Happy Father's Day!

Father's Day Collage!

I tried to capture a few pics of Beansprout and his Daddy to celebrate Father's Day today.  Lucky for me he was in a photographing mood . . . I couldn't move quickly enough to get my camera when Matt had him re-enacting the frog pose from his newborn days.  Too cute!

Reading Spaces

Reading in his big-boy room!

Some of the pictures I'm most drawn to in magazines and on Pinterest and Apartment Therapy seem to be the cozy nooks people have created for reading.  The hanging daybed on the porch, the window seat turned daybed, and the kids' tents filled with pillows and blankets and BOOKS - all of these images beckon me.  It must be the romantic feel of it all - summer sun, light breeze, glass of tea, comfy spot, and a book.  A little piece of heaven.

Love the shades!

The reality is much more practical when it comes to reading spaces in our home.  Most often the couch and the chair in the living room seem to be the places where we cozy up and read.  I guess this is just the reading habit we've formed - this is where we are, this is where the books are, this is what works.  We do have a special beanbag chair in the playroom that is perfect for lounging back and reading, but for the most part we just tend to pick up a book where we're at and read.

I guess as Beansprout gets older and wants to read on his own, having one of those cozy spots might just be the perfect thing for him.  I know when I'm reading a book I'm really into, I may as well be in a cave, as I am glued to the book and unable to hear anything that is going on around me anyway.  It would be nice for Beansprout to be able to take himself away with a book and I love the idea of it being a special reading place that we've created.

Beanbag chair reading.

For now I'll take the more open spaces - where we're all together.  There is nothing sweeter than hearing Beansprout in his own reading corner reading aloud in a whisper.  I also find myself laughing out loud when I listen to Matt and Beansprout reading together.  It's fun to see how differently Matt might approach reading a book aloud  and he's definitely better at the voices and sound effects!

"Hey, Momma!  Let's read this!"

Do you have a special place for reading?  What are your thoughts on the importance of being able to get away from the distractions of family life to get into a book?

Boys and Reading

Reading with Daddy 2 months old.

I am grateful my guys have such a bond over reading.  There are horrifying statistics about boys and reading and countless strategies people are using to try and win them over.  That's part of the reason why the Mem Fox book, Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever, has loomed large for me since Beansprout was first born.  At the end she addresses the concerns and argues not only that we make readers out of children in the crib, but also that we need to assure it is fathers who are reading to their sons (and daughters!)

"It's fathers who need to be there from the start, reading aloud and showing love to their kids from the first hours of their lives; and thereafter as often as they can (or at least at bedtimes) for the next five years."

It's amazing that so much more goes into the whole process of reading aloud with children than simply telling them a story and building their language.  These are moments of bonding and that bonding creates stronger brains and gives children so much more than just a vocabulary and an ability to read.

Storytime with Momma -- 6 weeks old.

There are times when it is really hard to read that book Beansprout requests for the hundredth time - to put down what I want to be doing and read a book I already know by heart; and so it is in those moments that I remember the message from Mem Fox, drop what I'm doing, and connect.

Friday Favorites - Series Books

Once we find a book we really like, it's wonderful when we learn there is a series!  Usually these aren't quite sequels, rather they just continue the story of the character, but it's wonderful to learn more about them.  Last week I mentioned a few of our favorite board books and some of them just happen to be part of a series -- Bear Snores On and the other books in that series and our other favorite, The Little Blue Truck has been followed up with, Little Blue Truck Leads the Way.

Reading time.

We also own two of the Knuffle Bunny books!  I practically cry every time I read the last one in the series, as Mo Willems writes a little tribute to his daughter at the end.  I think the sentiment that she may have actually given her Knuffle Bunny away and that it could one day come back to her when she has her own child is just too much serendipity for me.  

