In The News : Children's bedtime stories on the wane, according to survey

I find this article to be sad. "Stress and lack of time cited as poll finds only 13% of parents read to their kids at night every day of the week."

I find that reading books, either during bedtime or other times of the day, is one of the best ways to continue bonding with my child. I was not always the biggest fan of reading, and reading bedtime stories were not apart of my childhood but I always love the idea of reading to my children before bedtimes, and just reading to them. Daddy loves to read. I have been reading my little Lina<3 since even before she was born. Bedtime stories has become apart of our bedtime routines. We have been consistent with reading before bedtime every night. Sometimes we do not always get to finish the book(s). Lina<3 knows exactly which books she likes the best, which are usually the picks for bedtime stories. She picks out one or two books to read, sit on either Daddy or my lap (depending on who puts her to sleep), with stuff animal or doll, and read. Sometimes, I caught her "reading" ( she does not know how read yet, but pretends to - which is the cutest thing) to her stuff animals or dolls. Or when she is not busy running around the house, and want to read, she will go into her room, get a book, climb onto her rocking chair, and "read" to self. I call her my little bookworm because it is such a wonderful thing that she likes to read and she gets most of that from Daddy (the biggest bookworm... Lol). I hope that she continues to likes book as she gets older. Of course, we are not going change the fact that we will continue to read to you every night.

Last few days of March....

To my little Lina<3:

Hi princess, it has been a while since Mommy has written to you here. It has been extremely busy on my part. I know that you may not notice the difference, but there are many things to prepare for and many things to look forward to in the next few months.

First things first: let's catch what has been happening in the last two week.

During playtime, you had learned to stack, and sort shapes :) Mommy is so proud of you, and will continue to practice with you every day, so you can get better at stacking, and sorting. You have learned how to throw, and kick a ball.  When Mommy watches you throw the ball, it is so funny, because you use all your strengthen to throw the ball but it does not get very far.  The way you kick the ball is funny as well, you just walk into the ball, and that is what you call kicking, when Mommy says kick the ball.  You are learning to slowly swing your foot to kick the ball, but that is nerving wrecking because it looks like you are going to fall.  Mommy does not remember when you first started to run, because it feels like it just happen so naturally a few months after you learned to walk.  At times, you run so fast, and Daddy & I always worried that you are going to fall or run into something (like the wall).  You learned to climb up on to the couch, by lifting your legs up to your toy next to the couch, and onto the couch.  Today, you had climbed onto the couch with no difficulties at all, and you went to the couch by yourself, (without Mommy there).  Mommy explained to you that you should always have Mommy or Daddy on the couch with you, so that you do not fall and hurt yourself.  It is fun watching you toss yourself around on the couch. throw yourself on the pillows, and laughing up a storm.  Lina<3, it is fun watching you empty and fill up containers, toy boxes, tissue boxes, and your old diaper boxes.  You love to hide things behind your back, underneath your legs, between the couch (when you are on the couch), and underneath the blankets and pillow (when you are playing on Mommy's bed).

Reading time is always fun for you.  The favorite books for nap time and bedtime are "The Runaway Bunny" and "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown.  Those two books are a must read before nap time in the afternoon, and bedtime in the evening.  Sometimes it is not about reading, but turning the pages that is most exciting to you as you hold your bear with the other hand.  You turn the pages so fast that Mommy do not get to read the entire book.  Once we get to the end of the book, and Mommy says, the end and bye by to the book, you wave to the book good bye.  As we read, we sit on the rocking chair every afternoon, and evening.  I love reading time, it give us more chances to snuggle, hug, and cuddle.  It is also a way to relax you as well :) before sleeping.

The symptoms of your eczema has been minimal to none.  We are continuing to moisturize your skin daily because it is good for your skin, and keep you nice, and soft.  Your scratching has been kept under control with daily doses of antihistamine, as prescribed by your doctor.  With less scratching, the discoloration on your skin has almost disappeared, and your skin tone has even out.  The cradle caps on your scalp has been controlled with daily brushing, and moisturizing with extra virgin olive oil after washing your hair.  For the two weeks, you have a diaper rash.  The Triple Paste diaper cream works well but does not make it go away.  The diaper rash always comes back, sometimes it is bright red, and other times it is light pink.  The rash have bumps but that usually disappears fast.  Mommy is changing your diaper every two to three hours.  I do not understand why the diaper rash is sticking around for so long.  Even when you were a newborn, your diaper rashes never last two weeks, not even a week.

There are many new dishes that you have been trying.  Some you like, and some you do not like.  I will posting that later on with pictures, and recipes.  You are feeding yourself with a spoon but not more than a few spoonfuls...either you get tired of feeding yourself, or you are not getting enough food into your mouth because some of the foods fall down on your bib.  When it comes to using a fork, it is a little more difficult for you to use.  You could put the fork in your mouth if there's food on it already.  We are trying to transition you to a training cup without a soft sprout, but you do not like it at all, and it is something for you to get use to.  It has been harder to ween you off the bottles because you do not like to drink your milk from a straw or from a cup.  Maybe Mommy needs to put away all the bottles, and just use the cups.  The amount of water you are consuming has been very little, since we started using your new cups.  Every once in a while, you get some orange juice from a cup through a straw.  You have been a little bit of a picky eater, if you eat all your lunch, it is not guarantee that you will eat your dinner and vice versa.  That has been frustrating because you did not gain much weight from your last two doctor visits.

You walk up, and down the stairs now, with me holding onto your hands.  There is no more crawling up the stairs, even if I let you.   You would rather hold onto the wall, and put your foot up on the step to walk up.  You like to walk down the stairs :) even if I am carrying you down the stairs, you make indications that you walk.  One step at a time, sometimes it is a big step.

The sleeping process at night time has gotten a lot better.  You are sleeping through the night.  Sleep for you means sleep for Daddy and I.  There are some nights where you get a little fussy but you fall back to sleep on your own.  It is so cute when Mommy goes in to check up on you.  Most of the nights, your buttocks is up in the air while you sleep.  Or you are still holding your doll and bear to sleep.

Temper tantrums has been more frequent and short variables at a time.  You have developed this whiny nature though, that can last the entire day.  It can be so frustrating because you do not give any indication about what you want.  You point at everything, and just whine. It does not happen that often, maybe once or twice a week.

Looking back on the past two weeks, makes me realize how fast you are growing.  Your milestones are becoming more subtle and more frequent.  You are now almost 16months, wow! enough said right, lol

I love you very much.  I continue to be amazed by your adorable nature, and learn from you.

Story Time Online

Lina<3, it is extremely important that Mommy reads to you everyday. You love story time. Mommy has been reading to you since you were born. One of your first books was a Disney picture book of The Lion King-a simple children version of The Lion King. Now you love yo hold your books and pretend to read it. You would turn the pages, points to the words and babble something as if you are reading to yourself.

"We Give Books is  a new digital initiative that enables anyone with access to the Internet to put books in the hands of children who don't have them, simply by reading online.

We Give Books combines the joy of reading with the power of helping others, providing a platform for caregivers and educators to inspire children to become lifelong readers and lifelong givers.

We Give Books also helps some of the world's best, most inspiring, literacy organizations by spreading the word about their great work and by providing books to the young people these organizations support."

It is a wonderful site for reading books, classic books such as about The Snowy Day, Madeline,  Corduroy Lost and Found, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, and many, many more. For Valentine's Day, there are cute books about love such as Spot Love his Daddy, and loves his Mommy.