Love You Forever

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. 

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'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).

DD as a baby, see I love seeing them sleep

Aunt Kathleen holding Emma

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? 

Golden Nuggets in Time

As a parent there are those times when we feel that our efforts to guide our children are not quite up to par.  Those moments crept up into my conscience briefly this past week or so, and today I had three wonderful teachers disabuse me of them!  Let me back up a bit (and if you knew me in real life you will agree that I often start a conversation in this same manner.  Often I think that in order for you to get where I am at, you need to know where I am coming from.  My poor husband just wants the meat, not the potatoes, gravy, salad, rolls, ect.  I'm sure there are others that feel the same way - I know some of you are shaking your heads in agreement right this very moment.  Quite confusing at times - but that is kind of how my brain works).   Anyways, back to the story at hand!

Yesterday I had time to kill between picking Chase up from preschool at noon and his session for The Little Gym at 5 pm.  I started out with an impromptu trip to the park.  It was so warm for the first of February, I had to take advantage of it.  It was a blast watching them run around, Emma fearlessly climbing the big slide and Chase doing it at his own cautious pace. I was sure they would fall asleep in the car after all their running around, but their stamina amazed me!

After running a few personal errands I still had time to kill before heading to The Little Gym.  Perfect time to head over to Barnes and Noble!  I was in search of Raisel's Riddle (I wanted my own personal copy) and The Irish Cinderlad by Shirley Climo.  I was to be disappointed on both fronts.  I did get to order Climo's book, but felt cheated out of a good treat!  Looks like I will be making my first Amazon.com purchase on our next payday (I know, I know!  First purchase????) I'm old school.  I love looking through the stacks, handling the stiff spines of brand new books, and smelling their unique scent.  I decided to find a new historical romance (I love reading romances about the Regency and Victorian Era's).  Cinderella must have been on my radar because as I was thumbing through  I found Princess Charming by Nicole Jordan.  I laughed when I read the blurb found on the back jacket:

In Nicole Jordan’s dazzling new Regency series, the scandalous Wilde cousins seek true love by imitating history’s legendary lovers . . . beginning with Ashton Wilde, Marquis of Beaufort, who takes on the daunting role of Prince Charming to an unlikely Cinderella.

I couldn't believe I had picked up an adult version of the Cinderella theme.  I then went in search of Cinder: Book One in the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer and put it back reluctantly when I saw the price tag.  Hardback novels are not in our budget at the moment. 

I soon started to feel guilty for dragging my two small children around a bookstore (granted they did enjoy playing with the train table strategically placed in the children's book section) without getting them their own treat.  I headed to the educational stacks and picked up a coloring workbook to help develop fine motor control skills for Emma, and a puzzle/maze workbook for Chase to focus on letter recognition.  They immediately knew which one belonged to whom, and held on to them for dear life!!!! 

As we piled back into the car I realized I had spent nearly two hours in the bookstore and had five minutes to get us to Little Gym.  Luckily it was right around the corner and we were there right on time!  (Okay, right on our normal time - five minutes late.  Chase flew into the door, ripped off his socks and shoes, and dived into the room.  Oh how he looks forward to his Wednesday nights).  He totally worked on following directions and social spatial skills.  He only got one dirty look when he invaded another little girls space.  Gotta love him!!!  I took a thirty second video of him doing his circuit and about fell off my chair.  He stayed on task, followed directions almost to the tee (notice the moment when he cautiously climbs down onto the wedge instead of doing the tumble from the top of the block), and showed off what he has learned these last several months.  Made his momma so proud, and sad that Daddy had missed it in person (LOVE the camera for catching those golden nuggets in time!)

Okay, so now back to my premise!   

As a parent there are those times when we feel that our efforts to guide our children are not quite up to par.  Those moments crept up into my conscience briefly this past week or so, and today I had three wonderful teachers disabuse me of them!

I met with my sons special education team to review his Individualized Education Program for school.  As the teachers walked into the room I pulled out the books I purchased the night before (thus the long story, which now that I think about it,  it wasn't absolutely necessary for a back-story - see what I mean?  Weird how my brain works.  There is a purpose for sharing, even though at this moment it is hard to remember what that reason was).  Anyways, the principal looks at the kiddos and says, "I'm impressed, normally parents don't come prepared to keep their small children occupied while they are here.  That is what that bin over there is for."   She then pointed to a plastic bin full of toys.  I grinned, I just loved the ego boost.  

