Baby's first book

I recently became a first-time honorary aunt to little Baby Katie. Katie is 2 months old today and is the loveliest most quiet & content little baby I have ever met; she was smiling at 2 days old! At a whole 2 months old it is time that her Honorary Auntiebought her first book... so I took a little wander into Hodges Figgis in Dublin city centre last weekend in search of a suitable publication.

I wanted something that little Katie could enjoy when she's a little older, sitting on her Granny's lap having stories read to her, and when she's a little bigger she can read to herself. I wanted something classic, that I enjoyed as I child. And then I got distracted by this...

'The Surprise' by Silvia van Ommen ; this picture book tells the story of a lovely sheep who decides to surprise his friend.

There is much tootling along on a scooter; there is dyeing; there is shearing...

There is a spinning pink poodle with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth;

There is winding the yarn from the back of a chair into a wee knittable ball; there is knitting and there is a very appreciative gift recipient. I suspect that Silvia is one of us; a knitter and a spinner, and a sheep lover! I wandered into a Sunday Spin in meeting after getting the book and all those present loved it.

Baby Katie loved her first book so much that she promptly fell asleep in my arms... after dribbling on me a bit. I look forward to teaching her to knit and spin. Baby Katie's new mum loved her second book; a volume of Hans Christian Anderson tales. I don't think Mum will wait until Katie is old enough to sit on her lap to read to her from the book.

Of course, there will be obligatory baby photos when I get around to knitting her more baby things :)