Bean (BB's Nickname: Bella + looked like a jelly bean on her Dad's chest when a newborn --> Bella Bean --> Bean) is currently sleeping, hands thrown above her head in her very favorite sleeping position (that does not include being sprawled on Dad's chest or curled up tummy to tummy with Mom) and I am sitting next to her with a moment to write.
We have started something new. Since we are sleeping in the pig-pile-o-beds (Metro Mattress folks have STILL not rescheduled their check-out-our-rotten-bed appointment (see earlier post
The Perfect Moment)) I figured reading time ought to be a family affair. Handsome Husband and I have suggested to Blue-Eyed Boy that he give
Harry Potter a try, but he resisted every time, saying, "I'm more of a Percy Jackson kind of guy..." but we KNEW he would absolutely love the books once he started. Anyway, last Wednesday night, I grabbed my copy and started reading without telling the boys WHAT I was reading. BEB kept reading the book he had with him, and never even looked up once. Legoboy seemed mildly interested, but it was late, so I only read for a little bit, and felt a little defeated. The next night, determined to try at least one more time, I summarized what we had read before and all of a sudden BEB took over for me, explaining everything I had read, with details and names that I would have never even included. He was listening!
Well, since that first night, we have read
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone each and every night before bed. LB and BEB on their bed, Bellabean on HH's lap or mine, and the puppies snuggled in to whoever will scruffle their tummies. It has been a blast! Every time HH or I hint at closing up shop for the night, the boys beg for more! Just one more page! Music to our ears. The boys are now at their Mom's house for a few nights and HH and I agree that we will really miss reading the story!
A few things about the experience:
- I haven't read the first book in years, although I have seen the movie myriad times. (Like the movie The Replacements, HP1 is always on TV. You know how it's five o'clock somewhere? Well, Harry Potter and Keanu Reeves are on a movie channel somewhere.) There are so many details in the book that are not in the movie, and it is such a pleasure to revisit them.
- Hagrid's voice and language? Easy to read in your head but TOUGH to read out loud!!!
- We have taken to hiding the book after we read, otherwise Josh will haul off with it and finish on his own. The boys are back here on Friday and then we have them for over a week for vacation! We can't wait to get back to reading.
- It is really nice to be read to. HH and I have been taking turns and it is awesome to snuggle back with Bellabean and listen to the story.
I am so glad the boys are readers, and it is so exciting to share
HP with them. Do you have suggestions for books for the boys? Did you/do you read as a family?
My niece is 4 and she reads with her Daddy (my brother). She has REALLY enjoyed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach. Enjoy your reading! I Can't wait until Ryan is old enough to read books with a "real" story....Curious George is fun, but he gets stuck on the same book for weeks and it gets OLD! :)
ReplyDeletemy mom read to me (and later, my mom and I read to each other) until I was in my teens. I haven't had anybody read to me in AGES.
ReplyDeleteI have fond memories of some books from when I was a child, but don't know if they'd appeal to the boys. who by the way ARE SO FREAKING BIG I FEEL LIKE AN ANCIENT PERSON.
I loved books by Edward Eager (Magic by the Lake, Half Magic); Natalie Babbitt (The Search for Delicious, Tuck Everlasting); Madeleine L'Engle (A Wrinkle in Time, etc); Roald Dahl. We read SO much, nearly every night :) So glad Josh is finally being convinced that HP is okay! I can't imagine any kid of his generation growing up without it :)
xoxo.