“Mommy. I want to read that book where they all eat the same thing.”

Ok… I began to think and by the time I formed a thought, Katherine shouted out, “The Seven Silly Eaters. I want to read The Seven Silly Eaters tonight!”

We had finished the next to last Ramona book the night before and I was having a hard time finding the last of the series in our overflowing bookcase.

Katherine hugged The Seven Silly Eaters to her chest saying, “This book makes me laugh so hard every single time I read it.”

There are old favorites that I have had enough of but this book is one that I could read night after night after night. The rhythm and rhyme are perfect for reading aloud. The story is relatable and ridiculous at the same time. The pictures give you something new to appreciate each time you read; even if you do read it every night.

After I finished reading, tucked Katherine in and gave her a big kiss, I searched this blog to see if I had ever written about The Seven Silly Eaters. Expecting to read a post from years past, I was surprised when my search turned up this post from August.

In it, I wrote:

What happened to the baby I snuggled as we read Time for Bed again and again? Where is the toddler who nibbled on the board book version of Brown Bear Brown Bear as I pointed out the words and pictures? When did the pre-schooler who begged for Seven Silly Eaters night after night go away?

I know that the baby, toddler and pre-schooler are all wrapped up in the big girl who only loves chapter books right now. I know that but I am still reminded of how fast these days fly.

I love a reminder like this. A reminder that, as a dear friend from Richmond once said, “All phases end. The good and the bad. They end.”

And as the girls grow, I understand that they grow in a circle not a straight line. A phase I worried had ended has returned. And while I know that it too will end yet again, for now, I am going to settle into the silliness of it all…