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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Building my library

I have been SO excited to start purchasing some baby and children's books for Jack. My mom was always great about reading to us and encouraging our reading growing up. So I knew I wanted to start collecting some books .

But where to begin?

I wanted to buy all the books I loved as a child. Books my mom would read to me or ones I'd help read to my younger siblings.

But I also knew there were likely tons of amazing books that have been written in the years between that I wouldn't have a clue about. That's where having a child development expert as your sister-in-law helps. Molly was able to make some good recommendations.

So along with some of my old favorites...


...Molly also suggested getting some fun "board books" for the baby that include fun pictures, bright colors, lots of repetition and rhyming words, etc. She said Sandra Boynton's are great - so I picked up a 4-pack of her "greatest hits":
And, of course, there are the classic "goodnight books" that friends have given me as gifts like:

But my mom also found the sweetest book that I have a feeling will definitely be my favorite to read to my darling boy...


I can't even read the words without crying:

On the night you were born,
The moon smiled with such wonder
That the stars peeked in to see you
And the night wind whispered,
“Life will never be the same.”

Because there had never been anyone like you…ever in the world.

So enchanted with you were the wind and the rain
That they whispered the sound of your wonderful name.

It sailed through the farmland
High on the breeze…
Over the ocean…
And through the trees…

Until everyone heard it
And everyone knew
Of the one and only ever you.

Not once had there been such eyes,
Such a nose,
Such silly, wiggly, wonderful toes.

When the polar bears heard,
They danced until dawn.
From faraway places,
The geese flew home.

The moon stayed up until
Morning next day.
And none of the ladybugs flew away.

So whenever you doubt just how special you are
And you wonder who loves you, how much and how far,
Listen for geese honking high in the sky.
(They’re singing a song to remember you by.)
Or notice the bears asleep at the zoo.
(It’s because they’ve been dancing all night for you!)
Or drift off to sleep to the sound of the wind.
(Listen closely…it’s whispering your name again!)

If the moon stays up until morning one day,
Or a ladybug lands and decides to stay,
Or a little bird sits at your window awhile,
It’s because they’re all hoping to see you smile…

For never before in story or rhyme
(not even once upon a time)
Has the world ever known a you, my friend,
And it never will, not ever again…

Heaven blew every trumpet
And played every horn
On the wonderful, marvelous
Night you were born.

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