Bringing up baby: The Cat in the Hat reaction

A few days ago.

***

Tilly really understood the plot. He was really into it. He was charming.

I'd forgotten the storyline. His reaction reminded me just how exciting it was.

Story time started as an onerous event, with much procrastination on his side. Many other books were skimmed through, to prolong eventual bedtime.

Daddee open the cover of the book. He started reading.

"The sun did not shine.

It was too wet to play.

So we sat in the house

All that cold, cold, wet day."

Tilly was still distracted, fiddling with his toothbrush cover.

Daddee continued as best he could. Then the plot became much more exciting.

The Cat in the Hat!

The fish talks!

The Cat does ambitious things! Oh no! The fish and the cake! The books and the rake!

Oh no! The ship and the books! Tilly could hardly bear to look!

The Cat has a fall! Despair, oh tragedy! Oh that poor ball!

And look at the mess the Cat made in the hall.

Does this stop the Cat? Never; never that.

His onslaught continues, with Thing One and Thing Two, 

But here comes our hero with his marvellous net.

His capture of Things completes the whole set.

And here's more suspense - mother is approaching; 

With the mess encroaching, 

Will our heroes escape without her reproaching?

The Cat! The Cat! The Cat saves the day!

He cleans up his mess, and puts fun away.

Still an unreliable Cat for all that.

Our heroes are safe, and the fish is happy once more 

Swimming peacefully in his glass bowl.

***

This book has become his book du jour, surpassing Green Eggs and Ham.

Am I sad? Yes. Yes, I am.

He sits through this book, I must say

All patience and eager when the Cat comes to play.

Reading from page one, to the finish.

Which is the best he has yet accomplished.

So I miss his skipping pages, I miss his versions.

Daddee loves he can read a story without diversions.