Books and Reading

Tucker and I were blessed Tuesday evening by a “Book Club” Baby Shower.  And Tucker doubled his board book collection in one night! 

I grew up in a family of readers, including both of my parents.  My mother did a wonderful job of instilling a love of books in my brother and myself.  She took us to the library to borrow books starting in the preschool years.  And she encouraged nightly reading as our bedtime growing up was 8 p.m. but we could read until 8:30 p.m. 

I already had a large collection of children’s books long before Tucker was conceived.  My mother was a school secretary for 24 years and coordinated a lot of book fairs so every year she gave me books for her future grandchildren.  I started reading to Tucker at 20 weeks gestation.   The nightly ritual was a meaningful way for me to connect with my baby.  When I traveled out of town during my pregnancy, I used an Ipad app called Farfaria to read his nightly story.  Hundreds of digital storybooks at your fingertips – what a different relationship Tucker will have with books and technology. 

As I have been driving around Texas for the last 10 years, I listened to books on audio CD from the library.  But now I have app called Overdrive on my Iphone which allows me to digitally borrow books, both print or audio.  At any given time, I might be reading a print book, reading a different book on my Ipad, and listening to a third novel in the car/walking the dogs.  Yes, I get the stories a little confused sometimes! 

Since I had been borrowing books digitally, I didn’t realize that I hadn’t been the physical library in over a year and I had to renew my card.  So when Tucker was only 2 weeks old, we zipped in and out to the circulation desk so that I could continue to borrow audiobooks.  (A very early visit to the library!)  I have been reading nursery rhymes to Tucker ever since he started to stay awake between feedings.  Now he will listen to stories too.  And I’m looking forward to the days when he can help turn pages, chew on pages, point to pictures, and more.  I’m certain that he will love the books as I do.

Two Months

My sweet baby turned two months old on Valentines Day and we celebrated with a visit to the pediatrician.  Tucker’s growth continues at the same rate as when he was two weeks old:  Weight 12 lbs, 7 oz (62nd percentile) and Height 24 ½ inches (98th percentile).  Over 2 feet tall already!!

Being on maternity leave, I’ve had the luxury of watching all of the Winter Olympics skating on the NBC Sports Network.  I have enjoyed seeing the performances of all 24 pairs/dance and 30 men instead of the very few performances shown in primetime.  I was so moved last week by the short program performance of American skater Jeremy Abbott.  How many times in life do we fall down and crash right into a wall?  The 10 seconds or so that he laid beside the wall felt like an eternity.  And I was certain that he would have to walk off the ice with an incomplete short program.  But to my amazement, and that of spectators around the world, Jeremy got up and continued his program – not even missing any of the required elements.  This was an amazing act of true grit and championship.  Later, Jeremy said it was the support of the audience that swayed him to continue.  And I reflected that when I have fallen down and crashed in my life, the support of friends and family has been essential for continuing on to an important goal.  Such a fall and crash, can only happen with taking risks.  One must leap into the air, chancing failure as well as success.  I am in awe of that moment when Jeremy stood up and skated right back into his performance.  I hope that I am able to continue taking risks in my life to reach my dreams.  And recovering that quickly when setbacks occur.

I am a huge fan of the other American male skater as well, Jason Brown.  I was fortunate to see his wonderful performance at the U.S. Nationals last month.  And then he went on to skate beautifully in the Olympics as well.  I was taken by his sheer childlike enthusiasm at making it to the Olympics, and then finishing in the top ten.  Both of these young men make me proud to be the mother of a son.

So who knows what Tucker will decide to love and pursue in his life.  He could be a (very tall) figure skater too!  In any case, I believe that I will remember the Winter Olympics of 2014 as a part of the precious time we are spending together, as he turns two months old.  Anything is possible.