A Letter to My Little Bookworm

Dearest Timmy — my little bookworm,

Your teacher said you have a special gift. You’re advanced for your age when it comes to reading, a consistent report during parent-teacher meetings. I am surprised and not surprised, if that’s possible. Not surprised because you were exposed to books when you were very young, surprised because I was happy you were advanced with something the whole family loves so much!

This is one of the earliest pictures we have together of your bookworm journey. You were one month old, and I had just gotten a new book. It was Dan Brown’s “The Lost Symbol.” I wanted to make sure I caught up on my reading while taking care of you, so why not read the book to you? You sure looked like you found it interesting!

Mommy reading a mystery novel to you.When you were 3 months old, you had learned to grasp items. That included your cloth book. It was a book about bunnies washing up for the night. A good night book. We still have it somewhere at home.

You couldn’t turn the pages yet, but you sure loved to read each one.We brought books with us everywhere we went. That included restaurants. It helped keep you focused and well-behaved while we waited for our orders. Here you are enjoying one of your earliest ABC books with Nonno.

Reading at Hap Chang.You listened intently when I’d read to you in bed. Here we are doing two things at the same time — practicing tummy time and reading in bed.

Loving the way you look at me!While you couldn’t sit on your own yet, that didn’t stop you from reading! You were reading everywhere. Even in the playpen.

The playpen is not just for playing. Nope.My little bookworm, you brought your love for books with you as the months went by. This is you at 7 months. We were hanging out at the neighborhood playground and we just had to bring a book. You sure were immersed in it!

This was one of your favorite books.When you could sit up on your own, reading became even more accessible to you. All we had to do was build a fort around you so you wouldn’t lose your balance, and so you could read your book at a good angle.

Deep in concentration. 9 months old.You read everything. Newspapers, Mama’s Kindle, and even yummy reads, like this one.

What to order…When you turned one year old, we got you your very own reading chair. It’s one of the best purchases we’ve ever made. You loved it so much! (You still use it up to now, by the way, 5 years later… though your legs are growing too long for it day by day.)

Notice the books in the background…When you were two, your book collection expanded. You began reading Disney Cars magazines and LOVED them. Here you are with your magazine rack, a gift from Nonno.

Reading on the floor is always okay with Mommy.Your book collection was quite expansive, so we used your toy bins to store books. You really are a little bookworm!

Toy Bins for BooksYour journey with reading has been exciting. You love bookstores, choosing to visit one over a toy store. You do a little dance and skip whenever we enter a bookstore. My heart soars when you do that because I, too, am a bookworm. It feels wonderful sharing this love for reading with you.

You are 5 now, and still love books. “Read books!,” you insisted this evening, but your eyes were already tired. I told you that we’d read tomorrow, when the sun is up and your eyes have rested. As I write this letter to you, I think back to one of today’s highlights — you, my little bookworm, quietly devouring a book in the middle of a quaint bookstore, happy, content, joyful.

My Little BookwormThere are so many books you have yet to read, and so you have so many journeys you have yet to take! I’m excited for you and all these wonderful discoveries you will be making in time. Books are friends. Books are love. Books are family. But hey, I don’t have to tell you that. You know that. Your heart knows that. You have a gift for it, you see? Cherish this gift, my dearest son, my little bookworm. For it’s one of the best gifts one can ever have.

I love you!

Always and forever,
Mommy

Hi! I'm Toni Tiu, and I've been blogging at at Wifely Steps since 2003. This started as a blog to help newly weds adjust to married life. It has evolved into a home and parenting blog. I write about things close to my heart -- good eats, good reads, family, marriage, and the little things that make everyday happy.