Once Upon a Time… The End… Once Upon a Time… The End. (Reading with Baby!)
Ah yes, reading books these days with Little Del. I thought I’d take a break and just take you on a little ride with me. He’s fourteen months now and his language skills are coming along, at last count about ten words (in baby pronunciation) and over 2 dozen baby signs (aff)!
We’ve always been big into reading here at chez hippie dippie, but with D it’s been a challenge. It seems that books are more about hinges than they are about words.
But we’re really good with hinges!
Through it all, Little D is finally getting the idea that there are *pictures* on the pages, especially now that he can sign some of them.
Won’t you join me as we read “Easter Bunny”? It’s a wonderful book (A *Snuggle* Book! aff) that we picked up at a local garage sale.
Here we go!
Book?
“Book, Little Del? Book? You want to read a book?” Baby Del is doing the baby sign for book!
Here, let’s read the fuzzy Easter Bunny book!
Mama Hope: Look, the easter bunny has ears and eyes.
Baby Del: {Signs bunny!}
Mama Hope: That’s right it’s a bunny! Hop! Hop!
Mama Hope: “Bunny’s nose was twitching. He smelled something…” Turn the page! {Baby Del is impatient, Baby Del knows how to turn pages!}
Mama Hope: “There were some little mice making cookies. Mmmm, those smell…” Okay, turn the page! Oh you want to go back to the beginning? OK! Yes, that’s a bunny! Hop! Hop!
Mama Hope: It’s the Easter Bunny book!
Mama Hope: The End!
Mama Hope: “Bunny’s nose was…”
Baby Del: {Signs cat.}
Mama Hope: Cat? No, it’s not a cat. Whiskers? Yes, it has whiskers just like a cat, doesn’t it!
Baby Del: {Turns the page.}
Mama Hope: Turn the page!
Mama Hope: “There were some little mice…” Turn the page! …Backwards!
Mama Hope: “Bunny’s nose was twitching…” Turn the page!
Mama Hope: “There were some little mice making…” Oh screw it. Look! Bunny! With flowers!
Baby Del: {Signs flower, sniffing while holding his nose.}
Mama Hope: Yes, that’s right flowers. What’s the bunny doing?
Mama Hope: The End!
Mama Hope: “Bunny’s nose twitched…” I mean… birds! Look, birds! Do you see the birds?
Baby Del: {Signs flowers.}
Mama Hope: Yes, there are flowers. And the birds are flying! They go cheep cheep.
Baby Del: {Inhales vigorously, signing flowers.}
Mama Hope: Yes, you like flowers, don’t you? Flowers are pretty. And the birds are making… Turn the page!
Mama Hope: Hey, it’s page 4! We’re making progress! Yep, that’s a bunny! And those are ducks, quack quack. {Mama Hope signs duck.} The bunny has bird friends and duck friends. Do you see the duck?
Baby Del: {Signs bird.}
Mama Hope: Well, there ya’ go, ducks are birds too. And there’s a duck taking a bath!
Baby Del: {Signs bath.}
Mama Hope: Yep, that duck is taking a bath in the water. {Mama Hope signs water.} That’s water, right there. {Pointing.} Water. {Signs water.}
Baby Del: {Does nothing.}
Mama Hope: Well, you know, water, that’s a tough one. Oh look, the bunny says bye bye! Bye bye bunny!
Baby Del: Dye dye! {Waves.}
Mama Hope: Bye bye, bunny!
Baby Del: Dye dye! {Turns the page.}
Mama Hope: Here’s the bunny again with all his friends. Look what’s here, there’s food…
Baby Del: {Signs eat/food.}
Mama Hope: …and there’s birds, do you see the birds?
Baby Del: {Signs birds.}
Mama Hope: …and there’s drink too!
Baby Del: {Signs bunny.}
Mama Hope: Yep, we like the bunny.
Baby Del: {Pats the bunny’s fuzzy tummy.}
Mama Hope: What a nice soft bunny.
Baby Del: {Turns the page.}
Mama Hope: The End!
Baby Del: Dye dye!
(Amazon says the Animal Snuggles Easter Bunny is by Sally Chambers aff)
Baby Signs and Reading: They Rock
I just gotta say it. If you do it, you know what I mean.
We use the original Baby Signs method (aff) that I also did with dear son, now 13, who now *loves* to read. I credit baby signs and the Bob books, (aff). Sometimes now I think I created a monster. He checks out about 30, I kid you not, science fiction and fantasy books at a time and then reads them non-stop, unless harassed. I digress.
Maybe Baby Del will be an independent reader too one day, like his big brother. For now, let’s relish the fascinating intersection between hinges and language acquisition, shall we?
Dye dye!
