper changes. but henny just wouldn't have anything to do with it. 

until a week ago. 

suddenly and all at once, he began taking books of the shelf and bringing them to us. if we are sitting on the couch, he will hand us the book and then stomp his feet until we pick him up. once he is settled in his spot and the book is open, he plugs his fingers in, and fully relaxes. 
i am so excited because in the past week we have read books about a hundred times. henny now has favorite books and looks around for them when the mood strikes him. what is most exciting though is the way that henny's vocabulary has exploded along with this new love of books. the importance of the timing is not lost on me. suddenly, as he is taking in all of these great books, he is finding words and sounds that he never had before. he is telling us what different animals say and what he wants to eat. i realize how books can help us teach our kids more than anything else. how else could you expose your kid to the moon, a macaroni penguin, a farmer and easter eggs all in one day?
the very best part of this new literary love is watching bee read to henny. she knows many of the board books by heart and she can read them as well as us. the two of them snuggled up reading warms my heart to no end. and bee is so proud, it is so good for a girl who is really struggling to find her importance in our family so much of the time.

another great thing is i know just what we should ask santa to put in henny's stocking in a few weeks!