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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Wanted: Sheet Music

I told you all in the previous post that Miss R. is having an issue with her emotions. Well, to top that off she is also pitching a fit when it's time to go to sleep. She has always been great at bedtime, but for the past two weeks she's been a nightmare. It's the age, I know, I went through this with the other two.

She screams that she's not tired and doesn't want to go night-night. She'll go on for an hour or more, by which time she usually gets herself tired enough that I can finally calm her with a song. I think it's my singing that calms her, though she could just be pretending to sleep to make me stop.

I'm a horrible singer, I know. I will only sing in front of my kids. I don't sing in the shower. I only sing under my breathe to the radio when Mr. Schmitty or anyone else is around. You won't hear me in the crowd when Happy Birthday is sung. I could never work at a TGI Friday's because of this. I'd be the one you would laugh at during American Idol auditions. Get the drift? I suck.

Anyway, besides this fact, I also don't know many children's songs. Sad, I know. When W. was born I don't think I knew anything but Row, Row, Row Your Boat, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. As you can imagine singing those short songs got somewhat old. I'd have to sing them each fifty or so times just to get the baby quiet. I got so sick of them that I remember I would even begin singing the alphabet just to break up the monotony.

I decided I needed to learn at least one good song. I looked up the words to Hush Little Baby and memorized them. W. loved it! And a few years later it was still a hit when I tried it out on T.

Now, fast forward to present day. Hush Little Baby, great for an opener but it's not bringing down the house. My little Primadonna needs some variety. My old standbys about the boat, spider, and star won't cut it. I even tried the Winnie-The-Pooh theme song that I picked up over the years. Nope.

"Keep going Mama!"

Crap. My ears hurt from listening to my own voice. It's like nails on a chalkboard. A cat screeching in heat. A wolf baying at the moon. Okay, stop. My mind is trying to think of something, anything. I can tell by the look in her sleepy eyes that it may only take one more song.

"What do you want to hear?"

"W.'s song. At the baseball game."

Huh?! What in the world is she talking about? OH! Wait, when we went to the minor league baseball game with the cub scouts! That's it!

I proceeded to sing the Star Spangled Banner. Can you believe that I actually messed up a few times. I should be blindfolded and put in front of a firing squad.

I finished my rendition and peeked at her. So adorable they are when they are asleep....her eyes blinked open and she looked me straight in the face. I jumped, it was kind of freaky.

"You sang that wrong."

I need a vacation.

13 comments:

cathouse teri said...

I never could figure out why they say "The Terrible Twos" when the Three's are so much worse! I liked the Two's!

I still sing to my children, and they are 26, 22 and 19. I just would sing whatever songs I liked.

Interesting to have a three-year-old know that you sang that wrong. :)

Annie said...

Oh man! They do say kids make the best (or the worst) critics!

I stick a motzart cd in when I want my eldest to calm down for bed, and it works like a charm.

Zephra said...

I have a list of songs that I sing to Zakary but I get bored so I started making things up. I do this one called "We are going to the zoo today" to the tune of if you are happy and you know it.

We're going to the zoo today,
We're going to the zoo today,
we're going to the zoo,
and what do you think we'll do,
we're going to the zoo today.

Second verse:

We're going to see the lions today...

and just repeat with any animals you can think of. The song can be as long or as short as you want and it usually shuts my kid up. Good luck. Mine has started resisting going to bed too and insists I tell him endless stories. How do I get out of that?

Christine said...

I suck at singing, too. I have noticed recently that I am singing in front of my husband...not sure if this is good or bad.

Gidget said...

hahahahaha!
I'm not a great singer either....that's why I just read to my little ones. After about 5 minutes they were usually out like a light.

BlondeMomBlog (Jamie) said...

LOL...Miss C (my 5-year-old) went through a phase where she only wanted original made up stories at bedtim. OMG...my husband and I both started making up the goofiest crazy ass stories ever.

When my girls were babies I always sang "You Are My Sunshine." ;)

Anonymous said...

I *love* to sing to the children, but they promptly tell me to...

"Shut up Mummy!"

The Chick said...

Little Boy has always had the best taste in music because I always sang him "the classics" and still do: The Beatles, Indigo Girls, CSNY, etc. I think they like anything we sing if we sing it enough!

EE said...

She needs a cd player in her room!
You are too funny!

Anonymous said...

I can't sing either! I know 2 songs; Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and You Are My Sunshine. Those are the only 2 songs that I've ever sang to my kids but they seem to not mind. They are probably thankful I don't know any more!

For the Love... said...

I sang Motown..Shamma Lamma Ding Dong, Under The Boardwalk, Just My Imagination....They loved it..sometimes I just made crap up-Hush little baby don't you cry or the monster will come out of the closet and poke you in the eye..Just kidding...hee hee hee

Unknown said...

That's so cute. I love singing but am really awful :-O

Anonymous said...

I cant hold a note to save MY LIFE!

(your daughter sure knows what she wants / likes!)