beginning beginner

My baby just read me a book. A whole book. "Bears on Wheels" by Stan and Jan Berenstain--one of the "bright and early books for beginning beginners." Yes, he is a Beginning Beginner.

He sat by me on the bed and began, "One bear. One wheel. One bear on one wheel." He continued on with giggles as if he were pulling something over on me. "I broke the code!" he all but shouted.

I knew it was coming. I just hadn't had the time to look for just the right book to offer him. Instead he found it himself. We'd made a plan to read all the picture books and board books on his shelves this summer. They accumulated slowly when Pook was little, but they all moved onto Bug's shelf at once. Some have gotten ignored and some buried. Some deserve a new reading and then a place on a more prominent shelf. Some deserve a new reading and then a spot in my storage room or my give away box. I see no reason to hang onto a bad book even if I do teach again someday. There are just too many good ones out there. (I feel guilty passing bad ones on to children even as donated freebies.)

I gave him a nickel. This was a small prize for amazing me. He won't get paid to read regularly, although Pook was sometimes paid to read to Bug when they were 5 & 2. Mama thought the ten minute break was worth the nickel back then.

I assume he'll have a read aloud homework requirement in kindergarten, and I can't wait.

*****
Yes, we had a great vacation, but I'm still catching up and haven't had time to write about it yet.