Friday, September 23, 2016

As Long As I'm Living, My Baby She'll Be

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch is a classic children's book, read to little ones all over the world. But there is something about the background of the book's iconic words and the personal story of the author that many don't know.

my Love You Forever copy in Lily's memory chest


According to Robert Munsch from his website:
Love You Forever started as a song.
"I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
as long as I'm living
my baby you'll be."
I made that up after my wife and I had two babies born dead. The song was my song to my dead babies. For a long time I had it in my head and I couldn't even sing it because every time I tried to sing it I cried. It was very strange having a song in my head that I couldn't sing.
For a long time it was just a song but one day, while telling stories at a big theatre at the University of Guelph, it occurred to me that I might be able to make a story around the song.
Out popped Love You Forever, pretty much the way it is in the book.

Somehow knowing this, it makes the words that much more poignant, doesn't it? The words mean something entirely different to those of us who have lost our precious babies, for they truly will always be our babies for as long as we live. Not just because they are our beloved children, but quite literally because we will never watch them grow.

Thank you, Roxanne, for this lovely photo

Based on this book, Little Orchard Co started something called the Love You Forever Project. They are making apparel with the words "Love You Forever" on them. They have shirts for women, men, kids, and onesies.


About the project from the website:
This tee was created for every person who has loved a child. Whether it was just 2 lines on a pregnancy test, whether it was before 40 weeks, whether they took them home from the hospital or not, whether they hold them in their arms, or only in their heart.
This tee was inspired by my sister who lost both her precious son and daughter within 10 months. Until that happened, I didn't know much about stillbirth and infant loss.
This tee is meant to bring awareness to the issue of stillbirth and infant loss. To the army of warrior parents, grandparents, and family members, who have lost their precious children, I hope it will start conversation, acknowledge stories, and inspire.

Profits from the sale of this project are given to Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, which offers free professional portraiture photography to those walking through the loss of a baby. 

Here I am in the shirt I got... I'm excited to have this to wear to special events and on meaningful dates. I also had gotten a onesie for my niece to wear as well as my future hoped-for babies, but ended up giving it away to a grieving couple who had just lost their baby. I definitely plan on ordering another one.


In recent years, several sources have shared the story behind Love You Forever, including The Huffington Post.

  Photobucket

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