Recently...

I've recently had surgery that doesn't allow me to pick up my children. Prior to surgery, I didn't think it would be a big deal. However, it's heart-wrenching not to be able to pick them up to hug them or playfully swing them around.
During my recuperation, I have found reading helps me bond with them. My 4-year-old selects the books, brings them to me and sits on my lap while I read to him. As always, it's fun to see his interest and excitement with each turn of the page. I have attempted it with my 1-year-old but we only get through one or two pages. To me, the amount of pages doesn't matter, as long as I'm finding someway to bond with him. Reading to my children has allowed me to do this whether I'm able to hold them or not.