Big Adventures for Tiny Humans, No. 9
Book.
Lap.
The request is immediately followed by vigorous head nodding, pointing toward the books, and possibly running to find today’s favorite.
Since the new year Otto has landed in the stage where a book can be read 20 times in one sitting, and he’s still fascinated. Mat. (Toddler pronunciation of the Spanish ‘mas’ for more.)
I don’t remember this stage with Louisa. A fascination with books? Absolutely. But the endless repetition of certain books is new for us.
It usually starts as I scoop him out of his crib in the morning. Book. Lap. Pointing to last night’s bedtime story. And it continues in intervals throughout the day. Sometimes we read the favorite book again and again, and other times I prod him to pick something else. Fortunately, we’ve gathered a small collection of favorites.
A year ago as Otto approached his first birthday, we could hardly get through the briefest of board books with him at bedtime. We stuck with it, and that commitment has paid off. Not only does he want someone to read to him in any relaxed moment, he happily plops down in front of a bookshelf and pages through one book after another on his own.
At 22 months next week, there are still adored board books in heavy rotation:
Spot Lift-the-flap - we have three and those flaps have been heavily taped
Soup Day
Goodnight Gorilla
Eek! Halloween was the favorite of 2020 - I could recite the whole thing in my sleep
But his interest and attention in picture books is also coming along, which is a transition I remember loving when Louisa was a toddler.
Sometimes I hesitate in pushing the picture books, especially ones we’ve borrowed from the library, because the truth is that Otto is a book ripper. There are the accidental rips, but there are also the intentional ones where he’s clearly looking for a reaction. We joke that ripped books get sent to the repair shop in mom’s office, but it’s not really a joke. I’ve taped so many books recently.
Of course we remind that books should be treated carefully and that they’re not for ripping, but there’s a part of me that doesn’t mind that much. Those crumpled and taped up pages add a little personality and will, down the road, remind us of the most loved stories in our collection.
Picture book favorites at the moment include:
The Bear Ate Your Sandwich
Bunny Built
McToad Mows Tiny Island
Red Car, Red Bus
Mole, Please Open the Door
Little Owl’s Bedtime
