CONGRATULATIONS!

You are about to embark on the most exciting adventure of your life - parenting. Do you know that a baby learns more in the first few years than he or she will in 12 years of school? And, at the same time, you will be learning all about babies - and child development.

When your baby is born you will probably be amazed at the wonder of birth and slightly overwhelmed at having created another person. This adorable little being who is totally dependent on you will, in 12 months' time be able to sit, crawl, say a couple of words, feed himself and may even be walking. There will be tremendous growth and progress during this first 12 months and you will be part of it, helping and caring for him, teaching him about the world and guiding him towards independence.

In addition, the next two years of a baby's life are crucial because he will be taking a big step into becoming a toddler. He will learn social skills, such as making friends and interacting with others, and exploding his mental and physical development. There are a lot to learn about babies in their first three years and very few new parents have a chance to practice on a baby before their own arrives.

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