My theme is Musical Memories: The Memories that music brings rushing back.
Today, I'm indulging myself in memories with my children. I would rock Bubba in Mother's old rocking chair and sing to him, hoping he'd fall asleep, but his little eyes would always pop open soon as I went to stand.
With, Bug, I didn't have the rocker. So, I'd put her on my shoulder and "bump" her bottom as I sang. I could get her to sleep that way.
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This entry is about the songs I'd sing to them. I know one true lullaby and that is "All Through The Night." But I'd also sing them the tunes from Mama's old blue song book as well. Along with other songs for young children.
I'd also reach into my repertoire of standard songs and sing them as well. I would do my rendition of "Unchained Melody" and "To Sir with Love".
And with each child, one song stood out significantly from the others. It became their song and could only be sung to that child. For Bubba, that song was "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight". And of course I had to do all the parts, including the "bo-do-dee-do-do's".
Bug being a little girl, a very different child, and so happy all the time, her song easily became, "My Girl" by the Temptations. And once again, I'd almost run out of breath trying to get everyone's part.
Each one is still very possessive over "their" song. Even when Bubba heard me singing his song to his baby girl a little hint of green-eyed monster popped up. It was like he was torn between thinking, "Oh, how sweet, my Mama (He always calls me MY Mama, not just Mama) is singing that song to my baby" and thinking "Oh, no, don't you go there! Uh-huh. Sing her something else."
Did you sing to your children?
Did singing ever really get your children to sleep?
Did one song stand out from among the rest?
Do you remember being sung to as a small child?
Never singing or sung to by anyone... I don't think, I feel like I have missed out on something. :(
ReplyDeleteOh, poor dear. I'll sing to you! "Fly me to the moon, let me play among the stars..."
DeleteI always sang to my children when they were babies. I have many memories of pacing the bedroom floors with them in my arms, trying to sing them to sleep. It worked. . . until I stopped. :)
ReplyDeleteYep, always seemed when you want desperately for them to fall asleep and stay asleep, they won't. When you are busy or it just doesn't matter, that's when they will go down for the count.
DeleteThat's funny he's jealous of his childhood song being sung to someone else.
ReplyDeleteI don't think my mother ever sang to me.
Yeah, well, funny or not, he's dead serious. Still at twenty-five years old."
DeleteUnchained melody is so good. Never could sing and when I married Ray the boys were past that stage. But I did share classic tunes and they still like Steve Miller Band, Eagles, etc. So I succeeded on passing some musical history.
ReplyDeleteYou turned them on to some good stuff, there!
DeleteOh yes! always but it was not melody but I could put my kids to sleep :)
ReplyDeleteYou were a fortunate lady then.
DeleteI did sing to my girls and the youngest was so hard to get to go to sleep. As soon as I put her on the bed her eyes popped open. I so wanted a little rest of my own but with this girl I didn't often get it.
ReplyDeleteThat is exactly the way bubba was when he was a baby.
DeleteNope, don't remember being sung to. Like to hum as a small child, though.
ReplyDeleteHumming is almost a forgotten art form.
DeleteOne tune stands out for me. It's an oldie:" Would you like to swing on a star" At least I think that was the name of it. OR "Mama buy me a little doll" Does anyone else remember those?
ReplyDeletehttp://enchantedfantasies.blogspot.com
I don't know the one about buy me a doll, but we used to sing the swing on a star one in 5th grade music class. Bing Crosby sung it.
DeleteI sang to my babies, too. I would rock them to sleep while singing to them. Both my husband and I sang to the kids for fun, too. Our son had a rocking horse. We sometimes sang "Happy Trails" or "home on the Range". He went through this stage as a preschooler where he loved "Bat Man". He would use a small bath towel for a cape, and he would run up and down the hallway with his arms straight out while my husband played the old "Bat Man" theme song. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like fun, good times in your house!
DeleteI still sing to them...and to the grands. Funny how they respond to their special song even after months of not hearing it.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, it makes a very strong memory!
DeleteSang to my little cousins, but they quickly outgrew that phase and we resorted to storyteller at bedtime. You do not want to know the levels our storytelling got to.
ReplyDelete?!? My daddy was the story teller. And he'd get them all twisted up together with Goldilocks and the boy who cried wolf and Cinderella in one gigantic tale.
DeleteLove your theme! I was a kinder teacher at the time for my oldest child so I sang all the regular songs since nothing seemed to work - 3 Little Kittens, Hush-a-bye, don't you cry, all the pretty little Horses. With my youngest, I sang all the Jesus Christ Superstar songs and that seemed to work! Thanks for visiting my web site. I'll be back!
ReplyDelete@Door2LoreSue
PowerofStoryABlog - Every Hero Has a Story
A nice way to be lulled into sleep.
ReplyDeleteIt didn't always get them to sleep. But they seemed to enjoy it. Hannah used to have to take breathing treatments when she was little (would get bronchitis) and I'd hold her and sing while she took them. It made her take them without a fight. Later when she didn't need them, she'd ask for one. I realized what she was really asking for was for me to hold her and sing to her.
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