Story Time

After my talk with the Health Visitor the other week and the article on BBC news online about how children's books are being ousted by DVD's (apparently 1 in 20 homes has less then 10 books in it!) it just made me sad that children are going to school not knowing what how to open books and not understanding the magic stories can bring.

I love to read, before BG I could easily devour a book in a day (I read the last Harry Potter book in 8 hours!). I love the way you can escape into a story and forget about whats going on in the real world. A great story will transport to where ever in the world it is set, you can smell the same smells and hear all the sounds, you can picture every last detail.

We always had loads of books at home when I was growing up, both my mother and father love to read and me and my sisters have that same passion for books. We share books, recommend books and buy them for each other.

Some of my favourite stories are from childhood books, Hedi is my favourite book but I will in all honesty read almost anything!.

Me and OH started to read to BG before she was born, we read 'Guess how much I love you?' to my bump for months and we carried on reading it to hear once she was born. Amongst her first presents where many books from my dad and sister including 'The very hungry Caterpillar' which I love. BG has a good collection of books at only 10 months old, in fact she has about 30!

BG has recently become obsessed with books, an obsession that makes me really happy. In the last few weeks BG has allowed me to sit and read stories to her again. She went through a stage, that when ever I got a book out she would just try to eat it, a phase I've been ensured most children go through! But now she will sit and sometimes I get to read the whole book before she rips it from my hands.

If I say to her "BG bring the book to mummy and I'll read you a story", she's crawls over with a book and a big smile on her face and climbs up for a story.

However my favourite thing is when she sits on the floor with a book in her hands and flicks through the pages by herself, it can keep her occupied for a good 5 mins! The look on her face is priceless.

I hope BG always has a passion for books, I can't wait to read her my favourite children's books like 'The Magic Faraway Tree' and all the old fairytales.

I would hate if TV or computers became more important then reading, books are great for the imagination and that's what children should have!

NM X

Developmental Review

The beginning of the week started out slow for us, Baby Girl has got a cold and is teething so it’s all snot and dribble at our house! Thankfully her two top teeth have cut through so she might start to cheer up soon (Mummy can dream)

On Wednesday BG has her 8-12 month development check up, now I’m really happy with what she can do at 10 months but it didn’t stop me worrying . I think that’s natural as a Mother, I try not to compare her to other children her age but I can’t help it.

Well there was no need for me to worry, the health visitor was really happy with what she could, she even said she was a little advanced (sorry bragging!!) we only had one tantrum when I had to undress and the dress her again .

The highlight of the visit was when she gave BG her Bookstart book, she took it from her sat on the floor and started flicking through the pages, the HV said it was a testament to me that she knew how to do that already. She said that quite a few children go to school not knowing how to open a book!! How sad is that?

The low point was when the HV noticed that the creases on the back of BG’s legs didn’t match up so we have to go to the GP to check her hips. I'm trying not to worrying, she's strong on her legs and crawls well, so fingers crossed its just because she has chubby legs!

BG now weighs 23lbs 5 ozs and is 76 cms long!! That 2ft 5.9 in's already, I'm only 5ft 3in she is going to tower over me!!

I'm not scared.......honest!

NM X