The Day of 100 Books

We used to read so many books to D.  In fact, I have often said when he was a 1-year-old, we probably read him 100 books a day.  I miss those days, and I've been planning a day in my head for a long time....a day to repeat that.  We were out late last night and the kids woke cranky and overtired.  DaddyHealy had to leave on a trip this morning, it is raining and cold, and I knew I was going to be holding one, if not 2 kids all day long.  So, I suggested the day of 100 books.  The little Healys ran around like mad, collecting favorite books, ones we haven't read in a while, classics, and some they forgot we had.  We snuggled under fleece blankets and began the journey.   

In case you are contemplating just how many books that is, this is a picture of just the first 37 books.

There are so many things I love about reading to my children...the learning, the discussion, testing their knowledge or understanding, snuggles, together time, stories, rhymes...but as I look at the mound of books piled high on our coffee table at the end of this day I think what I love most of all is the memories tied to each book.  We've talked about when we lived at "the little yellow house" and Grandma Mary mailed us this dolphin book.  We've remembered the book-lady who sends us a new one every birthday and Christmas.  We reminisced about when our friend Baby Paul and his momma taught us to do a dance to one of our favorite Sandra Boynton books.  MommaHealy tells stories like "this was your favorite book when you were a baby," or, "this was momma's favorite book when she was a little girl," or "Grandma Lana gave this book to you when you were just 2 weeks old," or "Your aunt picked this out for your first birthday because you loved cats so much." 

So those of you out there who love and miss us as much as we love and miss you, fear not.  You are part of our lives and our conversation every day, in acts as simple as choosing a bedtime story or snuggling up on the couch for a good book.