Summer Reading

And on the go this week, we have:

That's Not My Puppy - Fiona Watt (I can see us reading the whole of this series, as Jessicat is still enjoying books with different textures)
Bedtime for Bunny and Bee - Sam Williams
Pickle and the Blanket - Lynn Breeze (the Pickle books are a new find for us. Jess loves the one about Pickle and his ball).
Peekaboo Baby - a Rhyming Flap Book - illustrated by Kate Merritt
Hat Off, Baby - Jan Ormerod. A very simple book, and one that at first I thought would not appeal to Jessicat - how wrong could I be? Jan Ormerod can do no wrong where Jess is concerned!
Can You Choo Choo Too? - David Wojtowycz

Jessicat can now wave and is desperately trying to crawl; it is so funny to see her with her bum stuck up in the air, going nowhere!

I have just read Can Any Mother Help Me? and was moved by how these brave and intelligent women supported each other through the war and some very difficult times. It was an early precursor to www.mumsnet.com , and makes me realise that despite all our technical innovations and new theories on child rearing, very little has changed really.

Good magazines

Have managed to track down a couple of magazines devoted to the subject of children's literature: Carousel and Books for Keeps. Both of them contain a lot of useful information about how children learn to read, and more importantly, lots of reviews of recently published good books. This is especially useful at the moment as I am compiling a wishlist of books for Jessicat and me to share over the coming months.

Have also managed to create a page on myspace (does my technical genius know no bounds?!?), where I hope to be able to make more contact with people who share my enthusiasm for children's books.

http://www.myspace.com/valcobbin

Other than that, not too much to report. Jess can finally roll over both ways, and is now trying to crawl, but with no success so far. Still only two teeth, although to judge by the dribbling and biting, more may be imminent. She continues to persevere with lumpy food, and enjoys tit bits of our plates now.

Stressful week

Not a great week. Jessicat has had diarrhoea and a painful nappy rash. She is now recovering slowly, but it has been upsetting to see her in discomfort. And to add to our woes, yesterday, I had my handbag snatched in Tesco's car park. That has led to much frantic phoning round to cancel and replace essential cards and items. It's all things that can be replaced, with the possible exeption of my diary, where I had recorded so many pivotal moments of Jess's first year.

Still, on the upside, we finally caught the mouse last night. No more unwelcome guests here! As Dave said, with the snap of the trap, and on the B of the Bang, our luck changed....

Lots going on...

I've suscribed to Carousel magazine, which is the only magazine I know of that is devoted to children's literature. I found out about it by browsing the website of The Federation of Children's Book Groups. I would love to work for them! Whilst surfing, I also came across the I Can website. I Can is a charity that works on behalf of children with communication difficulties - a worthy cause if ever I heard one - and they produce some very interesting DVDs on how children acquire language skills and how the adults in their lives can support their developing communication skills. Dave and I watched one last night, and I found it fascinating. Wonder how many people know these are available for free (well, 99p P&P).

Some of our reads this week include:

I Kissed the Baby - Mary Murphy (makes Jessicat laugh)
We're Going on a Bear Hunt - Michael Rosen (ok, I know that Jess is a bit young to follow the story, but what better way to celebrate Mr Rosen becoming the new children's laureate?)
Goodnight Poppy Cat - Lara Jones
Dear Zoo - Rod Campbell (we are long overdue in acquainting ourselves with this children's classic).

Jessicat continues to do well. She is now venturing into lumpy food, so a typical day's eating goes something like this:

Breakfast - up to half a weetabix, followed by half a Frutapura
Lunch - something savoury and lumpy
Tea - something savoury, but less lumpy (mutual tiredness at this time of day means I take the path of least resistance - slummy mummy!), a yoghurt, followed by a rusk to practice self-feeding skills.

Jess continues to babble, gurgle and is now showing promising signs of being able to roll both ways. Life is so much better now than it was when she was a newborn; long may it continue.

More books...

Yesterday, Jessicat and I visited Filwood library and found they had a great selection of board books for babies. These are some of the ones we chose:

Good Night, Spot - Eric Hill
Night, Night Baby (from the Amazing Baby series)
Bard's Rhyme Time - Julie Aigner-Clark (I have to confess that up to now, I have not been the biggest fan of Baby Einstein products, as I don't like the idea of pressuring babies to develop intellectually or academically before they are ready, but Jess appears to like this book, and the rhymes are fun).
This Little Baby - author not stated. You just can't have too many surprise mirror endings as far as Jessicat is concerned!

I'm about to start The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, which I have heard great things about, and have high hopes for. Have just finished and enjoyed Young Wives' Tales by Adele Parks.

Summer is here...

I know that summer has really arrived when I need to crack open the Piriton, accompanied with a cool Zirtec chaser. Mmm....I'm not the biggest fan of summer.

However, it does offer the chance to savour life on our new patio, and Jessicat and me have been taking full advantage of this. Yesterday, we were outside and I was singing nursery rhymes (fortunately, all the neighbours were out), and reading Baby Goz by Steven Weatherill and a book from Rod Campbell's Look, Touch and Feel series. Jess loves being outside, and is amazed by the rustling leaves and ever changing sky.

Today we went to our first Baby Bounce and Rhyme at Wick Road library. Seeing how much Jess enjoys my singing(!) and nursery rhymes in general, I have become a vociferous advocate of the importance of rhymes for even the youngest babies. It's amazing how easy it is to learn them off by part - I guess the repetition and rhyme helps here - so that they can be recited at any time throughout the day.

Annoyingly, only limited progress on the rolling front. Jessicat can roll from front to back, but still seems to like a helping hand from Mummy or Daddy. Her second tooth is also coming through.

New month, new books...

To coin a phrase from The Fast Show, this week we have been mostly reading:

Debi Gliori's Nursery Rhymes - with CD. I love the old fashioned rhymes included in this anthology, and the little facts that accompany most of the rhymes. The illustrations are great as well. I tend not to bother with the CD, as Jess would rather hear my voice (strange child!)

Peepo - Janet and Allan Ahlberg. Jessicat's introduction to these classic children's writers! Sadly, at the moment, she is too young to notice all the carefully crafted details that go into each picture, but it is lovely for me to read to her, as it makes me think of my grandparents' house and the good times we shared when I was a baby. One to revisit when Jess is older, methinks.

Wobble Bear Says Yellow - Ian Whybrow and Caroline Jayne Church. I love this cheeky toddler bear!

Messy Dressy - Helen Stephens.

It's Heaven Having You - Giles Andreae and Vanessa Cabban. Lovely rhyme with touching sentiment.

Elmer's Hide and Seek - David McKee

Ladybird Baby Touch Peekaboo Book - Jessicat is still at the stage where she loves to touch everything and she is fascinated by the different textures here.

I am really enjoying having Dave at home this week as well. We are getting better and more organized at going out; Jess has been to Bath and Broadmead for the first time ever this week. Frustratingly, she can still only roll one way - I CAN'T WAIT TILL SHE CAN ROLL BOTH WAYS!!!