A Sweet Gift
Wed, Oct 21, 2009
All Posts, Everyday Life, Misc., Nursery, Pregnancy Life, Pregnant
A few days ago I was at home waiting for our crib to be delivered when I received a box in the mail. It was super heavy and at first I wasn’t sure who had sent it. The label merely said, “enjoy reading” and had a name that I didn’t recognize. I stared at it for a while before a light bulb went off in my head and I realized that this must be the box of books that my husband’s good friend Mark said he would be sending us. Apparently his kids are grown and since he had these books lying around he figured that we could put them to good use.
And he would be absolutely correct. So it was with great anticipation that I opened the box and looked at the stack of books held within.
There is just something cool about older books like these, especially used books. There is a history there; a story to tell if you will.
The illustrations are usually a bit different, reminiscent of the time period and area in which they were made and this Christmas book is a perfect example.
Some of them bring back memories from my own childhood, like this Richard Scarry book about “What Animals Do.”
(I’m a huge Richard Scarry fan, just for the record.)
Then there are the classics such as Cinderella – a story which can never be told too many times.
But my favorite out of this whole stack of great books, is the one titled ”Fifty Musical Fingerplays.”
I’m not even sure what fingerplays are, but when I opened the book, I was pleased to find a number of familiar tunes.
Tunes such as “This Little Pig” and
“Hush Little Baby.” Tunes that I have heard for years yet have never known the words to. In fact, I recently remarked to the CPA that I don’t know any nursery rhymes and that I needed to find a book of songs so that I could officially sing the official parent songs. You know – to make me official.
And lo and behold – here comes this book. Perfect!
Now I’ll be able to learn the words and practice my songs so that when our guy arrives, he will be properly sung to. Not that he’ll know the difference of course, but I know I’ll feel better.
So a big thank you to the CPA’s friend, Mark. Your thoughtfulness and sweet gesture are much appreciated and I know these books will bring hours of enjoyment for years to come.
What books are yours or your children’s favorites? What nursery rhymes (or other songs) do you sing to them?
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October 21st, 2009 at 4:35 am
I’m sure this is a popular one, but when I was little I remember my mom always reading that ‘I love you’ book? I can’t remember the exact name. We also read Where the Wild Things are and To Give a Mouse a Cookie. And my all time favorite was when my dad would read The Polar Express to us around Christmas time. Oh geez, now I’m all sappy!
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is´s last blog ..Honeycrisp Apple Crisp.
October 21st, 2009 at 4:56 am
Oh, what fun! I always loved “The Day Jimmy’s Boa Constrictor Ate the Wash”, and, if you want more nursery rhymes/poetry, try Robert Louis Stevenson’s “A Child’s Garden of Verses” I read and re-read that one.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:12 am
I don’t have any of my own children but my work babies love the Llama Llama books and The Big Red Barn. Their current favorite song is The Itsy Bitsy Spider. Or going to catch a baby bumblebee. We don’t really sing nursery rhymes with them.
Julie´s last blog ..Tall…Decaf…Cappuccino!!
October 21st, 2009 at 5:17 am
I love the book “Prayer for a Child.” My girls like the Sandra Boynton books (”Horns to Toes and in Between” and “Hippos Go Berserk”), “Sweet Dream Kisses” is at the Top of my two year old’s list, and my four year old loves them all.
We sing quite a bit–”Twinkle, Twinkle” is every day. We sing lots of Sunday School songs too. I also changed the words to songs to add their names and sometimes totally change the lyrics. They love hearing their names and to sing about what they are doing.
Kristy´s last blog ..
October 21st, 2009 at 5:43 am
You are so funny…”a proper parent.” You can just do like I do (for any song, not nursery rhymes) and just make up the words when you don’t know them. It provides good entertainment
How sweet of the friend to send those books. Definitely a thoughtful gesture.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:43 am
I loooove the book Sleepy Time, Bunny. My dad used to read it to me, and now I read it to my kids. I love the Max Lucado books The Crippled Lamb and Just In Case You Ever Wonder.