Reading with Daddy

In the last six months or so, Beansprout has been moving into his big boy books.  He loves the Mercer Mayer series!  I can't imagine how many times I have had to read them to him, so it feels merciful to me that there are at least other stories to be told about Little Critter.  It's also nice that these books come rather inexpensive; we've been known to pick them up more than once for a nice little surprise even at the grocery store.  Bernenstain Bears are also a set of books Beansprout can't get enough of!  The fact that there are little lessons or specific experiences in both of these series has been quite useful with our little guy.  When he had to go to the dentist for the first time, we were already prepared (thanks to our thoughtful good friend!) with Little Critter Goes to the Dentist.  He's still a bit young to really get all of the lessons from Brother and Sister Bear, but we talk about them often and they serve as a starting point for getting Beansprout to do things such as set the table.

Scaredy Squirrel is the latest hit.  At first I wasn't sold on these books, as they seemed a bit too busy for my taste.  However, we have two of the books by author Melanie Watt, and Beansprout and Matt have been enjoying them immensely.  They've even determined that Beansprout would make a good squirrel friend, as he passes Scaredy Squirel's friend test every time.

I can't wait to start series chapter books with Beansprout, but we aren't quite there yet.  Any book series you would recommend for kids big or small?  I'd love to hear what your favorites are!

Thoughtful Thursday

Morning Reading

"Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are."

                                                  --Mason Cooley

Book Storage

Living Room Book Storage.

Books on the Ottoman.

I mentioned in my first post this month, that we are bursting at the seams with books.  It's a good problem to have, as one of the most important ways to make a reader is to offer him an abundance of things to read.  The trouble is deciding what to do with all of the books!  I have all but one book case left in the living room now, it's the one with the doors where I hide all of our paperwork and office-y stuff.  Every shelf of the other two bookcases was taken over long ago by the toddler in our house.

In an effort to create a sense or order and to make clean-up time a bit more manageable, I finally took some time to organize them.  The baskets now hold his Wild Baby Magazines, his board books, and the soft cover books that tend to be all different sizes, while all the hard cover books take up the rest of the shelves vertically.  And, because our house has that lived-in look, I love how a few books are always on the side table or on the ottoman just waiting to be picked up and read aloud.

More and more BOOKS!

That's just the living room.  I have found that having books in every room is not only good for the reader, but also keeps me from going insane with too many books in one spot.  One of my favorite forms of book storage is using picture rails.  This method of storing books is also much better for children, because they can easily recognize all of their books from the front cover.  I was really excited when we finally installed some picture shelves to hold the books in Beansprout's room (which is now the office).  The fact that the extra special books can be placed up out of reach but can still be seen is even better.  Is it wrong to admit that I am secretly happy these are now part of the office?  I have images of OUR books and MY magazines filling the shelves in the near future . . .

Beansprout's book shelf.

 

Stool with books.

Though I feel our book storage reality pales to all of the book storage ideas I have in my mind and see on the creative blogs, I like the systems that have developed.  In Beansprout's room, he has the tow truck shelf sitting on top of another little table that also holds a few books and a little stool sits next to his bed with nighttime stories.  As well, the Expedit from IKEA allows us to create interesting shelving displays that hold both books and toys in his room and in the playroom.

Not so fancy under-bed storage.

I don't know if just pushing books underneath the bed can be considered thoughtful storage, but it allows us to have Beansprout books in our room without taking up any drawer or shelf space, so it works for us!

There are so many wonderful ideas out there for book storage!  Just today I saw this link to KidCrave via Modern Parents Messy Kids.  A whole display of fun and unique book shelves for kids.  Do you happen to drool over the same types of storage for books?  Any good secrets you have up your sleeve for organization and storage?

Have a Book Party!

I've been in a book club for a few years now and one of my favorite traditions is our book exchange and children's book donation at our December meeting.  We don't make a special party out of it, but I love the fact that a big bag of books is dropped off to be given as needed and that we keep books circulating by exchanging a favorite off of our own book shelves.

