Chrysanthemum

As a former elementary school teacher of 8 years, I have developed quite a sizable library of picture books. When we found out about Baby E, I began bringing these books home and dreaming of the early years of her life when I could read these stories to her. Stories that I have all but memorized. Some that I know by heart. And I've loved doing just that. Emerson is at a stage now, where she actually looks at the pages of the book as I read, and although I know she doesn't understand the words, she can hear the inflections in my voice and sense the rhythm of the words I am reading. Sometimes Jared reads too. It's funny for me to listen to him reading to her. These stories aren't so familiar to him and he isn't as nuanced at reading them as Emerson's teacher Mama is. That doesn't mean he doesn't try. My man puts his all into reading to his little girl, and reads with as much enthusiasm and animation as he knows how. The other evening, he was reading one of my very favorite picture books, Chrysanthemum. Now, my husband self admittedly, albeit jokingly gets tongue-tied from time to time and as the title of this book might suggest, he had a little trouble. 


Here's how it went down:


Jared- 
"The next morning, Chrysanthium wore her most comfortable jumper. 
She walked to school as slowly as she could. 
She dragged her feet in the dirt. 
Chrysanthium,"


Me-
"No Babe, it's ChysantheMUM!"


Jared-
"Chrysanthium. Wait. What?"


Me-
"ChysantheMUM!"


Jared-
"Chrysnathi. This name sucks. Rose. 
"The next morning, Rose wore her most comfortable jumper. 
She walked to school as slowly as she could.
She dragged her feet in the dirt.
Rose, Rose, Rose, she wrote."


Bah Ha Ha! Too funny!