October 14, 2006
How fun!
.
Since the discovery of our impending parenthood, Jen has had her nose in several different pregnancy and parenthood books. I think perhaps she is a bit chagrined that I have not shown the same level of enterprise, but I've felt that once I know the gender of our child the bug will hit me.
Well, wham! There it is. Jen read that at week 16 the fetus is now capable of hearing, and at least one book suggests that now is the time to start reading and playing music for the little squeaker. So off we go to the local used bookstore, where we plop down $50+ for a variety of literature for the wee (plus some CDs for dad).
Coming across a slew of titles that I recall from my own first years, I became filled with glee over seeing some long unthought-of Seussian favorites like Hop On Pop, Go Dog Go, and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. But my heart soared like a hawk upon coming across three of the Else Holmelund Minarek-written and Maurice Sendak-illustrated stories of Little Bear. These were my absolute favorites as a pre-kiddy gardener. My favorite is the one where Little Bear decides he is going to fly to the moon.
His little homemade space helmet still makes me grin.
Another cool memory was sparked by one of the Little Bear books, which appears to be a first edition from 1961. On the cover below the author and illustrator titles is a line that reads "Harper & Row, Publishers, New York and Evanston"
The latter refers to my hometown of Evanston, Illinois (just north of Chicago). One of the reasons I had the Little Bear books to begin with as a child was that during my early years my father moonlighted as a truck driver for Harper & Row (letter carrier was his day job). The publisher's factory was just a few miles from our house, in fact, and my dad would sometimes bring home seconds of various books. As I recall H & R moved out of Evanston in the 1970s, but their logo remained on the building for years after that - as far as I know it's still there and used by some other company.
Since the discovery of our impending parenthood, Jen has had her nose in several different pregnancy and parenthood books. I think perhaps she is a bit chagrined that I have not shown the same level of enterprise, but I've felt that once I know the gender of our child the bug will hit me.
Well, wham! There it is. Jen read that at week 16 the fetus is now capable of hearing, and at least one book suggests that now is the time to start reading and playing music for the little squeaker. So off we go to the local used bookstore, where we plop down $50+ for a variety of literature for the wee (plus some CDs for dad).
Coming across a slew of titles that I recall from my own first years, I became filled with glee over seeing some long unthought-of Seussian favorites like Hop On Pop, Go Dog Go, and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. But my heart soared like a hawk upon coming across three of the Else Holmelund Minarek-written and Maurice Sendak-illustrated stories of Little Bear. These were my absolute favorites as a pre-kiddy gardener. My favorite is the one where Little Bear decides he is going to fly to the moon.
His little homemade space helmet still makes me grin.
Another cool memory was sparked by one of the Little Bear books, which appears to be a first edition from 1961. On the cover below the author and illustrator titles is a line that reads "Harper & Row, Publishers, New York and Evanston"
The latter refers to my hometown of Evanston, Illinois (just north of Chicago). One of the reasons I had the Little Bear books to begin with as a child was that during my early years my father moonlighted as a truck driver for Harper & Row (letter carrier was his day job). The publisher's factory was just a few miles from our house, in fact, and my dad would sometimes bring home seconds of various books. As I recall H & R moved out of Evanston in the 1970s, but their logo remained on the building for years after that - as far as I know it's still there and used by some other company.
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Maybe H & R Block bought it.
Go Dog Go was great (Do you like my hat?) but OFTFRFBF is the best, hands down!
I'd be careful of those "parenting" books. I understand there's lots of dipshittery in those things.
Go Dog Go was great (Do you like my hat?) but OFTFRFBF is the best, hands down!
I'd be careful of those "parenting" books. I understand there's lots of dipshittery in those things.
# posted by 
: October 15, 2006 10:19 AM
: October 15, 2006 10:19 AM
The parenting books made great coasters for my tea as I sat on the sofa with the TV tuned to Desert Storm as baby rocked in a swing. :)
She just took the SAT yesterday and probably kicked ass.
She just took the SAT yesterday and probably kicked ass.
I adore Maurice Sendak!
I'm happy to have another "niece/nephew" to buy for soon. :) Just because I don't want kids of my own, doesn't mean that I don't enjoy spoiling friends' kids rotten.
I'm happy to have another "niece/nephew" to buy for soon. :) Just because I don't want kids of my own, doesn't mean that I don't enjoy spoiling friends' kids rotten.
But my heart soared like a hawk upon coming across three of the Else Holmelund Minarek-written and Maurice Sendak-illustrated stories of Little Bear.
You have absolutely exquisite taste in literature! Don't forget the Frog and Toad series and Goodnight Moon and In the Night Kitchen (another Sendak) and... later - don't forget James and the Giant Peach (I love Roald Dahl!) Oh my gawd you are gonna have so much fun! There are so many wonderful children's books out there.
We didn't have a lot of funds when I was raising my kids, so we spent hours at the local library. (Wiggy to her three children many years ago: "You can only check out as many as you can carry...")
I ignored the parenting books, too ('cept a VERY few VERY uplifting ones...) cuz some can make you feel (even) crazy(er).
And if you start to doubt yourselves here and there along the way, just remember what the beloved late Erma Bombeck said about motherhood (parenthood): "It’s the biggest on-the-job- training program in existence today."
And - all three of my grown children are marvelous human beings despite my feeling as if I rarely knew what I was doing!
You have absolutely exquisite taste in literature! Don't forget the Frog and Toad series and Goodnight Moon and In the Night Kitchen (another Sendak) and... later - don't forget James and the Giant Peach (I love Roald Dahl!) Oh my gawd you are gonna have so much fun! There are so many wonderful children's books out there.
We didn't have a lot of funds when I was raising my kids, so we spent hours at the local library. (Wiggy to her three children many years ago: "You can only check out as many as you can carry...")
I ignored the parenting books, too ('cept a VERY few VERY uplifting ones...) cuz some can make you feel (even) crazy(er).
And if you start to doubt yourselves here and there along the way, just remember what the beloved late Erma Bombeck said about motherhood (parenthood): "It’s the biggest on-the-job- training program in existence today."
And - all three of my grown children are marvelous human beings despite my feeling as if I rarely knew what I was doing!
# posted by : October 17, 2006 2:41 AM
: October 17, 2006 2:41 AM
And good job on visiting a used bookstore and spending money!!!!! Appreciate that...
And kinow that you already have 4 Shel Silversteins awaiting you at my house, 20th Century Children's Treasury (which has tons of Caldecott winners in it including Good-night Moon) and various others such as Stellaluna.
And kinow that you already have 4 Shel Silversteins awaiting you at my house, 20th Century Children's Treasury (which has tons of Caldecott winners in it including Good-night Moon) and various others such as Stellaluna.
Vilkommen back, Frau Dawnia! Sorry to hear about the altitude sickness.
Now - pictures, pictures, pictures!
Man it's been awhile since I was in McKay's - that place is craazy! Thanks for the books in hold. Shel Silverstein - good cadence for child-in-womb!
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Now - pictures, pictures, pictures!
Man it's been awhile since I was in McKay's - that place is craazy! Thanks for the books in hold. Shel Silverstein - good cadence for child-in-womb!
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