bedtime stories

This is Spangle, my daughters beloved bear. Well actually it is Spangle no.2 as the first one she had for 6 years and he was covered in fabric patches. She smuggled him in her bag when she went to the park with some friends one day and left him behind. Oh my what a day that was, she was heart-broken, we searched and searched in torrential rain and couldn't find him. My sister found her Spangle no.2 on E-bay and although she adores him, her heart belonged to no.1 and sometimes she still cries for him.

 Well at the start of another week I am feeling rather melancholy for some reason (probably hormonal!) Last night I was reading my daughter her bedtime story as usual. I get into bed beside her and we have a little cuddle first and then I ask her what she wants me to read to her. She absolutely loves it and usually is not satisfied with one story. Sometimes I am tired and a little grumpy, sometimes I would rather watch something on t.v., finish my sewing or catch up on google reader. Last night however I realised how very much I love that time with my daughter. She will be nine this year and is growing so quickly, but when I snuggle up to her in bed, she seems soooo small, still my little baby girl. I read to her  from a book that her Nana had given to her called Any Room For Me and she is of the age now where she notices how beautiful illustrations are, and it is just such a joy that we can share these things. I hope when she's older that she remembers being read to. Most of the children in her class are not read to, which I think is rather sad. Later in the week we are going on a little trip to Wales and England, we are going to visit Hill Top Farm which is a National Trust Property and had belonged to Beatrix Potter. You can look around the house, which is straight from the illustrations in her books, and garden ,...where you can just picture Peter rabbit and Benjamin bunny getting into mischief. It is all about keeping the magic alive, so important for our little ones, but rather good for "big ones" like me too! Have a wonderful week, love Linda.