Madelyn has ALWAYS LOVED reading. We read to her even as a tiny baby. She is not a sleeper so to help her settle at night we would leave books in her crib for her to look at instead of screaming at us (not kidding, she would scream, and the books didn't always help). We started with cloth books because they were safe. Then on to board books until finally she could flip through regular books without ripping the pages out of boredom.
This has been the routine since I can remember. There were nights she would still be up flipping through books when we were ready to go to bed. We'd have to cut her off.
Even now I have to tell her to lie down while she reads her books or else she is up half the night.
My girl loves to read. That's all there is to it. It's in her blood. The blood from her father that is. I don't mind reading, but I don't read to fill an addiction as those two seem to do.
So, no surprise really when Madelyn one night told us she was going to read to us instead of us reading to her. Um, okay. And, she did. That's my girl. When she sets her mind on wanting to do something she is going to do it.
That was the summer of 2007. She was 4 and was reading fluently with expression, the whole deal by the end of that summer.
Okay, so all this to say that the other night on our way to the Good Friday service at church Madelyn was a little chatter box. She told me how she got her dormer all set up with pillows and books and coloring books. I told her that was great because then she could really use that space for things she loves. Mostly we end up throwing pillows and stuffed animals up there.
Anyway, she then says, "Yeah, I don't know why, but I am really into reading lately." .... Um ... I had to just giggle silently to myself. The girl has been "into reading" since she was old enough to hold a book! I love it.
Although I have to say that lately she is flying through books like crazy. Of course, she's not getting as much sleep, but she just finished The Wizard of Oz, a chapter book with 11 chapters in 2 nights! Craziness.
Back to the Good Friday service, she wasn't really into the service so she asked me where the Easter story was in the Bible. I showed her to Mark and she sat and read the Bible through the service. She loves Jesus. She is always drawing crosses and writing little things about thanking Jesus for dying on the cross. So sweet.
That's my girl.
5 comments:
WOW!! This picture looks like Dreama!! I had to do a double take.
I've always thought that you, Dreama and Madelyn have had a strong resemblance.
Praise God! She has always been a soft-hearted little thing. It's so awesome that your oldest is like that. Not that you want to take anything for granted, but it can't help but be a wonderful influence on Elijah too. I'm blown away by the Wizard of Oz thing! I LOVED those books growing up - we have a bunch of them still. Abby reads very well, but she still prefers to be read to. My extroverted child. :)
And am I the book lady or what??
Kim, you are the book lady :)
I am SO thankful to have Madelyn this way, especially for Elijah's sake. It is true that we shouldn't take it for granted, but it is definitely helpful. It's hard to tell whether or not Elijah is "getting it" when we explain things to him so it can't hurt to have Madelyn reinforcing things.
I love your little extroverted girl :)
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