"Baby" books (published by DK)
When my son Finn, who turned two weeks old today (Happy Birthday, Finn), was about 12 weeks in-utero, I began buying him books and reading to him. So maybe his nervous system wasn't quite developed...it soothed his papa, anyway.
I kept reading to him throughout Lydia's pregnancy. The first three books I bought him were "Baby Bathtime," "Baby Night-Night," and "Baby Baa-Baa." I should have them memorized, but alas, I'm not good at memorizing. So I just read them to him.
Tonight I read them again, now that he's been in the world for two weeks. He looked me in the eye and seemed - or so I like to tell myself - interested. Not that he can understand the words, or the pictures, but he does hear the same voice that he's heard for a long time. I used to read to him when he was very active inside Lydia, and she said he seemed to settle down and, in her words, "listen."
Tonight, it seemed, he listened again. For me, for his papa, it was a deeply satisfying experience.
Earlier tonight, I picked up a library book I ordered for my future step-son, who is, at 12, an avid reader. What better way to connect to your children? Nothing can replace it. With all due respect to e-readers, turning the pages of the biography of the book I picked up at the library, or turning and reading the chunky, colorful pages of the "Baby" books... it just doesn't get any better than this.
I kept reading to him throughout Lydia's pregnancy. The first three books I bought him were "Baby Bathtime," "Baby Night-Night," and "Baby Baa-Baa." I should have them memorized, but alas, I'm not good at memorizing. So I just read them to him.
Tonight I read them again, now that he's been in the world for two weeks. He looked me in the eye and seemed - or so I like to tell myself - interested. Not that he can understand the words, or the pictures, but he does hear the same voice that he's heard for a long time. I used to read to him when he was very active inside Lydia, and she said he seemed to settle down and, in her words, "listen."
Tonight, it seemed, he listened again. For me, for his papa, it was a deeply satisfying experience.
Earlier tonight, I picked up a library book I ordered for my future step-son, who is, at 12, an avid reader. What better way to connect to your children? Nothing can replace it. With all due respect to e-readers, turning the pages of the biography of the book I picked up at the library, or turning and reading the chunky, colorful pages of the "Baby" books... it just doesn't get any better than this.