Books Galore!

Of all the objects with which Daniel is fascinated, books make me the most proud. As a former elementary school teacher I've amassed a huge collection of children's books, most of which are still too delicate for Daniel's toddler impulses. I eagerly anticipate the day when I can begin to introduce to him some of my own childhood favorites. He already loves "Caps for Sale" (he asks for it as "Paps") and "There's A Monster at the End of This Book" (always a favorite of mine because of Grover's unwarranted hysterics). But he continues to discover new books on a daily basis, and these books are beginning to pop up at different, albeit unexpected, times of the day.

Daniel wakes up to books each morning. When I check on him before my bedtime, I manage to sneak a couple of books into the corner of his crib. Most mornings, I find him perusing the books while waiting for me to come into his room. If I somehow forget to place the books in their designated spot overnight, Daniel will undoubtedly remind me as soon as I come to wake him. "Boops," he demands, pointing to the canvas box on the floor. He's even become more and more picky with my selections. It used to be that he would accept whichever books I handed to him. Now, he doesn't hesitate to voice his opinion with a resounding, "No! No!" Sometimes we browse through the whole box before settling on an acceptable title.

Another part of Daniel's day which books have infiltrated is mealtime. I've been struggling with convincing Daniel to sit in his high chair during meals, but when I let him sit in an adult chair he climbs all over the place. I recently started reading to him in order to get him to sit still and eat. He delights in hearing me read these familiar books to him, and begs for more when I finish. If I happen to be eating at the same time as him, I simply take "bite breaks," usually before I turn a page. Not only do I get to eat my lunch instead of feeding Daniel his (what a concept!) but I'm teaching him patience and turn-taking. It's a win-win! Today's lunch started out with Daniel refusing to sit in his high chair. He whined and climbed into the big chair. So I cut up his food into small pieces, placed a pile of books on the table in front of me, and read about 8 of them as Daniel gobbled up his entire lunch! Turning the page of a beloved book can be great motivation for taking a bite!

Peter and I have always taken the time to read to Daniel, and I hope that he continues to seek out books on his own. As a child, I used to bring books to restaurants and devour the words as I waited for my meal to arrive. I wish the same for him. My proudest moment one day would be for Daniel to shun the iPod or Gameboy in favor of a good book.