One Perfect Moment {Story Time}

One Perfect Moment is all about those moments, big or small, that make you wish they'd last forever. Those moments you want to stop in time, when everything feels perfect, even for just a split-second. Snapshots of the mind. Moments to treasure forever. 

I was sitting at the computer when she bought the book over to me. She showed me the picture "Look, Mummy, look!", she exclaimed. It was a Dr. Seuss book. We haven't read a lot of Dr. Seuss, despite having many of his books. Before now she didn't quite have the attention span. Today was different.

I got up from the computer and we went in to her room and sat on the floor together. I opened up the book, There's a Wocket in my Pocket, and began to read. She was enthralled with the story. She laughed. She pointed to the pictures. She told me how the boy was feeling on each page, based on the expressions on his face.

When we were done with that story she grabbed another Dr. Seuss book, The Cat in the Hat. She sat between my legs and we started to read. As I opened the book I realised that I was having to look around her head to see the pages of the books. She's gotten so tall that I can't rest my chin on the top of her head anymore.

In that moment I almost cried. My baby girl is not a baby anymore. She's grown so fast. As I sat there and read to her, my mind couldn't help but be flooded with the memories of book readings past. From a mere few days old, I've read to her. Almost every day of her life I've read to her. She loves it. I love it. Once she was on the move, story time was the only time she would sit still.

Story time is our time. It's when everything else in the world stops, and it's just me, Punky, the words and the rhymes.

Zee isn't so interested in sitting and being read to. It probably has something to do with the fact that I didn't have as much time to dedicate to it in her early days, like I did with Punky. Punky had me all to herself. Baby Zee had to share me with a rambunctious and demanding toddler.

Don't get me wrong, Zee loves books. I often walk past Punky's bedroom to find her sitting on the floor, surrounded by all the books she's pulled off the shelves. Slowly turning the pages and examining the pictures on each one. But she doesn't like me to read to her, because she wants to turn the pages at her own pace, regardless of whether or not I've had a chance to read any of the words written on them.

I know very soon though that she will want to hear the words. But for now, she's content to look at the pictures, and I'm sure make up the story in her own mind. I look forward to the day when she sits between my legs like Punky. Listens intently to the words I read her, exclaims over the pictures and turns the pages with pride.

For now, I read with Punky as much as I can. I live for those moments when it's just me and my big girl, sharing a story. Nurturing her love of books and reading. And while she sits there, engrossed in the words and the pictures, I look around her head and try to hold back the tears that threaten to overflow. I know that too soon she will be reading those words by herself, and she won't fit between my legs anymore.

These moments, our story time moments, are the very definition of bittersweet perfection.

Do you read with your babies? Do you have those bittersweet moments too?

Comments

Bec @ Wholly Listening said…
Beautifully written.

I also read to my first two from the time they were new borns. And both have an immense love for books and language now. Like you with Zee, I didn't have so much time when it came to my third, and he's taken longer to warm to the idea of sitting and reading. These days he likes being read to but is very fussy about which books we read.

I love story time. I'm reading the old classic version of Winnie the Pooh to LJ at the moment and Charlotte's Web to my eldest. They're both books I loved as a kid and it's amazing being able to create new memories around these stories with my kids.

Great post
Such a lovely post. I have always read with my daughters before bed, it's part of their bedtime routine, but it also means so much more. These days, I spend more time reading with Miss 5 as she is now learning to read on her own - during this time Miss 9 whizzes through her chapter books like no tomorrow as she's a highly competent reader. Sometimes I wish I had more time to spend reading with Miss 9, her face always brightens when she has the opportunity to read me a few pages from her book before bed, but at the same time I know all those years spent reading together before her little sister arrived has made a big different in her love for books.
I love story time too. We do it every night and go to the library each week to get books. My daughter gets very excited about reading the same book she as picked each week.
Julie
annstuck said…
Wait til she can read by herself, tears!! I am going to play along next week!!
Twinkle in the Eye said…
Some of my most precious moments happen at bed time when reading books. It will be a sad day when they don't want us to read to them anymore.
Natalie @ Our Parallel Connect said…
This precious times continue but in such different ways. Like when your teenager comes over and gives you a hug for no reason and says they love you. Or when your 11 yr old boy confides in you about his girlfriend just because he knows he can trust you. Oh Kylie, you are going to make me cry. Emotional day.
My boys LOVE books and My 3.5 told me he's going to wheel a whole stack in to my room in the morning to read - such a nice way to bond. x
Alicia-OneMotherHen said…
This is gorgeous. Now that Izzy is at school, I have enjoying time with my little three year old now. She gets me all to herself, and one of the things she loves is to climb on to me with a stack of books.
Caroline Raj said…
What a gorgeous story! I agree how kids grow up so fast and it is just fleeting moments like these that we realise! I also have a crazy toddler that seems to get all the attention but hope my second bub gets to books eventually....when there is time!!!
Eva Lewis said…
Oh gosh that's beautiful. I try reading to Elliott everyday although he still has quite a short attention span, always getting sidetracked and looking at other things he could be doing. But when he does sit for a while longer and enjoy the book, I feel exactly the same way, it's the perfect moment.

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