His regular education teacher watched as my two year old grabbed her crayon and held it in perfect handwriting form.  As the meeting progressed she commented, "It is great to see her holding her crayons like that.  Most kids her age hold their crayons in their fist.  Chase will hold it correctly for a good fifteen minutes before he reverts to holding his pencil in his fist, actually very similar to how your husband holds a pen."  I laughed.  Kind of funny to think that one of our children writes like her Momma, and one of them writes like his Da.  DD is left handed, so he has his own unique way of holding a pencil.

As the meeting progressed I became excited about the improvements that Chase has made in the past year.  He met several of his goals (he now knows his colors, basic shapes, and body parts), and is working steadily on others (he counts to 13, skips to 16, than 21 and back to fourteen on a consistent basis).  He still struggles, especially with social conversations and vocabulary, but to measure him from where he began - to today, there is such a marked improvement.  I am grateful for his teachers for all they have done for him (and am a little sad that Mia will not qualify to be placed in their capable hands next year). 

I got the biggest warm fuzzy when each of them at one point during the meeting said that they could tell I worked with him at home.  I later told the principal how grateful I was to hear that, since at times I do feel inadequate for helping Chase.  She looked stunned and said, "Genevieve, think about it.  You came to His meeting with stuff to occupy your children, which hardly ever happens.  You mentioned in the meeting that Gavin often wants to play The Very Hungry Caterpillar Game, and you do.  I know you read to your kids.  You are doing great with him!"  I so needed to hear that. 

I love my children.  I am so grateful for the opportunity God gave me to be their mother.  I look forward to using what I learned in my Masters Degree program to help all three of them become life-long learners, and lovers of the printed word!

Brown Bear, "ABC's", and Kites

This week in review:

Tuesday

Tuesday was a special reading night at Chase's preschool.  We arrived just in time to be at the front of the gym for the perfect spot.  Both kiddos were in their pajamas, they had their "Happy Nappers" (Chase has the dragon, Emma the Ladybug) under their arms and practically dragging their blankets behind them.  They looked absolutely adorable.  I loved that they were already for bed once the event was over and we headed for home!!!  As the kids settled down for "Brown Bear" to arrive and read Brown Bear, Bear, Brown Bear, What do You See by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carl I realized that I forgot my camera.  I mourned the loss of the cute pictures I would miss out of this activity.  The memories treasured in my mind will just have to do.  Brown Bear came out and read to the kids.  I loved how the bear would ask "Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?"  She (since the teacher under the costume was a she) would turn the page and the kids would answer "I see a red bird looking at me."  Chase sat through the entire thing repeating each question.  I loved it!  Emma lay curled up on the floor folded up in her blanket entranced in the story.  Afterwards the kids got to choose a book to take home.  Chase chose Five Little Monkey's Reading in Bed by Eileen Christelow.  I don't remember how many times I read that to him before the event ended.  I chose The Silly Snowy Day by Michael Coleman for Emma.  She slept with it under her pillow!

Wednesday

I was working on something, don't remember what, when I noticed how quiet the house had gotten.  Normally that implies that he kids are up to no good.  I started heading towards my bedroom (usually that is where they head) when I hear Emma talking quietly in her room.  I open the door and there she was with her baby tucked in a blanket, lying on her pillow.  In Emma's hands was a book, and she was reading to her baby.  OMGOODNESS!!!!!  It so warmed my heart up.  It totally shows me that when you are on the right track your kids will imitate you!  (Okay, so they will imitate you when you aren't on the right track too.  Been there, done that!  One of Emma's favorite phrases is "Oh, crap!"  Not one of my finest moments.)  I love that the book she chose was one that I had never read to her, however she recognized it as a book about the alphabet.  She was sitting there singing the song in her cute little two year old voice, pointing to the letters as she went through the pages.  I had my camera handy for that one!!!!

Thursday

One of my favorite car games growing up was "I spy with my little eye . . . . "  We had several different versions.  It always made the rides in the car a bit more bearable - especially the ones where we were going cross country!  Yesterday on our way home from dropping Chase off at school Emma says "Kite".  A few minutes later she goes, "Octagon".  The car drives forward and from the backseat I hear "Octagon" once more.  It took a few more "Kites", "Octagon", "Square", and "Circle"before I figured out what she was doing.  She was seeing the road signs and calling out the shapes.  I tried to teach her diamond, but kites it was, and kites it still is!!!! 

I love the little learning moments with my kids.  It makes life so much worthwhile!