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We loved baby signs too! They helped many a frustrated toddler moment. I’m still having a hard time with you having a 13 year old! We aren’t old enough to have 13 year olds!
LOL, *I* am old enough to have a 13 year old. But I *pretend* not to be!
‘Tis true, the baby signs does help with the toddler frustration. And it’s less frustrating to me than the “mommy please carry me while I point where to go all over the house method”!
Hope,
I’m LMAO over this post! I know exactly what you mean about reading with the baby. All of my kids thought board books made nice teething toys. Not that they didn’t love “reading” them, but they learned so much about texture, size, shape, consistency, etc. when they put the books in their mouths–more than their other senses were able to tell them at that young age.
Great post and great modelling. Your patience deserves a Nobel Prize!
Lara Galloway
The Mom Biz Coach
Ha! Another six months and hopefully you will make it from beginning to end of a book. Both my kids love books so much. They would have me reading to them all day.
I love sign for babies! :O)
Thanks, guys! Yep I talked to another friend who read this & said it really brought him back. Guess it’s just a baby thang. All good things in time!
You know, Lara, I heard recently that babies putting things into their mouth also strengthens their immune systems by exposing them to germs! Gotta trust those baby instincts!
We did baby signs too, but after reading this post, I can only say that I admire your ambition and enthusiasm. I will definitely give this approach to sharing stories, using baby signs, with our next one. Thank you for inspiring me, and I’d love to hear what other titles you and your little one cover with baby signs.
Why thanks Jessica! It’s definitely fun to see him communicate this way. This was an actual little event that happened while we were on the potty one morning (Baby Signs = success, EC = not so much!). With a lot of books though he really does fly through the pages just doing the signs as we go along. I’m getting better at just letting him do his thing!
I’ll take a look at some of the books that have been really good for Baby Signs, though, and post some up. Thanks for the idea! Excited for you with your new babe coming! I’ll probably have another in another year or so, so I’m following along as you adapt to the changes!
- Hope
It may sound crazy since their kids books, but I’ve found I do better if I read them before we read them. I like a consistent story and he likes to flip the pages and identify things. This way I have the patience and we both enjoy it. I’ll also start making up a story to see if I can keep a storyline going with him flipping back and forth. I’m thinking that helps both of us and gets me to be creative and imaginative again. Its amazing how much you lose those qualities as you age. I love that your older son is into sci-fi. Has he read any Phillip K Dick yet? Happy reading!!
You know, he hasn’t read Philip K Dick; I think I was under the impression that he might be a little young for that. Any titles you’d recommend for a 13 year old?
As to the reading strategies, yep, my mom tends to just invent the stories too! And sometimes when you read the actual story it’s not one you even *want* your child to comprehend. We have a Beatrix Potter book about a goose that concludes “but she was never a good layer.” Ben and I both read the book to ourselves and thought, “What a bizarre and judgmental way to end a story! The poor goose, she was just misunderstood!” Hee, hee. I guess I’ll have to think up a better ending for when Del wants to actually hear the words!
I enjoyed your reading adventure! I am so impressed that your little one knows so many signs. I think it is great that children learn sign language. We did a few signs with my almost 4 year old and now her preschool teaches them signs as part of their regular curriculum. I am hoping to have my 6 month old learn more at a younger age. It is so nice to see the benefits of signing as illustrated in your post!
You are a great mom! Cheers, Kimberly
Oh, what a good laugh this was.
I also used sign and also LOVE the Bob Books. I ALMOST bought one today but will continue to resort to the library’s free uses. ;)
Thanks for the laugh!
Kimberly,
Thanks! Yep it seems that little D is learning more signs than my oldest son did also. Ultimately I think anything you do is really enough just to introduce the idea that there’s a way to get your idea across apart from simply crying or emotionally venting! I mean we all need to vent but, as I’m sure you know, what a relief it is to be able to say, “Use your words!” The blessing of language is something it’s great to be able to give our kids early. Thanks, also for the kind words. A real gift to me from one great mom to another!
Dawna,
Yes, the library! I need to start to make more use of that from little D too! I actually still have one set of Bob Books from when S. was a wee one (books still work after over a decade, a wondrous technology!). But it’s good to know they’re still out there for when D gets older and wants to branch out. Glad you had a laugh and thanks for coming back by to see me, as it were!
I know we bought one of those sign books once. I wonder what the hell happened to it? Anyway, I like your story. Gotta admit I was surprised at how well the signing stuff worked! I wish I had read the damn thing now! Ah! Who am I kidding? My kids will end up on the special bus and it’s all my fault.
LOL funny guy! Thanks for stopping by! You know, it’s all over when they’re teens anyway, special bus or no, you are made to realize just how much you suck! Enjoy wallowing in your own self-deprecation now! ;)