Long Live Laura Ingalls Wilder!

Sometime last year, during the spring or summer, Adelaide pulled a Laura Ingalls Wilder book off the shelf and started examining the pictures. "Will you read this to me?" she asked casually. I tried to answer just as casually: sure. It's only MY FAVORITE BOOK IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD I HOPE YOU LIKE IT. 

I'm not sure if she actually loves them just as much as I do, or if she is just listening to please me (then she's a good actress), but what is true is that we have read all five books in this picture (we are now on #6 The Long Winter). We both cried when their dog Jack died. Below is a picture of them "playing Laura Ingalls Wilder" and making a wagon with their toys. 

I realized sometime in the middle of that first month when Rosie was born that the most pleasurable moments of my day were reading LIW with Adelaide. The tiredness, gloominess, difficulties made the days kind of run into each other. But reading LIW with Adelaide brought real pleasure and enjoyment to THE BOTH OF US. Crazy as it seems, I have never really bonded over anything with my child until now. Sure, I've been to a million activities and playgroups and friends' houses with her. I've organized a million crafts and baked things together, etc etc. But real bonding and real enjoyment... MUTUAL (not just her) enjoyment... over a "wholesome recreational activity" as the mormons call it? Never until now. 

Now I understand what Sarah McKenzie means over at Read Aloud Revival about "creating a family culture through books". 

Long live Laura Ingalls Wilder!