A few of the blogs I follow have had book-themed parties and there are a ton of great ideas for the perfect finishing touches on pinterest!  I thought it would be fun to highlight some of the stuff I've found - maybe it will be the perfect inspiration for your own book party this summer :)

Library Party from Ruffles and Stuff!

Daisy, from Ruffles and Stuff, just threw a library party for her little 5-year-old.  The details are adorable!  She has thought of it all: book invites, reading glasses for the kids, and cute party favors, which all come together to make the perfect party for any age!

I think I really like that there are so many different ways you can add details to book a party!  I've individually linked these pins below - there are some great printables, a wonderful Mothergoose-themed menu, and lots of other ideas for incorporating books into the party decorations!

All Things Books Board on Pinterest!

From left to right:

Pin #1    Pin #2    Pin #3    Pin #4    Pin #5

Pin #6    Pin #7    Pin #8    Pin #9    Pin #10



Hope you enjoy!  Happy Reading!

Parenting Books

At the moment there is one book in particular that I have to talk about if you're at all interested in parenting books!  I think all parents (and teachers) should read this book -- it is well-written and easy to relate to.  The Whole Brain Child, by Daniel Siegel, takes brain research and applies it to kids and their emotions.  He and his writing partner, Tina Payne Bryson, use specific examples of parenting issues such as tantrums to show not only how you can help your child re-group but also how you can use the moments to re-connect.

iPad Screenshot via Kindle

I realize as soon as I write the words "brain research" some people may be immediately turned off, thinking it's too heavy in doctor/psychologist speak, but in reality it is quite the opposite.  Siegel and Bryson break down the important aspects of brain research and apply them in an everyday way that doesn't dumb down the material, but makes it completely accessible.  They include specific strategies you can use to help children fully develop their brains and to integrate the parts of their brains.  They even use illustrations that may be useful in helping your child with those big emotions that occur when our brain isn't "integrated".  

Siegel explains that young brains are constantly being rewired and that the different experiences we offer them will wire it in different ways.  This brain research shows that our parenting directly affects and shapes a child's brain.  I am so excited by how transformational this research can be for parenting and educating!  On the one hand there are many parent-child interactions that feel natural and innate which now have brain research to back up why they work.  And on the other hand, there are some great strategies you can learn that approach parenting a little differently than our own parents may have.  

I highly recommend it to anyone who interacts with kids, as it gives me hope that we can continue to help raise emotionally intelligent young people who are ready for the world.

Beyond Books - Creating Skits

Even when Beansprout had limited language skills, he loved creating skits based on the books we were reading.  I remember one of his favorites being a re-enactment from Bear Wants More, by Jane Wilson, where Bear gets stuck, because he has eaten too much and can't fit into his cave anymore.  Matt and I would "get stuck" in the play tunnel and Beansprout would have to pull us out.  He thought this was absolutely hilarious and wanted to play again and again.  At that time he didn't need much language and it was an easy way to make a connection to his reading.  

Dingo Dog & Officer Flossie 

Beansprout's ever-expanding language skills have helped us keep talking about his books more and more.  The most recent skit we've been working on is inspired by Richard Scary's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go.  This book has been one of our favorites since Beansprout got it for his first birthday, and I find it amazing that it continues to inspire him two years later!  The fun in this skit is the fact that Beansprout, acting as Dingo Dog, is getting away with something.  He commits a traffic violation and Officer Flossie, starring Momma or Daddy, yells after him with a "ticket" in hand.  It makes him giggle like crazy and he yells back, "I'm not stopping!" as he bikes away.  This skit has been adapted for the "gate" in the hallway we've created with a cardboard box, too -- someone goes through the gate without a key and is chased after to be given a ticket.  To Beansprout these are fun games, but in my eyes they really are the beginnings of making something out of literature.  

How have children's books inspired your play?  How do you make connections to their books after story time is over?

