Never Too Early to Start Loving Reading

Being an actor has its perks.  Through the SAG Foundation, for the past few years, I've volunteered as a BookPAL and a PencilPAL.  These programs promote literacy at needy schools and it is one of the most rewarding things I do.  As a BookPAL, I had two third-grade classes that I read to weekly and as a PencilPAL, I'm paired with a fifth-grader as a penpal for the school year.  This year, I was only able to be a BookPAL until the winter break since I was super pregnant with Owen by then.  But being a PencilPAL is a little more flexible, since it's writing letters, and I was able to keep up with it through the end of the school year.  And yesterday I finally got to meet my PencilPAL! 

She's a great kid who loves to ballroom dance, specializing in the quickstep, which is awesome.  We share an appreciation for "So You Think You Can Dance" and we both are dying to visit Hawaii one day.  The school and PencilPALs had a reception for us all to meet and hang out with our pals and Owen got to come along. There was pizza and cookies and sing-alongs and, yes, ballroom dancing.  Turns out the entire fifth grade class has learned ballroom dancing and they taught us all a few moves!  I feel so fortunate to be able to be a part of this program.  This year is its 20th anniversary and I can only imagine all the lives that have been influenced - both the volunteers' lives AND the students' - during that time.

When Owen was born, the BookPALs coordinator sent him a gift of Dr. Seuss's "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish" and, I kid you not, he loves it. He'll sit and listen to the rhythm of the words and look at the brightly colored drawings.  Because he liked it so much, we gave a copy of it to our friends who have a daughter two weeks younger than Owen.  They came over for a "baby date" this week and told me that she loves listening to the book.  That she giggles along and sits through the entire thing.  Dr. Seuss is powerful stuff, people.  

Owen is about a month old here. We started literacy-appreciation early!
Also this picture really makes me laugh.  He looks like such a little old man.

And, because it's adorable, here's a picture of Owen with his fellow Dr. Seuss-lover.  Happy Friday, everyone!

One Baby Two Baby Pink Baby Blue Baby