The one that always makes me cry when I read it is Love You Forever. It’s so sweet.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:43 am
You are so funny…”a proper parent.” You can just do like I do (for any song, not nursery rhymes) and just make up the words when you don’t know them. It provides good entertainment
How sweet of the friend to send those books. Definitely a thoughtful gesture.
Jill´s last blog ..10 Days Later: I suck at blogging
October 21st, 2009 at 5:59 am
I grew up with Madelein, The Berenstein Bears, Curious George and Amelia Badelia. I might have spelled Madelein and Amelia Badelia wrong…
But my favorite moments from my childhood are receiving books from my grandmother and reading Curious George with my father before bedtime. The simple moments are what I remember most and hope to copy and repeat with my own children. As an avid reader, I agree that this was a wonderful gift for you, the CPA, and the little boy.
Carolina Baker´s last blog ..How to Improve your Nutrition, the Easy Way
October 21st, 2009 at 6:27 am
what an awesome gift…i love going to used bookstores and finding treasures like these. like you said there is something about an old used book, it holds more than the story on its pages.
Briony´s last blog ..India: Five
October 21st, 2009 at 7:02 am
I don’t have kids, just the nieces, twins aged 5, but they get books from me all the time. Dr. Seuss (Green Eggs & Ham–my favorite), Hello Moon, Pat the Bunny, a little kid book that was made out of a glove you wore on your hand with a puppet on each fingertip–the pages were in the palm–and for sure, in a few years, they are getting all the Narnia books. I cherish my set, and I’ve loved them for years.
As a child, I also loved a book about “Ferdinand, the Bull.” I don’t know if it’s even in print anymore.
What an exciting time for you. I’m so happy for you.
Jules
sparkly_jules´s last blog ..Change of Pace, Today
October 21st, 2009 at 7:12 am
What an awesome gift! That will DEFINITELY get you up-to-speed on children’s stories and lullabyes.
Good luck learning
Kate´s last blog ..She Says… Imaginary Friends
October 21st, 2009 at 7:21 am
Well, right now I read more of my literature than her literature to Charlotte. I tried, I really did, but I could only take so much Mother Goose before I lost my ever-loving mind and so I decided to save that moment for when she was old enough to know the difference. So we’re onto Pablo Neruda poetry and Khaled Husseini books with a few French storybooks right now.
As for nursery rhymes, hmmm. I sing “baby mine” from Dumbo all the time. All. The. Time. But honestly, most of my lullabies are French ones, especially “Il pleut, il pleut, bergere” and “Alouette.” I know that as Charlotte gets older, she’ll prefer to sing the English ones that her friends know and that come easier in our culture, so again, if I’m going to go insane listening to those, I’d rather save that moment for when she’s older lol.
Except for “Baby mine,” of course. I make up my own sweet verses just for her and I wouldn’t trade that lullaby for the world.
Sarah @ BecomingSarah.com´s last blog ..Trois mois.
October 21st, 2009 at 7:44 am
We sang a LOT when the kids were little. Anything and everything but that fingerplay book is gold because kids love putting actions to songs.
Mindee@ourfrontdoor´s last blog ..Still Fifteen
October 21st, 2009 at 7:50 am
That is a sweet gift!! I love great books, and perfect kids ones like those are classic
Tabitha Blue´s last blog ..My Inspiration Today
October 21st, 2009 at 8:29 am
What a great, great gift!
October 21st, 2009 at 10:09 am
WE LOVE BOOKS! My first baby was sitting by himself at 4 mo. just so he could sit and look through all his books – ALL BY HIMSELF! He loved for me to read to him and would focus on the whole book since he was 8 weeks old (yes, he was a freak of nature! trust me, the next two kids DID NOT have this in common with their older brother!) I shared so many of my old childhood books with them and they actually preferred the older books. They couldn’t understand how a store could sell their favorite books so cheap (thrift stores tend to have a great price tag!) This fall break we stayed close to home and didn’t even do too many things, but we did make it to Costco for the boys to pick out a book to read during the break! Enjoy all those books!
Nicole´s last blog ..FALL BAKING KICKED OFF!
