"Neptune is Blue!"

*I love Grace's two little pigtails sticking out from behind her book!*

One Saturday morning a few weekends ago, Grace was the first to wake up. Bob and I quitely went into Grace's room to read with her until Jack and Eve also woke up for the day. As soon as we sat down next to Grace she had a very big smile on her face and in one breath quickly said the following:

"Did you know birds clean themselves with their beaks and claws...they also spread oil on their feathers to keep them dry. The planet Mercury is not really the hottest planet even though it is closest to the sun...Venus is actually hotter because it has clouds. Oh, and Venus is smaller than Earth. Mars has two tiny moons and it is actually the red planet because it has red soil and rocks. And did you know that it is very windy and stormy on Neptune and it is blue!"

Bob and I sat there stunned. We looked at each other in disbelief. Grace then said,

"Mommy and Daddy, did you know all of that?"

To be honest, I really did not know half of what Grace had just said. I thought that Mercury was the hottest planet since it is closest to the sun and I had no idea what the weather was like on Neptune. I can barely keep track of what the weather is like here in Maine never mind Neptune! :)

How oh how had Grace learned all of this information. Then it occurred to me...

Every night I go into Grace, Jack and Eve's room to check on them one last time before I go to sleep for the night. I typically check on Grace last because I never know what I am going to see when I walk into her room! I can, however, always count on getting in one last smile before I go sleep for two reasons. First, I typically find Grace asleep in her bed dressed in tights, two pairs of pants, two skirts, a long sleeved shirt (or leotard) with a short sleeved shirt over that. Hmmm....when I put her to bed each night she is only wearing one footsie pajama! Secondly, Grace's bed is always covered with just as many books as there are layers of clothing. I find books scattered all over her bed. I always know what the last book Grace was reading before dozing off because it is usually closest to her. For several nights in a row I noticed a book called "Amazing Questions and Answers" closest to Grace. I also noticed on those nights that Grace kept her reading light on much longer after I tucked her in for the night and closed her door (I love walking by Grace's room at night and seeing her reading light shine through the cracks of her door. I can picture Grace in her bed with her many layers of clothing intently reading). It must have been on those late reading nights that Grace was reading "Amazing Questions and Answers."

I am and always will be amazed by Grace's reading skills and by her ability to read so fluently. Grace can pick up any book and read it out loud just as any adult would. Since that unforgettable Saturday morning, Grace has continued to teach me so many new facts about dinosaurs, spacecraft, reptiles, insects, birds, whales, primates and even more about our solar system. At our home we definitely learn something new everyday. Thank you, Grace, for always teaching us and for your insatiable love of reading and learning. Oh, the places you'll go!