Musings on in utero "schooling"

I've been mulling over all the advice pregnancy books and websites offer about the third trimester (yay! we're there! And yes, I have plenty of time to read right now).

A recurrent theme is the idea of exposing the unborn baby to classical music, exotic vegetables and fruits, songs, stories, and even foreign languages, because they are already learning, to give them a head-start in life. And it's true -- they can distinguish voices, knowing their parents from strangers. They recognize familiar song tunes. They taste whatever Mom ate for her dinner.

I remember distinctly being surprised that my nieces as babies didn't startle when their family dog, Fritzi, a very hyper Schnauzer, would start barking copiously at the latest "intruder". But they had already had 9 months of hearing him in utero, and so Fritzi's personality was no surprise. Similarly, my penchant for citrus fruits probably comes from the crates of tangerines my mom ate while pregnant with me.

But I also sense that as a result of these amazing feats, women are adding half-hour classical music exposure to their already long "pregnancy to-do" list, and feeling guilty if they don't. As helpful as advice books are trying to be, I think there's more to these prenatal abilities.

I think their purpose is family building. Before they enter the world, these children are becoming their parents' children. Right now, our Benjamin is becoming a Bobb/Clark. Jamie and I love fresh fruits and vegetables (especially CaraCara navel oranges ... see, there are those citrus fruits again!). We're both addicted to Ginger Snaps. We like black and roiboos teas. Well, Benjamin has been exposed to all of those courtesy of my diet. The idea that Benjamin's ears perk up when he hears Jamie's voice when Jame comes home at the end of a long day warms my heart. I've been singing "Jesus loves me" to him every day, a song I grew up with, and I like to think that he already relaxes by the time I hit the chorus.

What an awe-some gift from God to create babies to be born into their families already bearing not only genetic, but also environmental, markers of those who will love and care for them.