Don't Forget the Story in the Ilustrations

Long before I had a child of my own, I was always drawn to the children's section of the book store - I loved spending time just soaking up the beautiful and artistic illustrations!  Whenever I had the opportunity to buy a gift for a child in my life, it was always a book or two (or three).  This behavior was usually attributed to the fact that I was a teacher, but in reality I was just thrilled that I could finally purchase some of the gorgeous books I longed to own myself.

Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
The illustrations in this book add so much to the story!  You get to see sweet Trixie running an errand with her dad and all of the action of the neighborhood in the background.  

When Beansprout was first born, we started buying children's book on every shopping trip.  I also began to read everything I could get my hands on that had to do with parenting.  The Mem Fox book, Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever, is one that I often think back on when I'm reading to him still.  I highly recommend picking it up, as it's a quick, easy read and it helps you realize how much you are already doing to build your child's reading skills, while giving you great ideas for expanding your approach.  I found an excerpt the other day that reminded me to help Beansprout appreciate and love books for their illustrations as much as I do!

"It's important to point out [here] the significance of the illustrations in books for young children.  We mustn't skip over them.  The pictures tell a thousand words and help unlock the action of the story.  In some read-aloud sessions, we're not even reading at all -- we're talking back and forth about the illustrations and what's in them.  The younger the child, the more we'll be chatting together about the pictures and it will be the child more often than not who starts the discussion."

After reading this again, I realized that part of what I love about word-less picture books is just this - the fact that the child can initiate the discussion and that we can interact more with each other and with the book while reading.  I've gotten too caught up in the words in the other story books and haven't spent a lot of time talking to Beansprout about the illustrations when we're reading together, so this is a great reminder for me!

How do you approach reading with your children?  What are some books you recommend for illustrations?  I'd love to hear your ideas!

Friday Favorites - Board books

Favorite Board Books

I thought it would be nice to do Friday Favorites this month as a way to get some ideas out there and hopefully start a conversation about favorite kid's books.  When I pulled out my iPhone to capture a photo of some of our favorite board books, I realized it was much harder than I thought to narrow down some of our most-read books.  These are probably our top five, but part a lot of me wanted to make a top ten!  I have such wonderful memories of Little Beansprout when I see these books.  These are all books that he still has on his bookshelves and he will often open them up when he's reading on his own.  I'm sure that they have all contributed to his love of reading and they are books that we also really enjoyed reading with him.


Moo, Baa, La La La, from Sandra Boynton. is a book we had in the car and must have read at least three or four times every car ride!  So many of her books are popular with children and parents, and this just happened to be the one that stuck for us -- I'm pretty sure I can still recite the whole book without the slightest prompt.  This is the first book that Beansprout would read along with me; I would start a page, he would recite the next, and we'd switch off until we reached the end where we had to be quiet.

My best friend told me about Hug, from Jez Alborough, as it was one her son's favorites.  I'm lucky she read it first, because I was prepared for my little guy to be upset about Bobo not finding a hug from his mommy.  Matt made a great game with this book -- he would have Beansprout yell just like Bobo, "HUUUUUG!" which Beansprout absolutely loved!  I think this is the first book he started reading on his own - he would stand at his table and flip through whispering the story to himself.  It's an almost-wordless picture book, which makes it really easy to keep reading over and over again, as you can change up how it's read and notice different things every time.

I knew about the Bear Snores On, by Jane Wilson from my good friend Megan!  She and I had worked together on incorporating children's literature into our classes and this was one of her favorites.  I was thrilled when I found the series of three at Costco in board book form!  The other two are just as fun for Beansprout: Bear Wants More and Bear's New Friend.  Again, these are books that we have read again and again and again and again!  The rhythm of the language is fantastic and all the characters are full of personality.

Little Blue Truck, Alice Schertle, is a book we immediately knew Beansprout would adore.  We bought it at a time when he was really into all things TRUCK.  That being said, he hasn't tired of it the way he has other truck books because it makes wonderful use of onomatopoeia, and the illustrations are lovely.  I can't forget to mention that there is also big, inconsiderate dump truck, who requires a burly, grumpy voice, which I think is a big hit with Beansprout.  In the end it offers a nice little message about being friendly and kind to others.

