A Few of Our Favorite Books

Besides my Instagram feed, and the occasional article that pops up on Facebook, I really don't read that often. It's not that I don't have the time... it's just that I don't make it a priority. And I'd rather paint my floor in big checkerboard brown-and-white squares (more on that, coming soon!).

So yes, I'd say I read a book every few months.

Unless, of course, you're counting kids' books.

Because if you are, then I probably read a couple hours a day.

Seriously.

Reading is a huge part of our lives. 

We have Daddy reading time, kids' reading by themselves time, and lots and lots of Mommy reading time.

I love the fact that our kids are happy to sit down with a pile of books and just page through them, staring at the pictures! And they're happier still, when they're piled around me, one child in my lap, and we're reading story after story. 

As for our favorite books... we're constantly switching around which books we're reading, as the kids would love to read their "current favorite" a million times in a row, where I need a bit of variety, y'know?

We've enjoyed Thomas and the Big, Big Bridge (a favorite of Matthias's), Frog and Toad, Curious George, Mother Goose, all things Princess (Disney Princess stories, Barbie Princess, and "traditional" Princess tales), Caps for Sale, books about animals, Dr. Suess collections...

But I'd have to say my favorite books of all to read to the kids would be Little Golden Books. 

I especially love the "Classic" ones, such as Little Mommy, Doctor Dan, and the Little Red Caboose. After finding out that Baby #3 was a boy, I bought Daddies and The Fire Engine Book. So glad I did, as Matthias could hear these books on repeat!

As the girls are transitioning out of naps, their "quiet time" in the afternoon usually consists of "reading" in their rooms for a couple hours. This is a wonderful time of day--for both Mommy (who needs a couple hours of quiet!), and the girls. 

And as for my two-year-old... Reading to Matthias is one of the biggest ways I feel like I show him love. The older girls are memorizing addition facts and learning to write their letters, and that stage is so exciting for me that I can sometimes get caught up in educating them--and forget about the little boy toddling around, toolbox in hand, who needs just as much attention as they do.

So sometime, early in the morning, either before school or after school time, or both, I gather up a couple books and Matthias climbs in my lap, and we read. 

I love how bonding these moments are--and I know they are fleeting as well. It won't be long before the kids won't fit on my lap anymore, and they'll be able to read these stories to themselves! 

Until then, bring on the stories!