Wisdom For Athena: Was it as good for you as it was for me?

My precious, beautiful, cantankerous little genius.....

Once upon a time something told me that there was an exceptional beginning inside of me. And that beginning was YOU. And from the moment I knew there was a new being, new life, new start within me...I did what I could to make sure you loved books. I started reading to you from the MOMENT you were conceived. You know that books, words, stories, they have played such a fundamental role in bringing me to this point, to this place, maybe I shouldn't say brought me...perhaps I should say books brought me BACK to where I have always belonged. So it was only natural that if there was to be an extension of me.....a piece of me that would live on when I no longer could...that this piece could carry on what I thought was so magical about stories...to pass on to everyone they knew and crossed paths with how vital words are to our existence. How they enrich our lives, connect us to people, makes us question, ponder, believe, linger for, imagine, empathize, love, laugh, cry, and I could go on and on, but essentially, what I guess I am trying to say is that books, stories, words....they helped me live and I wanted you to know that. I wanted you to feel what I felt in the midst of a great story that tore me apart from literally EVERYTHING. NeeNee...there have been books, I kid you not, that I have not done ANYTHING else but read them in an entire day. I have devoured 1,000+ page books in a day or two. I will seriously reject all other human life form, food intake...personal hygiene...okay okay you're right maybe not all that...but NOTHING takes precedence over a good book (that is, until you have a child) MAN OH MAN....is it ever HARD to read with a small child....today I set the timer on your iPad and grabbed a book after I had ran a bath for myself, lit some candles, all that jazz...I said, " Athena when the buzzer goes off you can join me in the bath..." I set the timer for 15 minutes...enough to read at least 2-3 chapters in one of the books I was working on currently...1.5 minutes later you come strolling into my bathroom, having to pee, poop, contemplate the intricacies of the universe, talk about string theory....absolutely anything you could think of to just be in the same room with me. I just wanted a few minutes of silence to curl up to a delicious story. But YOU....you weren't having it. I said, "Athena, grown ups need to have at least a little alone time, just like I give you when you need it, otherwise they might go crazy and call Viola Swamp...." To which you responded, " Ugh, can I just poop? Anyways, I am talking to myself, not you. And AND FINE! I'll whisper!" How is this all connected to books? I will tell you how....you are 3 flippin years old ...talking to me like you were fifteen...that wouldn't be the case..had I not read to you from day one...and I literally mean day ONE...and kept that up to this day. They way you speak, express yourself, it's not normal ..or maybe it is and just not enough people know how powerful it is to pass on the love of words to your child. I have always kept you surrounded by books, you have seen me read, to you and to myself for sheer pleasure, to educate myself, to figure something out, to personalize an experience, you have seen me rustle through a dictionary when I didn't know a word and jot down in the margins of a book what a certain word meant, so that when I danced again with that book I wouldn't have to pause for formalities, we'd be old friends. I have witnessed you emulate all that I felt was important about books and our own personal story. I can't begin to attempt to find the words to express how moved I am for what I see has been absorbed into your mind and heart. I will tell you more about that another time ...this is where I want to end tonight. Look below for some pictures of how you are always surrounded by books....
I love you my darling..
Always
And
Forever...