It's no surprise to see Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? from Bill Martin and Eric Carle, on a top-five list, but it has definitely been one of Beansprout's favorites as far as first exploring animals goes. They have the repetition down just right, and I love its companion books for learning all things animals.  Who knew that a peacock yelps!?!

What are some of your favorite books for children?  Do you consult top lists when you purchase books?

Thoughtful Thursday

"There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world.  Love of books is the best of all."

                                                                      -- Jacqueline Kennedy

Make-Your-Own Books Part 1

I have really enjoyed taking photos and trying to improve my photography skills the last few years.  I couldn't think of a better way to combine reading and photography, as to create my own little books for Beansprout.  There are a ton of different photo book publishers out there and if you pay attention you can get some really good deals, too!

Summer Vacation 2011 Book

Summer Vacation 2011 Book

Summer Vacation 2011 Book

This is the first book I created for Beansprout.  I took our vacation photos and put them into a book with simple words to describe what Beansprout did on his adventures.  It was definitely a big hit in our home!  Beansprout gets to see pictures of himself and re-live all the fun we had at the Sunshine Coast last summer.  I used MyPublisher, which makes it very easy to upload photos and they have a lot of great templates.  This book a softback, which I was concerned about at first, but it is still in pretty good shape almost a year later.  I will post more ideas over the weekend for creating your own books and stories for your children.

Would you take your family photos and make a story?  Any publishers you especially love?

Beyond Books - Telling Stories

A slight veer from books specifically, I would love to talk about telling stories.  We have been telling "Beansprout Stories" for well over a year now and it is the highlight of bedtime.  (This is his actual request, "Beanspoutstories" which comes out as one word and makes me giggle because he's onto his alias.)  It's amazing how much kids feed off of hearing stories about themselves and their lives!  We started by simply re-telling Beansprout his adventures from the day, as I had read and heard a few times that it helps children process their day if you go through the details.  As he has gotten older, Beansprout now chimes in with things that he specifically recalls and often times he re-tells certain parts of the day a few times.  I'm thrilled that we've established such a wonderful routine with him, as I think it helps him move on from events that may have bothered him or that he was curious about.

Lunchtime Stories with Beansprout

Since starting "Beansprout Stories" at bedtime, we've moved to using Beansprout stories to talk about bigger events as well.  He LOVES hearing about his birth story and thinks it's just as funny as I do that he relieved himself on one of the doctors when he was born.  He also likes hearing about how brave he was at the dentist and how he fell asleep on the ferry ride we spent so much time preparing him for.  After reading a great post from Royan Lee about "Mike-Stories", we even took some time to record a few of our favorites, with Beansprout chiming in on the good parts.

One other form of storytelling that has been a huge help for us, is re-telling events that scared or hurt our little guy.  Even when he was quite young, he really enjoyed going over how he fell down or how he bumped into something for the hundredth time.  As well, the book The Whole Brain Child helped us support him in overcoming his fear of the stairs.  He had fallen on the stairs one day and spent a month or more not wanting to go down without one of us holding his hand.  When I re-told him the story of what happened a few times, that he wasn't being careful and he hadn't been holding on to the railing, it took no time before he was going down the stairs again on his own.  Amazing.  Even the other day, when he had his first big wipe-out on his bike, telling the story a few times empowered him to get right back on.

My next goal is to try using make-believe storytelling more, using the world around us to create stories!

Do you remember creating stories when you were a kid?  Did you have any favorites that your parents told you?

