When I was in the bookstore in Dayton, 50$ in my pocket, I bought all sorts of books for the kids.  For Sambam I wanted something distinctly girly.  Most all of her books, at that point, were hand-me-downs from her brothers filled with trucks and all things boy.  And while I take no issue with her reading up on the latest dump trucks, I did feel I owed the girl something that was bought for her, and full of girly things.

So, that was the day I discovered Ladybug Girl.  These books are adorable and a great influence for a young girl’s life, so it was an added bonus that Sambam took to the one I bought her like bread takes to butter.  A fish to water.

So when this last paycheck brought me my quarterly bonus, and I saw two she didn’t have (only one in her collection at that point) I decided on the spot to buy them both.  I brought them home so super excited and tucked them away until I could give them to her myself in the morning.

Girl lost her shit in excitement! “Bug!  Bug!  Bug bool(book)!  Bug!”

Needless to say, that evening, when I was at a different store and saw the last three she didn’t have, I called home to Pat and told him I had to buy them.  He talked me down to just one more, and I brought it home and presented it to her.  She actually thanked me.  Hugged me.  And lost her shit as she gathered all four she owned at that point, and had me read them all 50,000 times each. (Only a slight exaggeration on the number of times read.  It’s more like 50,000 total, not each.)

Pat took this all in, figured the budget, confirmed there were only two total that she didn’t own (of the board books.  She isn’t ready for the others.) and that I knew where to find them easy, and told me to get them after work in a couple of days, when I had the car.  I told him I couldn’t wait that long, the look on her face when she saw she suddenly had six the follow morning would be too precious.  She is at the age of honest thankfulness, taking nothing for granted.

So at 9PM, all the kids in bed, I made my way to the store.

And the following morning, when in 24 hours time she had gone from one to three to four to six, she became the happiest little girl I have ever seen, when I greeted her with all six books and while she may not be able to count, but she knows.  She knows she had far more than she use to.  More than she had when she went to be the previous night, even.

And my heart grew.

No matter how tight the budget gets at times, there is always money for books.  Especially when the books are received the way she received these books.  Especially when a day, an hour, doesn’t pass without her demanding that someone read her one or all.  Her only regret is that Lucas can’t yet read so she can’t ask him with any success.

I love her.  So very much.  My daughter, my fiery angel.  And I’m so glad that something so amazing is what she falls to pieces in excitement for.