READ!

I have always, always, always, for as long as I can remember, loved to read.  It was not uncommon for me to ask for books for christmas or my birthday {which, lets be honest are pretty much one and the same} even as a kid.  Lately as Dawson has gotten older we are in a great pattern of reading during breakfast, lunch, snack, before nap, before bedtime and of course, whenever they plop down with a book.  One of the biggest benefits of reading to kids is expanding their vocabulary.  Here is just a little example from today:

Ava and Dawson are playing with cars and wooden blocks.  They had lined up the blocks to make a little road on the floor and were running the cars back and forth on it.  Then Ava decides to play Godzilla and knock it all over.  As Dawson is screaming I ask Ava "Why did you knock over the road?"

She looked at me and said "Well, Mom, it's a complex situation."

Goofy Goofy kid.  But she did reassemble the road for Dawson.

{Shh, still working on Mike but I'd love to get rid of television for awhile.  I'm hoping to do this at lent.  I tried to convince him last year, but it was a no go.  Luckily lent does not fall during football season.}