Libros libros libros!

Today I picked Penelope up from day care and headed to the library. The moment I turned into the parking lot she started clapping and yelled "Yay LIBROS!!" And Mommy's heart grew 3 sizes that day. It probably helps that I've been ordering every Elmo book that can be found in the Hennepin County interlibrary loan system. Every time we've visited in the past few weeks, we head to the special shelf where there's an Elmo book ready and waiting. Then we walk to the children's section to sit and read and watch other kids.

Penelope started saying libro a few weeks ago. I'll say "Do you want a book?" and she says "Yes, I read libro" (We seem to be in a spanglish phase right now. She also says "I get el pato" when she is playing with her rubber ducky). In the mornings the first thing she says is "Mama, libro!" She throws a fit if I pick her up out of the crib without allowing at least 10 minutes of reading time. And it has to be the right book. I pick a dozen books from her shelf and she says "NO, No, no, no" throws them out of her crib and keeps 2 or 3 to read. I never can tell if she woke up in a Lift the flap peek a boo mood or a Dr. Seuss The Foot Book mood.

We are sort of book obsessed people in our house. You can always see what I've just read on my Library Thing sidebar. I try to review every book I read so I can remember it. It's amazing how I'll put a book down and say "oh, I loved that one" and couldn't tell you a thing about it in a month. Then there are books that I disliked but certain scenes or characters stay with me for years.

Chris probably reads as much as I do now. He didn't used to be this way. In fact on our way to Scotland he stopped in the airport bookstore and picked out a sci fi book. In my journal I wrote "Oh my gosh! Chris is reading a book and he doesn't have to. I can't believe this!" Remember we had been dating for 6 years by this time so I did know his hobbies pretty well. The thing is he reads the same books over and over and over again. I rarely re-read and that's why I'm a library fanatic. I'd say about 99% of the books I read are from the library. Even in Scotland when I worked in a bookstore, I had a library card. A few years ago we toured Arizona and spent a day in my hometown. I hadn't been there in 9 years. After the trip I looked at my pictures, and I realized the only picture I took on that part of the trip was of the new library! It is a beautiful building, and I'm jealous I never got to use it.

I'm trying to work time in my schedule to be a library volunteer. They have a Communications Partner program where I'd help non-english speakers practice their English. I did this in NY years ago, and it would be fun to start again. The library I go to has a large population of Hispanic, Somali, Sudanese and Hmong immigrants. (Did you know Minneapolis had more Somali and Hmong immigrants than anywhere in the country? I like to throw in my "See the midwest is just as metropolitan as all you coast people" any time I can). Well, anyways, I'll fill everyone in if I start volunteering. It seems the right place to be a part of my community.

And one last Penny story...I'm realizing how much she observes us. I often have a book while I eat. One of those bad table manners that I can blame on my dad. I remember my mom came to the table once and my sister, dad and I were all engrossed in books while eating dinner. So Chris and I do try to put the books away at dinner time if we are eating together. But this morning as I was eating breakfast and reading "The Mystery of Capitalism" I looked over at Penny. She was eating her cheerios and flipping through "Goodnight Moon."

(Sorry this is such a long rambly no-picture blog post)