For the love of . . . reading!

Watching a child learn to read is so amazing! Toby has just joined the ranks of "readers" and these past few months have reminded me how awesome is the process of learning to decode letters and sounds and make meaning.

Jonah and Toby have both loved books since they were babies and anyone who has been in our house (or helped us move) can attest to the size of our book collections. Books have always been favorite gifts and read and re-read until memorized. Before they knew the alphabet, both boys would correct us if we misread words.

Jonah had a wonderful preschool teacher who taught him to read and I still remember the day I got the joyful call from Jonah at preschool announcing, "Mommy, I read my first book!" About a year ago, Jonah and I started reading chapter books aloud together and it has become a special part of our days.

Toby loves to be read to but also enjoys paging through books on his own. He has always been fascinated with rhymes and Dr. Seuss is high on his list of favorite authors. Until recently, he has been hesitant to actually read words aloud although he has known all the letters and their sounds for months. Toby's kindergarten teachers make learning to read fun and interactive and help the kids build a solid base, gain confidence, and master reading skills. In the past month, Toby's confidence has soared and he is reading easy readers and sounding out unfamiliar words.

Last night Toby read a new book out loud to his brother. Jonah completely made Toby's day when he announced to us at dinner, "Toby read the whole book perfectly and didn't make any mistakes!"

Reading a good book is at the top of my list of favorite activities, and one of my hopes for Jonah and Toby is that they will also enjoy a life-long love of reading. Reading to and with the boys and watching them grow into readers will be something I will always treasure!