A New Reader

Maggie decided to choose this day to read to me. I mean really truly honestly and completely read to me. It was the best feeling ever. Gosh it was just beautiful to hear her voice. Words fail me right now and I wish I could time lock the emotions that ran out of me as she read word after word. For months, for more than a year, I have been trying to encourage Maggie to read a few words here and there but she has always refused to perform for me.

I have always been so sure she knows how to read. I see her mouth form the beginning sounds as her eyes glance over the letters and she has known her alphabet letters, upper case, lower case and phonetic since she was two, maybe earlier. Any place we go, any place -- a party, a restaurant, a supermarket, a park, a nature center, a DIY store, an airport, train station, a museum. Virtually any place I have taken her where there is a book she will find it, and she will "read it". She will find the one and only book in any facility and park herself on the nearest flat surface to browse the pages (you see my frustration that her love of books did not appear to bring along a love of reading the words within the pages?)

Today, out of the blue she just picked up book and read the tittle. Just like that. I did my usual thing as she introduced a new book to me, "Oh, that looks like a lovely book Maggie. What do you think its about? Look at the pictures. What do you think the tittle is?" "Bear Finds Some Treasure" she says quietly. We exchange in dialogue for a bit about the book and how well she read it and she brings me another book. "And this one Maggie. What does this one say?" "Miss Mingo and the First Day of School" ..."My Little Sister Hugged An Ape"..."Duck in the Muck"... and the reading went on and on.

She was truly marvelous today. I could squeeze her to mulch. I am so proud of her. I am so excited for her too. This is the beginning of a beautiful love affair for her. I can hardly contain myself.