Years ago, way before I was even married, I perused the children's book section of bookstores. One day I came across a children's picture book that I couldn't quite wrap my brain around. Love You Forever by Robert Munsch, illustrated by Sheila Mcgraw had me creeped out, crying, and going "awwww" at different parts of the book.
It is the story of a mother's never ending love. Each night she rocks her child to sleep and sings this beautiful song:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
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| Chase age One |
The story continues on with the frustrations of toddler hood, pulling things off of shelves (if that doesn't happen at my house on a daily basis I wonder what is wrong with both of my little ones), run around like a crazy madman and make lots of noise, etc. However each night she sings her little song as her precious toddler sleeps.
As her son grew into a mischievous nine year old, and a confusing teenager the mom found herself wanting to sell him to a zoo (my mom once said that to us six kids), or she felt like she was in a zoo. BUT, each night she would crawl into her kiddos room, peek over the bed, and when she was sure he was asleep would rock him back and forth singing her song. The pictures are really well done, but kind of freaky to see a woman sneaking into her child's room and rocking a teenager.
Finally her son is an adult, lives across town, and leads his own life. However, every once in a while she breaks into his house through the window, crawls up to his bead and yup, you guessed it - rocks him back and forth singing her little song. The picture of her driving with a ladder on top of her car is rather hilarious, and my four year old giggled when he saw this little old lady rocking her "big son".
Both my husband and I find it a bit silly, and disturbing that the mom creeps into her sons room, but at the same time I get the feelings that that image also emotes. I know that every once in a while when the house is quiet and dark I will creak open the door and watch my angels as they sleep. Every once in a while, when I hear of some horrible thing happening to another child I will pick up my baby (she isn't so much a baby anymore). Okay I'll pick up my toddler and rock her. (Chase is very hard to get to sleep, and stay asleep so I don't even try it with him, although sometimes I would love too. DD is just way too big - I can't even pick him up anymore, and if I were to try he would probably wig out on me.)
I always start to cry the last three pages of the books, and get funny looks from my kids. The mom is old and sick and she calls her son and tells him he better come visit her. When he gets to her house she starts to sing the song, but can't finish because she is too weak. This time he picks up his Momma, and rocks her back and forth singing:
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my Mommy you'll be.
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my Mommy you'll be.
I'm getting all teared up just as I write my review. I want my children to love me like that. I want them to know that I love them like that! My husband and I had a discussion that throughout this man's life there were times when he wasn't really asleep when his mom came into his room. He knew his mother loved him, even when he was driving her crazy. He knew he was loved, forever, and like for always. (as if this book actually happened in real life).
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| DD as a baby, see I love seeing them sleep |
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| Aunt Kathleen holding Emma |
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| Aunt Kathleen rocking Chase (She sure had the magic touch) |
I love being a mommy, and I love my babies. Even though there are some interesting (okay, creepy) parts to this book I read it to my kids. (My mommy sent it too me in the mail last year). When I read it before bedtime Emma sits transfixed, Chase repeats the song, and afterwards Emma asks, "Hold me, Mommy." and Chase asks me to lay down with him, ironically as I sat writing this post he woke up and asked me to come lie down on the bed below him (he sleeps on the top bunk). I walked in and his big brother was snuggled under a bunch of blankets next to him. I asked DD why he was up there and he said "Chase asked me to snuggle him." Sigh, I love when DD comes on the weekends. It makes bedtime so much easier.
I love the sentimentality of the book, I identify with it, and so do my children. It is one of their favorites, and although I think it is kinda weird to think of a mother sneaking into the window of her grown son's house, I know that the book is just trying to portray the love a mother feels for her child.
Have you read the book? What are your thoughts? Does it weird you out? Do you think it is a good book to read to your children? Does it make you tear up like it does me?
I have read the book. I think that most parents, or aunts in my case, have looked at the little ones in their life sleeping. In my experience it is the only time the are still. I really like the first part of the book, until he becomes a teenager and after. It is weird to do that with an uncontious almost adult, and at no point would it be ok for my mother to break into my home and rock me. I do think him rocking her is sweet, I just wished she didn't become a stalker to her son in the middle there.
ReplyDeleteKathleen, you are so right. I know if mom broke into my house no matter what the reason I would probably have her committed. A friend of mine mentioned that her Children's Lit teacher didn't like the book because it appears that the only time the mother loves her child is when he is asleep. I can see that teachers point of view. I know there are days when the craziness of three children under the age of nine have me questioning my sanity, but when the house is quiet and they are asleep I feel a rush of love as I look in on them. It doesn't mean that I love them less during the day, just that they are in constant motion, constant trouble, and it is at night that I can reflect on the funnier moments of the day. For example, Today we were at Target. Gavin had one of his bad days where his hands were in constant motion, he couldn't sit still for the life of him, and he was incredibly loud. He would run full tilt making train noises with me trying to catch him (one of those moments of realizing I NEED to lose weight so I can keep up with him, literally). Now I think it is cute that he almost ran into someone in a wheel chair, told the lady in the bathroom she couldn't wash her hands, and yelled at the top of his lungs "I gotta go pee". I love that he is all snuggled in his bed with his five blankets (all put in specific order). he looks so peaceful, and absolutely beautiful. My heart constricts with an outpouring of love.
DeleteI do make a point of letting my children know how much I love them throughout the day, even when they are making me furious. Donovan was pouting about something, and giving me his death glare. I wanted to yell but I took a deep breath, gently put my hands on his face and said "I love you, I don't like how you are looking at me." It took three more times repeating this before his expression ended. Anger averted, and he knew I didn't appreciate the action but I loved the child. (One of my finer parenting moments, I must say)
I still have mixed feelings about the book!
I always felt bad for that boy's wife
ReplyDeleteI always wondered about the wife.
DeleteI have not read the book, but now when I head out today I am stopping at the local library to pick it up! I love the sentiment of the book, and the thought of your children loving you that much when you are old is comforting.
ReplyDeleteI often find moments of peace throughout the day where I pause and feel that rush of love amidst the hustle, bustle and chaos of it all!
Thank you for linking up with us over at NOBH! I picked this post to be featured this week!
I hope you enjoy it. I too find more peace throughout the day when I pause! Sometimes I wish I could pause and record those moments for future enjoyment, but they are always in my memories and held dear to my heart.
DeleteThanks for featuring my post, that makes me all twittery!!!!
I still cannot figure out how to publish, except I will try annon, so if Annon.shows up, it is I your mother. . . who by the way, LOVES YOU FOREVER.
ReplyDeleteNo, there will be no ladder on the top of my car, but when you are sad, I always have a "virtual hug" for you and all of my wonderful six children.
Life was a "zoo", especially when Emily would "pick bugs from my hair", like the monkeys at Pt. Defiance Zoo did - what wonderful memories. . . . I would like to recapture a lot of our events, and I cherish every memory as I go through the family pictures.
Yes Genevieve, Stacie, Joan, Kathleen, Josh and Emily, I will love you FOREVER, and then some, but you have got to come and sit on my lap for rocking and me singing to you. . .no ladders, or car trips to sneak into your bedrooms. And by the way, I will love all 10 of my grand children forever also!!!! (and I still get to rock a few of them (YEA)!!!