Learn by Listening Level 2

[00:00.42]Babies|[00:02.47] My baby is asleep in my arms.|[00:04.34] Her soft cheek rests against my chest,|[00:07.51] while her sweet breath puffs gently on my skin.|[00:11.43] Her tiny lips are puckered a bit. Her little eyelids flutter.|[00:15.66] I wonder what she dreams about as she sleeps.|[00:18.64] Does she dream? I have heard her whimper in her sleep.|[00:22.81] Sometimes she awakens with a scream.|[00:25.55] What is so scary in her little baby dreams?|[00:28.85] Once I heard her giggle as she slept.|[00:31.59] Her dreams must have been sweet that day.|[00:34.51] I have had three babies.|[00:36.44] The one I am holding now is my last one.|[00:39.86] My other babies are grown up more and now at school.|[00:43.71] I love their childish play and laughter.|[00:47.07] I miss their baby dimples and their baby sounds and smells.|[00:51.37] There is such joy in the birth of a new baby.|[00:55.16] We hear their first little cry,|[00:57.65] telling us all is well with their small world.|[01:00.64] We feel their newborn skin, wrinkled, soft and slightly damp.|[01:05.30] We feel each little limb|[01:07.29] and are filled with wonder and humility.|[01:10.46] Life is good as baby takes its first food from its mother.|[01:14.63] Family gathers around,|[01:16.75] each waiting to hold and love this newest member.|[01:20.17] Each time the baby cries, its mom worries,|[01:23.46] and their bond becomes stronger.|[01:25.89] Babies have their own special smell.|[01:28.94] Some have described it as "milk and innocence."|[01:32.73] It is the sweetest smell on earth, I think.|[01:35.47] It cannot be copied. Somehow, it disappears as baby grows.|[01:41.63] I love to hear my baby talk.|[01:44.80] Once in a while I can even understand a little bit!|[01:48.41] She is so serious in her baby talk|[01:51.40] that I just have to pick her up and hug her.|[01:53.95] I love to hear her say "Mommy."|[01:56.81] When my baby is tickled,|[01:58.93] or when the dog or her big brothers do something funny,|[02:02.10] it is so sweet to hear her baby laugh.|[02:05.52] It's such a cute little giggle!|[02:07.51] Sometimes she laughs so hard, her face turns red,|[02:11.43] tears come to her eyes,|[02:12.92] and she falls down weak with the laughter.|[02:15.78] Those who watch her can't help but laugh, too.|[02:19.14] I hope she always laughs so easily.|[02:22.25] The parents watch with pride and joy|[02:25.43] as baby grows and has many "firsts."|[02:27.73] There is the first time baby sleeps through the night,|[02:31.08] rolls over, smiles, laughs, hugs and kisses.|[02:36.19] Then there is the first tooth, crawling,|[02:39.17] first step and first word.|[02:41.79] With each new first, the baby becomes less a baby!|[02:46.20] These steps are a little sad to parents, too,|[02:49.62] because they know they're "losing their baby."|[02:52.55] However, to a mother, even an adult child is still her baby!|[02:57.21] My baby is not perfect.|[02:59.82] Sometimes she gets mad or whines for no reason.|[03:03.12] But, to me, she is still beautiful.|[03:06.05] Her smiles more than make up for her tears.|[03:09.16] Her hugs wipe away when she's been bad.|[03:12.58] I intend to cherish each moment with my baby while I can!