Shane and I were playing on the floor when our househelper began making faces at him. This was his response. Enjoy...then leave a comment on how brilliant and cute he is. Gush gush. This clip is about a minute.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Play Time
Watch out! He's pretty cute (if not messy)
Shane LOVES to eat. Lately I've been giving him rice cereal with mashed banana's. Today he wanted the camera too.
Images of Shane as a teenager run through my mind and all I can see is me in the kitchen preparing food. Forever.
This clip is just over a minute.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Top "prego" and baby books
Like many people, Libby and I suffer from information overload and have little time to read. During the months of pregnancy and while pondering the first year with our baby, I began to look for the best of the best books on these topics. Not easy!
We ended up choosing books only if: a) 3-4 people had recommended the same book, b) those 3-4 people didn't know each other, and c) with a special favoritism to those who have actually implemented the book's principles with their kids and found it worked!
So, with no further ado, here are 6 great books we have found. Another way to think about it: If I was marooned on a desert island and could only bring a few books...
TOP PREGNANCY BOOKS
What to Expect When You're Expecting, by Murkoff, Eisenberg & Hathaway, 2002.
Not a perfect book, but contains the basic "what if" and "what happens when" answers.
Great with Child: Reflections on faith, fullness, and becoming a mother, by Debra Rienstra, 2002.
Obviously, this is more for the mother to read...and it is the opposite of the book above. It is the raw, authentic ponderings of a pregnant women that is comforting and enlightening to read.
TOP BOOKS TO HAVE FOR THE FIRST YEAR
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, by Marc Weissbluth, 2005.
Based on sleep studies of children, this book is invaluable. It gives balanced advice and a range of solutions (acknowledging strategies ranging from BabyWise to attachment parenting). Actually has chapters for babies up to teenagers.
Complete Book of Baby & Child Care, by Reisser (Editor), 1997.
Not everyone agrees with Focus on the Family, but this book contains helpful info on all the basics from birth up to age 11.
What to Expect: The First Year, by Murkoff, Eisenberg & Hathaway, 2003.
Another logistics and details book, but helpful to balance out the opinions of the book above and vice versa!
Baby Play: 100 Fun-Filled Activities to Maximize Your Baby's Potential, by Masi and Leiderman (Gen. Eds), 2001.
A lifesaver especially for a first-time daddy who is wondering what activities will be fun and educational for the little one. Great pictures and very little text! Can't wait to buy "Toddler Play" by the same people.
Speaking of which, I'm sure we'll have a list of "top books on toddlers" before we know it! As the time flies, I'm conscious that I need to spend more time with our precious boy than just reading about how to spend time with our precious boy.
Anyway, we'd love to hear your opinions or suggestions on any great books we've missed for the "prego" and "baby" stages. If you were stranded on a desert island... Obviously all this is extremely subjective, but what do you think?
We ended up choosing books only if: a) 3-4 people had recommended the same book, b) those 3-4 people didn't know each other, and c) with a special favoritism to those who have actually implemented the book's principles with their kids and found it worked!
So, with no further ado, here are 6 great books we have found. Another way to think about it: If I was marooned on a desert island and could only bring a few books...
TOP PREGNANCY BOOKS
What to Expect When You're Expecting, by Murkoff, Eisenberg & Hathaway, 2002.
Not a perfect book, but contains the basic "what if" and "what happens when" answers.
Great with Child: Reflections on faith, fullness, and becoming a mother, by Debra Rienstra, 2002.
Obviously, this is more for the mother to read...and it is the opposite of the book above. It is the raw, authentic ponderings of a pregnant women that is comforting and enlightening to read.
TOP BOOKS TO HAVE FOR THE FIRST YEAR
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, by Marc Weissbluth, 2005.
Based on sleep studies of children, this book is invaluable. It gives balanced advice and a range of solutions (acknowledging strategies ranging from BabyWise to attachment parenting). Actually has chapters for babies up to teenagers.
Complete Book of Baby & Child Care, by Reisser (Editor), 1997.
Not everyone agrees with Focus on the Family, but this book contains helpful info on all the basics from birth up to age 11.
What to Expect: The First Year, by Murkoff, Eisenberg & Hathaway, 2003.
Another logistics and details book, but helpful to balance out the opinions of the book above and vice versa!
Baby Play: 100 Fun-Filled Activities to Maximize Your Baby's Potential, by Masi and Leiderman (Gen. Eds), 2001.
A lifesaver especially for a first-time daddy who is wondering what activities will be fun and educational for the little one. Great pictures and very little text! Can't wait to buy "Toddler Play" by the same people.
Speaking of which, I'm sure we'll have a list of "top books on toddlers" before we know it! As the time flies, I'm conscious that I need to spend more time with our precious boy than just reading about how to spend time with our precious boy.
Anyway, we'd love to hear your opinions or suggestions on any great books we've missed for the "prego" and "baby" stages. If you were stranded on a desert island... Obviously all this is extremely subjective, but what do you think?
Thursday, August 02, 2007
I'm alive, I'm alive!
Today is the second day of August. Where does time go, will somebody please tell me? And when we figure out where it goes, let's figure out how to slow it down.
Ever since Shane hit four months I've grown more and more aware of his little body, his heart, his mind, and his soul "growing up." I know, I know he's only 6 months, you say, but inside me in a place I cannot identify I miss his "newborn-ness." Not always, just sometimes. But some-times is still more than no-times.
Some of this longing has to do with the fact that the more he becomes aware of his surroundings, the more "alive" he becomes thus the more "human-like" I guess you could say, he responds. As a newborn he simply laid on his back, slept A LOT, and ate like an animal. He still sleeps A LOT and he still eats like an animal. But he's adding onto these skills and it shows me, his world, "Hey mommy, I'm growing up."
"I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive." That's the chant I hear from my baby boy. He's so alive! He reaches out to touch, taste and feel the door nob, the wall hanging, the keys, the door frame, the keyboard. He not only wants to play, he must play! His taste buds salivate to explore, his fingertips tingle to touch and feel new textures, textures he's never in his entire life felt and tasted before. I can't remember the last time I touched, tasted, felt and experienced something for the first time. How exciting to be a baby!
I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive mommy. Take me with you baby boy, and I'll do my best to encourage this aliveness and excitement for life as long as you're mine.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
