We’ve updated James’s nursery as he’s grown and the most recent update has become my favorite part of the house.
I’ve loved to read ever since I can remember. I’ve also always loved reading aloud for some reason. Even in high school, when I was super shy and would never raise my hand to comment in class, I would volunteer to read aloud in English class.
When teaching at the Montessori school where I worked, reading books to the children at group time was always one of my favorite things.
All this to say, I naturally couldn’t wait to read to James when he was born. I’ve read to him ever since he was a newborn. I used to read to him laying side by side on the floor. Then, I would sit him in my lap to read books together. Now he sometimes sits in my lap to read (usually before a nap or bedtime), and sometimes crawls around while I read, stopping to look at the pictures periodically…he is a busy guy.
We took the glider out of his room when he became mobile because, especially since he was using the floor bed at the time, I wanted his room to be completely baby proof and was worried he’d hurt his little fingers under the rockers. Even now that we’ve put a pause on the floor bed, I think it’s important for him to have a space of his own, where we don’t have to tell him “stop” or that things are unsafe for him.
Without the glider though, we were lacking a cozy spot to read. I decided to make a little reading nook for him, and we are both loving it.
Both the pillow and super soft rug came from Ikea. I will add a book shelf when he’s older, but for now, a little basket of books is enough.
I switch out the books every week or so and I love seeing which ones catch his interest!
I very much hope that James grows up loving to read as much as I do and I will read to him as much as he wants for as long as he lets me!
Do you love to read?
Did you love to read as a child?
8 Comments
I loved loved loved reading as a kid, and I still do. But I also loved imagination play (probably fostered by reading). I spent a great deal of time in my room as a child, playing with my model horses for hours and hours on end.
I loved imaginative play too! I still clearly remember a lot of the made up games I’d play with my sister (one of our favorites was Greek gods and godesses, which came directly from a book we had on Greek mythology).
It’s great you read to him so much. My parents did too and I grew up loving to read. Funny you mention the glider precautions…I know my mom was so cautious like that with my brother (for good reason, it’s dangerous!), but I remember crawling underneath the rocking chair ALL the time when I was little. Never while she was in it, but do remember rocking it from underneath. It was a different design from the gliders, but still. Thankfully I never got hurt!
Haha, that’s too funny! That’s a good reminder not to be overprotective…first time mom problems lol. He just started pulling up on things and I now want to remove all of the furniture, but I’ll restrain myself.
That is too cute, I love the pillow. I have always been a big reader (I’m actually in two book clubs), and I love reading with the babies now.
Thank you! I’ve been thinking I’d like to join a book club, I may just look for a random one to join through meetup or something since I don’t have any local friends in book clubs. I think it would be so fun!
I love reading to Liam! We recently completed the 1,000 books before Kindergarten challenge at our library. The program started in November 2016 and we completed it in March 2017. To say we weren’t obsessed with getting books out of the library, would be an understatement! For both of us! His attention span has improved tremendously and now we can read much longer books, which I love. You should check to see if Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is available in your area. The nonprofit sends you age appropriate books every month to promote early literacy. I have a friend that receives the books in TN but it isn’t available in my area.
That sounds like an awesome challenge! I love children’s books so I feel like I like reading them just as much (at least as much?) as he does lol. I just checked and the Dolly Parton thing isn’t available, but that sounds like such an amazing program!!