Thursday, 12 November 2009
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A Book to Read to the Unborn Baby!
For a few weeks now our little girl has been able to hear us. (We found out at a wedding dance that she either really hates Justin Timberlake or really likes him. My husband is hoping for the former.) There are many different articles and thoughts and opinions on whether or not what your child hears impacts their intelligence. However there are definitive studies that have shown that mom's voice is the most likely to sooth a child (as it's the most familiar noise) and that dad's is usually next (or whoever the mom was around most often).
I don't know if I'll be the mom to intentionally put headphones on her tummy to play music to her in hopes of improving her IQ...but I have noticed that I do tend to listen to a lot more mellow Christian music (98.5 KTIS) than my mix CDs (which tend to be more rock and less mellow). However I had decided that it would be good if we got comfortable with the little person that's growing inside of me by communicating to her. It all started with Kevin saying good night to both of us and moved onto him kissing my tummy in addition to my lips when he was on his way to work and saying, "I love you both."
The other day I asked him, "how would you feel about picking out a book for her and reading it to her?" His face showed that he was sincerely thinking about it, weighing the weirdness of reading to someone he couldn't see with the fact that he already loved his little girl he hadn't met. "I think that's a good idea," he replied after a few moments. We went to Barnes and Noble after Bible study on Wednesday and started pouring through the children's section. It was fun looking at our old favorites, seeing weird and cute new books, and in general just spending time together trying to find just the right book to read to her.
After about 45 minutes I found one that was simple, rhymed like I had hoped, had vibrant pictures with thick toddler tough pages...and spoke of love in a simple child like way. It also held just a bit of depth that a parent could appreciate it, even if their child asked it to be read to them a hundred times.
I had never heard of it, but perhaps some of you have, it's called How Do I Love You? Here's the poem within the book."How do I love you?
Let me count the ways.
I love you as the sun
loves the bright blue days.
I love you as the bee
loves a fragrant flower.
I love you as the thirsty duck
loves a sudden shower.
I love you as the bird
loves a song to sing.
I love you as the waking bear
loves the smell of spring.
I love you as the cat
loves a sunny sill.
And as the dancing snowflakes
love the winter's chill.
How do I love you?
Let me tell you how.
I love you as the nest
loves the sturdy bough.
I love you as the sea
loves the sandy shore.
And as the ancient world
loved the dinosaur.
I love you as the wind
loves its own sweet sound.
And as our friendly Earth
loves to spin around.
I love you as the moon
loves each shining star.
I love all that you will be and everything you are."
That last sentence brings happy tears to my eyes every time. When Kevin read it for the first time last night...it was just amazing. As my little girl happily stretches inside me as I type, it makes me dream great dreams for her. I want her to know she's loved and to love who she is. I want her to succeed and to have fun in life. I want her to learn and to love. It's so exciting that I have this little life inside of me...I'm so incredibly scared to actually give birth, but I cannot wait to see her, to touch her, to kiss her, to hold her, to comfort her...to know her.
Did you have a favorite book that your parents read to you when you were little or that you read to your children?
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- From: skittler335@xanga
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Comments (11)
That is so sweet, you sound like your going to have a very close-knit family =)
There are several books that I love to read to my two children. Three of my favorites are: Goodnight Moon; Llama Llama Red Pajama; and Love You Forever. It depends on the night, their moods, and mostly how much time we have which book or how many of those three books & others that we read to them.
This is beautiful! I've been kind of throwing around the idea of reading to our baby now as well. I'm only half way through and we've had a lot of complications, all I want is to see him, hold him in my arms and know that he's going to be okay. It is amazing how much you fall in love with a little person you've never really seen. :)
This is really beautiful! I love both the book and the story you wove. Blessings on your family :) :) :)
this is really cute and beautiful. i don't think it's at all weird!
thats really beautiful :)
I love this post, I wish I had read it at least a few days earlier! My friend just gave birth to twin girls yesterday and I know she would have loved this! Well I guess it can still be read!
That is a beautiful poem to read to your baby. When they are still in the womb, you could basicly read anything that you want. This is the time that you will be able to make the choices. Poetry and nursery rhymes are great for those times. Reading to the baby in the womb is very beneficial as this article states here. Hearing the same repeated sounds and different sounds, including music does help them later on in learning to speak, read and write. "Little Book of Nursery Rhymes", "Poems for Little Children", "First Picture Nursery Rhymes", "Nursery Rhyme Treasure", "Sing-Along Nursery Rhymes with CD", ,"Nursery Rhymes Touchy-Feely Board Book" or "Baby and Toddler Treasury" will all last a long time for the baby. They are all beautifully illustrated, top quality, with lots of pictures per text. Later, sturdy board books and touchy feely books are a must have for the baby.
Reading and talking to your baby creates a great bonding experience for moms and dads. Hearing familiar voices is a great way to calm and comfort a baby. Keep doing what you are doing. You are doing a wonderful thing.
I think it's awesome to read to children in utero and to play music for them. I read to all four of my boys before I had them. I don't think what's read is as important as the sounds of the voice so just talking to them is probably enough. The two boys that got the sci-fi and fantasy while I read to them tend to have a liking for that now, so maybe I am wrong.
Having your first baby is something scary. I won't lie to you that it can be painful, but pain is forgotten as soon as you hold your baby. Drugs can help though many people speak against them. Just remember that if it were a such a horrible experience that scarred a woman for life, no one would ever have more than one child.
I wish you good luck and a close, loving relationship with your new little girl!
@acushla712 - Thank you, I believe spiritually and biologically that once the sperm and egg meet...that little creation is a living being. It's wonderful to hear that you share that! And thank you for the encouraging words! Pray for me to be strong!
@LauraG0929@xanga - I wish you the best of luck in the remainder of your pregnancy.
I totally know what you mean, I can't wait to meet our little girl and just hold her...and stare at her...and sing to her...and talk to her...
@MissHollywoodStarlet@xanga - Thank you so much! I know what you're saying, it's one day of pain but the end result is worth it!