Childhood relived

I've begun reading a book to Sass every night. Not a picture book, like we used to. A real honest-to-goodness book that we both can enjoy.

We sort of fell into it by accident. I read to relax every night. She'd crawl up into my lap, so I read out loud. I think she must have really enjoyed it because she started coming to me regularly, expecting to hear me read the story. It was very nice, for both of us, just sitting in the rocker, spending quality time together.

Our first story was Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster, written in 1912, but the prose is so engaging that it isn't difficult to read at all. In fact, it reads very much like a teen historical novel written today.

Our current story is Mandy by Julie Edwards, one of my favorite books from my childhood. My grandmother had a copy on her shelves -- a hardcover -- and I loved reading the book whenever I went to her house. I'd sit on her couch or at the dining room table and fall in love with the little cottage all over again. I didn't find out until much, much later (in my 20s) that the author was truly none other than Julie Andrews, whom I absolutely adored as Mary Poppins.

I think next will be Heidi, another favorite at my grandmother's house.

I am so excited that Sass is finally old enough to enjoy books with me, not just picture books. And although I never really think of myself as a girly-girl, but I'm so glad to have a daughter who wants to share these with me.