As an elementary school teacher, I greatly looked forward to sharing the joy of reading books with my soon-to-be-born daughter. Every How-To baby book stressed the importance of reading to your baby -- even starting in the womb. In the beginning, as in newborn delirium beginning, reading a children's book to my nursing/pooping/sleeping baby was as far back on the priority list as brushing my own teeth. Even though, I would pick up a book every so often and whisper the words into my precious one's ear as she deeply snoozed. As she grew and became more mobile I thought my time had finally come to read. Her vocabulary was building rapidly and certainly would benefit from books being read aloud to her, right? Well, if I could get through the first sentence "In the great green room..." without that child bolting for the nearest distraction, it was a rare day. Patiently, I waited for a chance to sit her upon my lap and read a couple pages when the opportunity arose...usually when she was sick and temporarily sluggish about her usual frenzied-state of perpetual motion. Still, I read. A time came when she would sit for long periods of time, 5 minutes, and look through books on her own. If we left the house to visit family or spend the night away, all we needed to pack were books for her to look through, no toys. Still, she wasn't ready to hear ME read the stories. I practiced character voices, vocalized emotions, rehearsed facial expressions trying anything to interest her in listening to a story. Finally, at the age of 2, something clicked. One day she would only listen to one page, and the next day she began bringing book after book to me saying, "Read this one, Mommy! Read this one!" Gladly. Joyfully. Finally. Now, countless opportunities arise daily to read lovingly familiar stories by Sendak, Seuss, Berenstain, Brown and Parr with a very well-read toddler perched upon my lap.

Don't worry about being quiet all the time when your baby is small. They need to get used to household sounds otherwise, everytime the phone rings or you try to vacuum, the baby will cry. I made that mistake and had a very difficult time getting anything done while my baby was little.