A Bundle of Myrrh

“Following are some of questions which every mother-to-be is asked at some time or other during her pregnancy and my suggestions for answers.

“Oh my dear, so soon?” There is really now excuse for this question, unless the wedding was last Thursday, in which case you can only blush, nod and make the best of it. In any other circumstance, you should give a delighted and proud “Yes, isn’t it marvelous?” unless you prefer to punch them in the nose, in which case I would be happy to hold your coat.

“Not again?” This question used to be reserved for the mother of many; today’s mother can expect to hear it on her second or third pregnancy. As many times as I heard this question, you would think that I could have come up with a suitable answer, but the only comeback I ever had was: “Not again…still.” You would be amazed at the number of people who believed me.”

Teresa Bloomingdale I Should Have Seen It Coming When the Rabbit Died

I was happy to be given an old book called, I Should Have Seen It Coming When The Rabbit Died by Teresa Bloomingdale. My neighbor gave it to me to read, “for laughs” she said. On the back I read this, “After ten pregnancies in twelve months I had to call the FBI to find my waistline.” I knew this was gonna be good. I also wondered what my neighbor was insinuating…

Anyway, it’s packed with some real zingers so I decided to share. Here’s one for today:

“When our daughter, Mary, was born in March of 1961, she announced her imminent arrival at seven-thirty on a Sunday morning. The doctor was upset, another Sunday spoiled. My husband was frantic. Who in their right mind would come to baby-sit on a Sunday with four boys ages one, two, three and four? I , of course, was delighted, as would be any mother who has just realized that she is not going to have to cook and clean up after Sunday dinner.”

“Books are as much a part of the furnishing of a house as tables and chairs, and in the making of a home they belong, not with the luxuries but with the necessities. A bookless house is not a home; for a home affords food and shelter for the mind as well as for the body.

It is as great an offense against a child to starve his mind as to starve his body, and there is as much danger of reducing his vitality and putting him at a disadvantage in his lifework in the one as in the other form of deprivation.”

From CHILDHOOD’S FAVORITES AND FAIRY STORIES by Hamilton Wright Mabie

Here are some of our favorite books right now:

Little Bear Books, Eric Carle’s books; Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me, Pancakes, Pancakes, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar,  Beatrix Potter Tales, and classics such as; Little Red Riding Hood, Three Little Pigs, The Gingerbread Man, The Princess and the Frog, Mother Goose Rhymes, Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Dr. Seuss ABC

Some books that I want to add to our library are:

Brambly Hedge Books, Each Peach Pear Plum, Milly Molly Mandy Storybooks

And for when the babies are older:

More classics, The Elves and the Shoemaker, Henny Penny, The Little Red Hen, Corduroy books

What do you like to read with your children?