For Mrs. Davis

In honor of Sesame Street's 37th season, Mrs. Davis asks, “What television, music, movie, or book from your childhood are you excited about sharing with your children?”

When I was pregnant with Fuller, somewhere in my seventh month, I went on a small spending spree on some books and music from my childhood. I had all these items in my online shopping cart and then I saw the subtotal and went, “Whoa.”

Delete item. Delete item. Delete item.

I still purchased some books and CDs, but the only item from my childhood was the Really Rosie CD which I remember my mom having the LP when I was little. Sure, I look forward to singing “Alligators all around…” with Fuller, but excited? I don’t know.

I look forward to dancing to Graceland with Fuller, like I did when my dad got the record and I was trusted to use the record player by myself. I would be extra careful when moving the turntable needle carefully to skip “Boy in the Bubble” and just listening to Graceland over and over.

My cousin Melisa would tell you that I loved Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood when I was really little. The Cosby Show was a weekly part of our family tv schedule.

I loved reading and I have my favorites- Blueberries for Sal, Anne of Green Gables, Besty, Tacy, & Tib, and others.

I plan on introducing all of these to Fuller, but I don’t hold on to them with trembling excitement waiting for the day that Fuller will be equally excited to learn about them.

Instead I look forward to the day that Fuller discovers reading for himself. I read to him now, but he doesn’t connect yet with the pictures, the words, the turning of the cardboard pages. I look forward to reading the same book to him over and over, because he likes the figuring out what the Brown Bear sees or knowing what the caterpillar ate.

He dances now to any music that comes on and it is delightful. He loves to sing, mimicking melodies and rhythms with his vocalizations and always ending with a big finish (louder and higher is better). I am trembling with excitement waiting for the day that he asks to listen to a certain CD that he identifies with and sings along with gusto.

As Fuller grows and his awareness of the world grows I am just excited to see the awareness develop. I’m sure I will influence it in some way, but until he grasps a basic love for books and music, I am left imagining what he will love and enjoy in the future.

(Mrs. Davis is looking for 37 entries to answer her question. If you want to ponder and post, check out her entry and drop her an email!)