Bookworm in the Making

I grew up a voracious reader. LITERALLY. ( When I was pregnant I wanted to eat my books – I found out later that  I was iron-deficient ) but I thought it was funny at the time because all my life I loved reading so much that no matter where I was, as long as I had a book to read, all was right with the world.

I escaped into my books from long boring car rides, many family boat trips, shopping trips for carpet, furniture and new boats. I escaped from boat shows, dry dock, early spring weekends spent getting the boat ready for summer, football practices, and Sunday football. (My Dad’s favorite team was The Browns, therefore lots of screaming ensued and I spent most Sunday’s hiding in my room)

I watched my Mom and Grandma read just as passionately. I aggravated the heck out of my Dad with my ability to not hear or see a thing going on around me. I don’t think he quite understood that reading a book was even better than looking out a window on a car trip.

I was reading Mafia novels in the third grade, Stephen King by 5th, and the Classics through middle school. One of my most favorite days of all time (I have several of them locked away in my memory) is a day in late spring. It was unseasonably warm for Ohio, and I was in early pregnancy with my second child. I was so tired and nauseous. The hubby took our son who was a handful away for the entire day and I never left the bed reading two full books. I forgot to eat, didn’t have to get up more than twice and the fresh air blew through our bedroom window while I read. If you know me by now, momentous days can be marked by my memory of knowing exactly what I was wearing. I won’t bore you with the details but I can remember my exact pj’s and I even remember what our sheets and comforter looked like.

I have never had a day exactly like that since then, BUT over the past few weeks I have seen myself, my Mom and my Grandma in my daughter. She is starting to become lost in her books. I love to see it but I know I’m going to miss her while she is away in all the worlds she has yet to explore.

Last night, we were playing cards with the girls and were surprised how fast our youngest picked up the game and became a little card shark. We were also amused that our voracious reader picked up her book and read between hands. The hubby gave me a look and I said, “I completely understand, and I also understand how my Dad must have felt all at the same time.”

She played those cards while also reading her book. Just like I would have.

I know I have lot of years to see myself in her and her sister, but this glimpse was an especially fun one to see – like an old friend.

The Reader and The Cardshark

Unlike when I was yelling something from the bedroom and I heard the girls tell my husband I sounded JUST LIKE my Mom. (sorry Mom –I’ll try to represent you better next time!)