After a warm and playful bath, we helped the girls dress in their pajamas and climb up on our bed. The girls always smelled so fresh and clean. (The books aren't the only memories of those days.)
Tim and I sat like bookends beside our girls. Some nights I read each book in its entirety and some nights I tried to skip a few words or even a page. Shortcutting was a mommy trick that had to be done at just the right time, or I would be called out! The girls knew their books and adored this time. There would be no shortcuts allowed.
As the girls got older and family storytimes transitioned. First, books were read individually at each daughters bedside. Later, we tried family book clubs. We would all read one book and talk about it a dinner. The family book club just didn't have the same appeal as family storytime. The girls grew older and busier. Soon high school homework, dance, and cell phones filled all their extra minutes.
Now, my oldest daughter, L and I have discovered we read the same genre, physicological thrillers. We share titles, recommendations, and conversations about books regularly. During our spring break this week, L was reading a hardcover book without a jacket. I was ear reading on Audible. Neither of us had asked the other about our reading.
One, moring I was ear reading without headphones when L walked in. " You're listening to, The Woman in the Window?" Immediately, she thumbed through her book. "Tell me when you're on chapter 73." This tease drove me crazy. I was on chapter 53!
The next morning the first thing I said to her was what I knew was THE line she teased me with. She grinned. "You're not going to believe all that spills out now. I couldn't put it down after those words!"
Today, we drove L to the airport, and I still wasn't finished with the book. As soon as we returned home, I grabbed my headphones and my book.
When L turned off airplane mode, she had a text waiting. I left just the right words to let her know I had finished.
I can't tell you the words; you'll have to read it for yourself.
You're never too old to share a book with your family.
Love that you get to share stories, even still! I've been sharing slices each night with my kiddos. The short stories are nice and kill two birds with one stone. They enjoy listening to all of them and I enjoy reading aloud to them. Now that they are older, it is sometimes more difficult to find ways to read together with all the busy bits of life. Always nice to slow down and enjoy a story.
ReplyDeleteMy mom and I live a thousand miles away from each other. We talk about once a week and we always include whatever books we are reading. We are both in book clubs and we always know what each other is going to read next. I love having that in common with her and knowing that we will learn something from each other whenever we talk.
ReplyDeleteThis is so sweet, Deb. I hope -- one day -- Iz and I will read books together too. Right now her attitude towards reading things independently is sour because it's so challenging for her. It's my hope that one day we'll bond over books we each read independently.
ReplyDeleteAh, Deb, I loved this. What a sweet memory you've woven into the truths of today. How fun it was to find you and L now enjoying the same kinds of books --- even the same exact book. Deb, this lead paragraph grabbed me right off the bat. Oh, storytime. I do miss it.
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