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Monday, January 25, 2010

my favorite things...

If you didn't already know how in love with my niece I am...well then you obviously have never read my blog before. I talk about her constantly. Why? Oh, just because she is the most amazing child to have ever walked the face of this planet (yes, that is my completely unbiased opinion). If you are new to my blog (hi!) I devoted an entire post to my favorite person ever...yep my little Bug (short for Bug-a-Boo). So, school yourself in her awesome ways, won't you?
Anywho, this post is not just about my favorite person. It is about one of my all time favorite things to do. I love books. I learned to read at 4 (holla! child genius) and I have read books for pleasure ever since. It is important to me to instill a love for reading in Bug...because it just is. So, I am that lame Auntie who buys her books. Sorry, that is just how it is...at least I don't give her socks right? She happens to love them. Some of her (and my) favorites are the books written by Jamie Lee Curtis & Laura Cornell. I love these books. The illustrations are very cool and modern, they rhyme but not in a 'dumbing-down' kind of way, and they have very important powerful messages in them. I am going to share with y'all one of OUR favorites...
"Is There Really a Human Race?"

"Is there really a human race?
Is it going on now all over the place?
When did it start?
Who said, "Ready, Set, Go"?
Did it start on my birthday?
I really must know.
Do I warm up and stretch?
Do I practice and train?
Do I get my own coach?
Do I get my own lane?
Do I race in the snow?
Do I race in a twister?
Am I racing my friends?
Am I racing my sister?
If the race is a relay, is Dad on my team?
And his dad and his dad?
You know what I mean.
Is the race like a loop or an obstacle course?
Am I a jockey, or am I a horse?
Is there pushing and shoving to get to the lead?
If the race is unfair, will I succeed?
Do some of us win? Do some of us lose?
Is winning or losing something I choose?
Why am I racing? What am I winning?
Does all of my running keep the world spinning?
If I get off track when I take the wrong turn,
do I make my way back from mistakes?
Do I learn?
Is it a sprint?
A dash to the end?
Am I aware of the time that I spend?
And why do I do it, this zillion-yard dash?
If we don't help each other, we're all going to...
CRASH!
Sometimes it's better not to go fast.
There are beautiful sights to be seen when you're last.
Shouldn't it be that you just try your best?
And that's more important than beating the rest?
Shouldn't it be looking back at the end that you judge your own race by the help that you lend?
So, take what's inside you and make big, bold choices.
And for those who cannot speak for themselves,
use bold voices.
And make friends and love well, bring art to this place.
And make the world better...
for the whole human race."
-Jamie Lee Curtis
I love these books. I love their messages. I love Bug. I love having story-time with her. So, now YOU tell me your favorite childhood books or the books YOU read to your kids (or to your favorite little person, for those of us who are childless).
xoxo

12 comments:

Allison said...

Haha, I love this! I learned reading early, too! ;D I have to say.. I loved "A fly went by" by Dr. Seuss. He was amazing.

Christina said...

Go Dog Go! It was the first book I ever read by myself! I bet you're surprised.

Bug is going to be such a little smarty. In fact, I think she already is.

Shannon said...

When I was 4 I use to read the cereal boxes when I was eating every morning, my grandma was visiting and my Dad asked her what they could do to stop it..she told him "Oh no don't stop her"..and I never have..I love reading anything including cereal boxes to this day!

Ashton Dene' said...

How adorable, Bug is so lucky to have you!

I would have to say my favorite childhood book would be Good As New & The Dress I Wore to the Party. My favorite 'beginners' chapter book would be The Littles. Then I graduated to the American Girl books and so on and so on. I actually have all of these books in my grown up apartment (except the AG ones, those are on display with my AG doll at my parent's). Books are the best gifts you can give! They make people smarter, more creative, etc, etc!

sorry for my book of a comment! :)

x, ash

Vanessa said...

I'll forgive you for saying your biased opinion is unbiased, only because I can't agree with that. Aunt pride all the way. 8)

Like Christina, the first book I ever read the entire thing was Go, Dogs, Go.

I'm a Dr. Seuss fan. My Princess brings home so many books from school I can't keep up with which one is my favorite, though I do love this one about a worm but I can't remember the name. It is a sad day.

Reading is awesome. 8)

Lauren said...

I used to love the book "I'll Love You Forever", why? I don't know. I was a strange kid.

My nephew is one and he is a big fan of Dr. Seuss' "The Foot Book" Most likely because he loves his feet :)

I was OBSESSED with Baby Sitters Club books once I got into 2nd grade, I was such a little book worm.

Amy said...

I'm sad. My nephews don't like books. They'd rather play army with me, which is fun. But when I was a kid, books were the most magical creations on the planet. I ADORED them. Not that I don't now, just not as much.

And Lauren, I too was obsessed with The Baby Sitters Club! I still kept about 15 of them, just for memories. :)

KatOfDiamonds said...

So cool! Thanks for the share!

Lisa said...

I need to tell my friend who is a director at an early childhood center about this book, but then again, I bet she already knows about this book. Great title. Of course you were a child genius...as if you could be anything else. :)

Karina F. said...

I love this!

Hmm favorite childhood book: I loved to read when I was a book. When I was really young I pretty much devoured everything on my bookshelf. :)

I really loved Corduroy.

Karina F. said...

BTW I love your new buttons. I seriously can't pick.

Kell said...

Yay for learning to read super young.
And that book sounds cute. i like it.