Posted by Dad
I read a very sad article today in the online version of the UK’s Daily Telegraph. It mentioned that a survey of British parents indicated that 75% of parents were too busy to read to their children consistently. Even more alarming is that only 3% of fathers read to their children at all. 3%!
That is inexcusable.
Alexandra and I feel very strongly that one of the greatest gifts a parent can give their child is a love of books. It doesn’t matter if you read from old-fashioned paper books or from an e-book reader like the Kindle. Most of you know that I prefer the Kindle for its smaller environmental impact, cheaper price per book and the potential it has to give many writers the ability to distribute their work without a publisher to act as a gatekeeper. When appropriate, I will certainly encourage the Woodling to go the e-book route. But more important than how my child reads is whether my child reads. It is an appreciation that I intend to help foster at an early age.
Other sources of stimulation, be it a computer, the Internet (protected, child-safe sites of course) and even limited access to television, are important and have their place. Used properly, all of those sources can be great tools for learning and discovery. Here is a great example of a site that a friend of mine is building which uses the power of the Internet and community encourage the growth of young girls.
But it all begins with reading. Books stimulate the imagination and encourage cognitive thinking. Books teach you to appreciate the patience of following a story from beginning to end, rather than relying on the instant gratification of a website or a 2-minute video clip. Books can tell you answers, but, more importantly, help you discover how to ask the right questions.
I also look forward to reading to my children because it will be a great way to spend quality time with them. Sadly, reality demands that I have limited time with my kids during the work week so I want to make the most of what time I get. I know that finding time to read to the Woodling will be difficult for me, just as I am sure it is challenging for all parents to read to their children. We all have to cram in what seems like 40 hours of work, family, community and social responsibilities into a 24-hour day and still find time to sleep so we can do it again tomorrow. But experience has taught me that we find ways to accomplish those responsibilities we think are most important - those we consider a priority.
Well, there are few things this parent will prioritize more than reading to his child every night.
Posted by the Woodling
I know that most of you are not going to find a post about a gliding chair for the nursery all that exciting. However, the most common thing Mom and Dad have heard from other new parents is that a good nursery chair is one of the most important pieces of furniture to get right. All of us, especially Mom, Roscoe and me, will be spending a lot of time, at all sorts of hours, in this chair.
Mom and Dad wanted something roomy and comfortable, but it was also important for the chair have a modern look and not take up too much space. The Adagio Glider from Dutailier fit the bill nicely. Mom and I love that the gliding motion is very smooth and soothing. Dad really likes that that chair is also a recliner and has an extra flip-up footrest.
We also think the chair looks great. It will coordinate with rest of the furniture in my room but could be used somewhere else in the house later. We picked out chocolate leather, like the picture, with blonde legs.
As an added bonus, Dutailier happens to be a Canadian company so Mom likes that. I have a feeling that all of us, Roscoe included, will have many happy naps on my new chair.
Hello! It’s me, the Woodling, in 3-D! Usually, you don’t get 3-D ultrasounds when you are only half-baked in the oven, but the doctors made a special exception for me.
Yesterday, we went to the doctor to get a sonogram. Mom and Dad were anxious to see how much I have grown since the last time and the doctors wanted a good look at me to make sure everything was going well.
There was only one problem. For whatever reason, I simply was not in the mood to have my picture taken. So I curled up in a nice, out of the way spot and refused to come out. Mom tried to shift positions while Dad and the nurse shook Mom’s belly, but to no avail. I outwitted them all! At one point, they were able to catch a glimpse of my hands and I presented all of them with a certain finger gesture. I know it’s not nice, but I was really feeling stubborn (I am my parent’s child, after all).
Well, at that point, the nurse had enough of my antics and pulled out the big gun – the 3-D sonogram. With a 3-D sonogram, the sound waves are sent down at many different angles at once so there is no place for me to hide. Software then assembles the images from all of those angles into a picture of me.
Once they got the pictures, I was glad they did it. The doctors said everything looked great. They even know my gender, although they didn’t tell Mom and Dad. They were ever so tempted to find out but realized they would then be disappointed in not having a surprise. Besides, I want to be the one to show them!
Touché, adults. You have won this battle.
Posted by the Woodling
This is my Mom! Isn’t she beautiful? I think so. She is 19 weeks pregnant with me. You can’t really tell yet but she is getting a little bigger every day. Mom thinks that she’s going to need maternity clothes in a month or so.
Mom and I went to the doctor this week and we are both doing great. My heartbeat was very strong and Mom has gained 10 pounds since becoming pregnant! We don’t need to go to the doctor again for another month. On Friday, we are going to get a new sonogram so be ready to see a new picture of me next weekend!
