Books, Books, Books...

G is reading. She started spontaneously reading in July. We were sitting in the car, under a billboard, when she looked up and said "mom, what does "mix it up" mean?" It was a billboard for Culver's milkshakes. From that beginning, she has taken off. She spent maybe a month on easy readers. Now, she can read books without pictures for clues. At bedtime, she is trying to take over the reading of bedtime stories. Much to A's chagrin.

By the records, the girls are 18 months apart. In actuality, they are about 12 months apart. However, much that happens with artificial twins occurred with them. G is very, very tiny. A grew very, very fast. They have been the exact same size for over a year now. They wear the same clothes, the same size shoes, are the same height, and A weighs a pound or so more than G. Due to the similarities, I think we treated them very similarly. My peas in a pod. The dynamic duo. What one did, the other one did. We didn't really treat G like she was older or vice versa. They went to the same preschool.

A had a hard time with G going to Kindergarten this year. Our mantra has been "when you are 5, you will go to kindergarten too". Repeat. Over and over. A is not convinced that she is not being deprived in some way. Now G can read. And read extremely well. So A thinks that she should read too. But she is not there developmentally. She sees herself as THE SAME AS her sister, so she is bound and determined to try. She doesn't just want to tell the story from the pictures. She wants to read the words. When she can't, I try to help. Then she gets mad. G doesn't need any help, why should she? So I stop helping. Then she is mad at herself, for not being able to read. Sweetie, mommy couldn't read at 3. Daddy couldn't read at 3. G couldn't read at 3. It's not a contest or a race. You are not less than because you can't read. How can we fill that empty space inside that tells you you have to do everything perfectly or you are flawed, defective?

So we downplay G's amazing acomplishments, so as not to stir the pot. Wrong, I know. I've never seen a child read like this - ever. She is so far beyond her classmates with reading that her teacher is putting her in a program for gifted readers. They've never had a kindergartener in the program before. G has always been in love with words. She could talk at 9 months old, and used 3 word sentences by her first birthday. When she was 18 months old, there was nothing she couldn't say. And use correctly in a sentence.

G, we're so glad you have mommy and daddy's love for books. They will feed your mind, fill your soul. A, be patient. Give yourself time to grow up. Be our baby a while longer.