Reading = Connecting

Connecting with Auntie Becky

As I was looking through pictures the other day, I realized that whenever we have people visit, Beansprout almost immediately wants to read with them.  Anyone who is game for a story will soon find my little guy on their lap or leaning on their shoulder with a good book.  We often have to limit the number of books he hopes to have read to him, reminding him that our guests are visiting the whole family :)  It occurred to me when I saw this photo, that this is his way of making a connection with people.  He gets to show them what he knows (he has read all of these books a zillion times!) and he gets to be close to them without the pressure of being too close to people.  He's connecting.

He also wants to connect with Matt and me. There are days when life gets hectic - we may have a lot to do, or we may be pre-occupied with the stresses of the week; and on these days Beansprout doesn't get the attention he's used to.  As I reflect, I realize Beansprout is a pretty smart little guy; many times he just finds a book and asks for us to read to him.  We can't refuse, of course.  We sit down, open the book, and viola! - we're connected.  It's so simple and yet so powerful.  Just the act of slowing down our adult-world brains and focusing on the story helps bring us back to our usual attunement to him.  Some days it's easier than others, that's for sure.  Yet the realization that this is what is going on, that Beansprout is trying to make a connection with us, is empowering - to know that he's reaching out makes it even more important to me that we meet him halfway.

I've also found that this works both ways.  When Beansprout is acting out, or not really with the program, it is easy to get him back on track by sitting down and reading a book with him.  He's able to focus his attention and suddenly the moment is transformed.  A whiney or out-of-control three-year-old is back to himself.  The trick is to remember this in the moment, of course.

Do you have any reading connections you use with your children?  I have focused on reading with kids, but there are so many other ways to make connections with reading!  What tricks do you have?  Also, I'm writing about BOOKS all month!  If you haven't already, check out my other posts: For-Kids Magazines,  Wordless Picture Books, and We Love Books, and thanks for reading!

For-Kids Magazines

National Wildlife Federation Publications for Kids

I distinctly remember going to allergy appointments with my friend as a kid and reading Highlights Magazine in the waiting area - I loved it!  I always wanted to do the puzzles and was just intrigued by the fact that it was a magazine for kids.  This must have been the start of my problem.  I've mentioned it before, I have a magazine obsession!  So it comes as no surprise in our house that I'm just as excited as Beansprout when his Wild Animal Baby Magazine appears in the mailbox each month!  Wild Animal Baby Magazine is produced by the National Wildlife Federation.  Beansprout loves it - we have collected them all (save for the few that he tore apart when he was younger!).  He now gets Your Big Backyard from the same company and in the next month or so will also get the National Geographic Little Kids.  We're so thankful to the grandparents for these gifts!  Better than a toy that loses its novelty, these subscriptions are one of those gifts that keeps on giving.

Olive the Owl Feature Story

It's fun to see Beansprout learning so much from these little magazines!  We count animals, read a story about a specific baby animal, and learn what kinds of things animals do.  His latest phrase prompted by reading the most recent issue is, "Momma, a jackal is a kind of dog."  Followed by practicing the way a jackal talks of course -- which by the way, is slightly different from a wolf -- "ee-oo-oww-rrr."

Ricky and Pals Story

We recently switched to Your Big Backyard only because the stories seemed a little more advanced - I noticed that based on other books we've been reading together, the stories in Wild Animal Baby were feeling too simplified.  That being said, he can read these magazines again and again and he DOES!  We have a basket that is full of them and Beansprout often brings a pile of them over for us to read through with him.








What are your thoughts on exposing kids to a magazine-style book?  Do you remember Highlights Magazine?  I know there are other made-for-kids magazines out there - are there any you'd recommend?  I'd love to hear from you!