This is the first and only Valentine’s Day that my parents will spend as a married couple without children, so they are going to make it special. Dad made Mom French toast with challah bread (her favorite) and bacon (his favorite) for breakfast. Even Roscoe got a little. I liked it so much that I did a jig followed by a couple of kicks.
Tonight, my parents are going to enjoy an early dinner followed by a Paul Simon concert. According to books Mom has read, my hearing is well developed so I’ll be able to listen, too. That’s going to be fun.
Posted by the Woodling
Mom and Dad have done an insane amount of research to find the best furniture for me. It’s an important decision because my siblings and I are going to be spending a lot of time in my crib and I am going to use my dresser even when I get a big person’s bed. Here are the things that Mom and Dad thought were important:
Safety: No compromises here, obviously.
Environmental Friendliness: My parents care very much about the kind of planet I inherit.
Quality: We want this furniture to last a long time. Why pay a lot of money for particleboard?
Design: Great products have great design and craftsmanship.
My new furniture is the Karisma collection by Romina, a company in Romania. It’s really great stuff.
For safety, the crib has a single-hand dropside rail, so there is always a free hand ready for me. It takes two steps to lower the rail so I can’t do it accidentally and all of the crib hardware is hidden so I can’t get to it. There are no toxic chemicals in the finishes or glues, including formaldehyde. Did you know that particleboard is held together by formaldehyde?!? Gross. Finally, the dresser has an anti-tilting device so it won’t fall on me.
The last element of safety is assembly. That’s why Mom isn’t going to let Dad anywhere near the furniture until it’s all set up. She doesn’t let Dad anywhere near tools in general.
My furniture is very earth-friendly, too. In addition to the absence of toxic chemicals, everything is made of 100% beech wood. Beech wood is plentiful, durable and regenerates quickly.
100% wood also means high quality. The furniture feels sturdy and solid. The dresser drawers glide very smoothly and have an automatic soft close feature so they won’t slam shut. No one really needs drawers that close by themselves but Dad likes “gadgety” things like that.
Finally, I think the furniture looks great. It’s a simple, classic design complemented by a dark espresso finish that will look nice no matter what color my room is.
I can’t wait for everyone to see me in my sweet crib!
Posted by the Woodling
My really cool cousin Oliver got me my first present! The Summer Infant Complete Coverage Video Monitor Set is a wireless video monitor that lets my parents see and hear me when I am in my nursery so they can make sure I am OK. The set includes a large 7-inch tabletop unit as well as a smaller handheld unit that can be used in other rooms. Both units have great sound and a color screen during the day. When the lights are off, the camera has night vision so Mom and Dad can even see me in the dark.
It's pretty sweet and will give Mom & Dad peace of mind when I am sleeping without Dad coming into the room and waking me up all the time. Thanks, Ollie!
Posted by the Woodling
So things have been really busy! I have been moving around Mom’s belly a lot lately; but yesterday, I kicked so hard that Dad felt it! Dad was so excited and he said that he is really proud of Mom and me. We all had a great time. Sometimes, Dad tries to rub Mom’s belly to make me kick again, but then Mom gets tired of it and makes him stop.
Posted by the Woodling
Hi everybody! It’s me, the Woodling. I haven’t written in a while because nothing exciting has been going on. I have been hanging out with Mom and developing just like I should. We go to the doctor on Wednesday for a check up and I’ll be sure to report back with any news.
Mom has been sick for a few days. Dad caught a little cold and was fine in day or two. But then Mom got it and has been feeling awful and coughing all night. That always happens – Dad gets the sniffles and Mom bears the brunt of it. It’s a little worse now because I need a lot of her resources and energy that would usually be used to fight the virus. The three of us were going to buy my nursery furniture today and see South Pacific on Broadway tonight but Mom and I are going to stay home. She says it isn’t fair. Sorry, Mom. I’ll be sure to tell all of you about my sweet crib once Mom and Dad place the order.
I am starting to make Mom’s belly come out a little bit! You wouldn’t know it if you didn’t know Mom was pregnant, but all of you may be able to tell. Dad can tell and he’s very excited. He wanted to take a picture of Mom for this post but she said no. Dad asked again and Mom said that one is not supposed to take photos of someone who is sick and doesn’t feel pretty. Then Dad tried one more time and said that Mom always looks pretty but she didn’t buy it so you’ll have to wait a bit to see how my Mom looks.
Mom and Dad have been doing a lot of thinking about what name I am going to have. I’m most likely going to have it for life, so it’s a big decision! If I’m a girl, I am going to be named Naomi. All three of us think that Naomi Eyre Wood is a beautiful name. Plus, Naomi was Mom’s grandmother’s name so that makes it extra special.
They haven’t picked out a name for me if I’m a boy, but Ethan, Nathan and Derek are the three contenders so far. I may get one of those names or it may be something completely different. You never know with Mom and Dad…