Storytime

Randall and I have tried very hard to foster in the girls a love of books.  The nursery has a small 3-shelf bookshelf that is full of books.  Well, once a week it is full.  The rest of the time the books are all over the house.  There is also a basket full of books in the living room that we rotate out.  Every night Audra and Daddy (or Mommy) read Goodnight Moon or a similar bedtime story.

I realize that neither of the girls is old enough to actually read on her own yet, but so far they like books.  Throughout the day Audra will bring me books to read to her and Eleanor.  We have recently reached the point where Audra is gentle enough to read books with paper pages which has opened an entirely new world of books for her to enjoy.  The board books were fun and all (and she still has a couple that she really likes), but she seems to discover a new paper book every day.

Audra loves reading to other people.  Sometimes she will climb into my lap with a book.  I'll read it to her and then she wants to read it to me.  Most of her reading is just babbling in her cute little reading voice, but every once in a while I hear familiar words (usually prompted by the illustrations).
    "Jabber jabber jabber DOG jabber WOOF WOOF jabber jabber PAGE."
    Mommy Turns Page
    "Jabber jabber BALL jabber jabber BABY...BAAAAAAAH."
    Audra Laughs
    "PAGE."

It seems to be more fun to read to other little people than adults.  While Kevin, Katrina, and Andrew were here for Christmas it was not unusual to see Audra and Andrew in the floor with a book between them.  Audra would "read" to Andrew and then Andrew would turn the page (or three or four).  Audra especially loves reading to Eleanor.  She jabbers and reads and points to all of the things in the picture (like I do when I read to her) and explains them to her sister.  She tells Elie about animals and the sounds they make.  She tells Elie about colors.  She tells Elie about nature.  It's the cutest thing ever.

On the top shelf of the nursery bookcase are several books by Theodor Seuss Geisel.  Most of these books penned by Dr. Seuss.  Today while reading The Tooth Book after Audra's afternoon nap, I learned that Dr. Seuss and Theo Geisel are one in the same.  Books that Theodor Seuss Geisel wrote and illustrated himself are written by Dr. Seuss.  He used the pseudonym Theo Geisel when writing books which were illustrated by someone else.  I must say, I prefer his works as Dr. Seuss.

Audra Reading to Eleanor