October 21st, 2009 at 11:11 am
I recommend ANY book illustrated by Sarah Small. They are absolutely divine!
I sing all day to Ruby… Mostly just little ditties I make up on the spot about whatever it is we happen to be doing in that moment. And I sing her name to her to the tune of “Are you listening?” R-U-B-Y, R-U-B-Y, Ruby Lou. I love you…. And so forth. Cheasy, yes. Does she love it? Absolutely.
Yours will just want to hear your voice, no matter the words or nonsense that’s coming from your mouth.
Amber´s last blog ..Growing Up
October 21st, 2009 at 11:19 am
I love Tomie de Paola! His books are wonderful.
We sing all the time, or rather, I sing to Hannah. Recently she has started grinning the moment she hears me sing “You Are My Sunshine,” which I have been singing to her every day since before she was born. We sing everything – “Daisy Bell” and “The Owl and the Pussycat” and “Rise and Shine” (the Noah’s ark song) are my favorites. I pretty much dredge my memory for all my old Girl Scouts camp songs and Sunday School songs.
erin´s last blog ..more soap photos
October 21st, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Oh, I can’t wait for books to read to my kids! Those look darling and I love that they are older. So nice of your friend to send!!!
The Wife of Odie´s last blog ..choose you this day
October 21st, 2009 at 6:00 pm
I sang Winkin’ Blinkin’ and Nod so many times I nearly wore the wooden shoe out!
LOVE LOVE LOVE the books. I STILL read aloud to my kids. Heck, I read aloud to the DH!
Robynn’s Ravings´s last blog ..An Interview With Our Winner – Joolzmac!
October 22nd, 2009 at 12:13 am
There is something magical about a good child’s book. They contain a sense of mystery and wonder that I think we lose as we grow up. What a cool present and what a lucky baby!
Laura´s last blog ..Pumpkins, pumpkins, everywhere!
October 22nd, 2009 at 6:17 am
What a wonderful gift. My boys just love books all of them different ones on different days, we have no short of probably 50 books.
Favorite songs at the moment: are Itsy Bitsy Spider, and Who’s that doggy in the window, (I change the words when they are looking in the mirror but they still like to bark)
Jenna @ Newlyweds´s last blog ..Meet the Newlyweds Jeff and Kayla Aimee
October 22nd, 2009 at 8:11 am
Children’s books are fabulous-you can get lost in the book stores checking them out. I loved having books around when you guys were all younger and we enjoyed hours reading together. One of the greatest joys of a Mother are the moments you hold your precious little one in your arms and they settle down comfortably, smelling of powder with their arm draped lovingly around your neck or just nestled against your chest and you read soothingly and with love to them. You think your heart is going to burst with love and sometimes I think it did because I felt as though there were sparkles in the air that I just savored before I had to put you to bed or the moment was gone and you’d be up and running once again, until the next moment with a good book. Enjoy and look forward to many sweet moments with a good book and your little guy!!!
October 22nd, 2009 at 10:03 am
That is so nice! What a really sweet gift to get!
Tamara´s last blog ..The Splendor of the King
October 22nd, 2009 at 6:11 pm
HANDS DOWN BEST KID’S BOOK (with morals and lessons that adults can easily benefit from): “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint Exupéry. Everyone should love this book. It’s beautiful.
Heidi´s last blog ..Want to get dismissed from jury duty? Possess cognitive skills.
October 22nd, 2009 at 10:01 pm
What an amazing gift!! I love books. I think I do more reading to my grandson than I do for myself. Hope you are feeling great and enjoying your pregnancy!! Here is my new blog address:
http://sweetdixieland.blogspot.com/
October 23rd, 2009 at 9:34 am
What a wonderful gift! My favorite book growing up was Twelve Dancing Princesses, illustrated by Errol Le Cain. I have no idea where the book went, and when I tried to find it online I found out it was out of print! Looks like we’ll have to find a new favorite book for my kids…
October 31st, 2009 at 11:31 pm
What a wonderful gift! It will be one that you cherish for a long time. Books=happy
