Bookish

Somewhere in the last couple of months Kate started getting into her books. We'd been reading them to her for a while, every night before bed, but with me she usually thrashed about and was just anxious to get me out of there and get Mommy in there. (She still nurses to bed.)

Eventually, it reached a point where she started to show some interest. I still don't think she was terribly into it, but she at least sat quietly on my lap and looked. Mostly Boynton books. "Moo Baa La La La," and "Dinosaur's Binkit," and "The Going to Bed Book."

At some point she began pointing to things. And then, recently, she exhibited clear preferences.

Emily told me first. She had been reading Moo Baa La La La. She put it aside and pulled out "Guess How Much I Love You." Kate took the book out of her hand, dropped it on the floor, and leaned over to grab "Moo Baa La La La."

Later she did the same thing with me. Climbed out of my lap, crawled across the floor, got the book she wanted (I think this time it was the Going to Bed Book), and brought it to me. Said, "Da!" (This one, Daddy. THIS is the book I want you to read me.)

Now she sits patiently and beams at each page. Smiles at the "Moo" sounds. Sometimes she turns the pages -- I kind of get a kick out of her little hands bringing the little board book up close to her, focusing on the pages, opening them. Sometimes she gets tired of one book halfway through, grabs it, drops it, and goes to get another one. Then goes back to the first one.

Yesterday morning I was sitting in the rocking chair in her room. She brought me book after book after book. "Da. DA! Da." Smiled and waved the book to me before bringing it over. Climbed up into my lap once I had four of them. So, I read them.

Emily came and stood in the doorway. "You miss her, don't you?" (She started daycare a month ago, four days a week.) Yeah, I kind of do.