The one thing I have seen over the past two years is just how much Lisa does as a mom in making our daughter such a special little girl. While there are literally hundreds of things Lisa does with Siena, I think the most special one is reading to her. Lisa makes it a priority every day to read to Siena and read with Siena.
Yes, Siena is growing up in a different world than we did with more multi-media gadgets to teach and distract her and lots of neat toys. She has swim lessons, My Gym, play dates and what seems like a very full calendar some days for a two year old. She operates an Ipad about as well as I do and has more apps on the Ipad than Lisa and I combined. But amidst all these things she loves nothing more than to read stories the good old-fashioned way (not on a kindle or nook).
We read to Siena every day and I truly believe this is where she learns the most. She completes sentences like she was reading the books and has committed her favorite pages to memory. She will sit by herself and page through books and even take her baby doll into her rocker and they read stories together now. It is a very big part of her days and before we start to forget here are some of her favorite books from her first two years:
• Goodnight Moon – she knows it by heart and so do we
• Twinkle, Twinkle Little Flake – a story about the Christmas in New York and the windows at Saks (which we visit every holiday with Siena) given to her by our dear friend Carol Carfioli (shopper extraoridnnarie).
• A Christmas Baby – the story of Christ’s birth is a year round favorite
• Brown Bear, Brown Bear – an Eric Carle icon
• In Grandmas Arms – She loved this colorful book about adventures with Grandma
• Wacky Wednesday – a Dr. Seuss favorite of Lisa’s, it all began with that shoe on the wall
• Imagine and Magic Beach – stories we picked up in Australia that Siena could probably read to us, just ask her who Princess Belinda is saving or which dinosaur is the pterodactyl.
• The Cat in the Hat Comes Back – she liked the first time he showed up too
• Dancing Dreams – what dancer will Gracie be today
• Biscuit – all his adventures, “woof woof” (given her first book by our Vance friends in Va and now we have a collection... she loves them so much).
• Somewhere Over the Rainbow – okay maybe we just like to sing that one to her (her Grammie Jane knows a good book)!
• Tickle Giggle Monster – Grandmas fun-time book with tickle gloves!
• Recorded books – beautiful, cherished gifts for family to give to a little reader!!!!
• Who Do You Love and When I Grow Up – touch and feel books
• Where is baby’s beach ball, belly button, etc. – these were great for her early reading and exploration
• What does baby say! – Always interested in this book
• How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? – She loves these silly dinosaur friends!
• I’m Such A Silly Baby! – Checked this book out at the library the first time and just had to put it on her wish list to add to her book collection
• Wild About Books - A beautifully illustrated fun storybook
• Big and Little – the story of Ellie the Elephant