Wordless Picture Books

Wave by Suzy Lee

I don't remember how we started with the wordless picture books, but they have been one of my favorite parts of reading to Beansprout the last few years.  I love all they have to offer in terms of noticing and of being aware.  It's amazing how much of story can be told in pictures, and it's something I sometimes lose sight of when I'm reading other children's books.  There is so much meaning behind the way the illustrator chooses to portray the scene, the characters, and the background; sadly, I sometimes miss these subtleties because I'm focusing on the language and the telling.  Using wordless picture books has allowed us to slow down a little and concentrate on some serious reading strategies.  We talk about where things are happening, about who and what are in the picture and predict why they are there.  One of my favorite scenes is from the book Wave, by Suzy Lee. Toward the end of the story, the little girl who has been playing in the water is excited to show her mom the sea treasure she has found on the beach.  What I love about the scene is that you don't actually see her mother until the next page, but you can infer who she is talking to because of a small part of her mother's umbrella that hangs just at the end of the page.  I'm thrilled that we have the opportunity to help build such an important skill with Beansprout at such a young age.  

Wave is a book I highly recommend, if you're interested in trying out wordless picture books!  The illustrations are stunning and it's amazing the way she uses color to give life to the ocean.  We also love the escapades of the ever-alluding walrus in Where's Walrus by Stephen Savage.  Flotsam by David Wiesner and The Secret Box by Barbara Lehman are both big hits, because of their mystery and introduction to concepts of time and time travel.  We recently acquired The Chicken Thief and it's companion, Fox and Hen Together, by Beatrice Rodriguez, based on online recommendations. 

Chicken Thief by Beatrice Rodriguez

Where's Walrus by Stephen Savage

Flotsam by David Wiesner

 

Wordless picture books make building reading skills effortless.  I also believe they really grow with the child, because after hearing you tell the story different times and different ways, the child begins to see his own way of telling the story.  There's nothing I love more than to see Beansprout standing at his play table flipping through a picture book and telling the story to himself!  I can't wait to see how these books can also serve as storytelling and writing prompts in the future. 

Are you familiar with wordless picture books?  Do you remember creating your own stories based on those you read as a child?  I would love to hear if you have wordless picture books you think everyone should have in their library!

We Love Books!

Trucking Books May 2011

Some days I feel we have truck loads of children's books.  They seem to be everywhere in our home!  They're on every floor of the house, they've taken over the living room book shelves, are tucked under beds, fill baskets, and are even tucked in dresser drawers.  As I think about it, I realize it's pretty funny that they aren't in the bathroom - I guess we haven't gotten to that stage yet :)  I'm thrilled that it's a problem that we have too many and that I can't seem to part with any of them, even the ones that are far too babyish for Beansprout.

Realizing we are bursting at the seams with books, I've been thinking about doing a post to talk about our favorite books and to show where we keep them.  The thing is, I've dragged my feet for who-knows-how-long and have yet to take the pictures.  So, I decided I need some motivation!  In October last year, I took part in a 31 day challenge and talked all month about PLAY.  It was so much fun and really kept me on top of photos and blogging because I had a goal I wanted to achieve.  That's why I've decided to make June all about books.  30 days of BOOKS!  I plan to talk about book storage, book favorites, library books, kids magazines, and I even have my best friend lined up to do a couple of guest posts!  I'm really excited and hope you'll read along with me!

To get things started, I'd love to hear what your childhood favorites were!  I remember loving The Monster at the End of this Book and Corduroy.

P.S.  Don't you love the Tow Truck Book Shelf!?!  It was a gift from Grandma and Grandpa last year - bought it at Superstore, but I think they've discontinued the line.  Boo.

Month in Photos - May 2012

May Favorites

Tractor fun at Maplewood Farm.

Bubble machine!

Sharing birthday cake with E.

First milkshake mustache.

Happy 3rd Birthday!

New tool box from Grammy and Papa.

Building blocks with Papa.

Helping Grammy celebrate her birthday.

Month in Photos - April 2012

April Favorites

Visit on the deck with Auntie Tracy

First official check-up at the dentist.

Meeting Huckle Cat.

Bunny graham giggles with Daddy.

Climbing like a monkey!

New activity at our favorite park - hanging!

Checking out the dug-outs.

Chillin' on the coach, watching Cat in the Hat.