A Bedtime Song

For years now, as I got Janey to sleep, I've sung her songs. I did this with her brothers too. I'm no expert singer, but I love thinking of them someday hearing the songs I sing and thinking of me, and it's also just a relaxing way to calm down at bedtime. For the past year or so, part of my bedtime routine with Janey has been to first ask her if she will sing ME a bedtime song. Her part of the routine is what her part in many of our routines is---to say nothing. But last night, after I asked for the maybe 300th time "Will you sing me a bedtime song?", she replied. She replied by singing me all of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat", perfectly and in her sweet, sweet little voice. Tony happened to be there to at the time, and we both were crying our eyes out---luckily it was dark as Janey would not have gotten why we were crying!

Janey has always loved music, but the last month, it seems her love had kicked up a notch. She is starting to notice and have opinions about certain songs and singers more, which she shows by asking for the songs over and over. I've got to give a shout-out to The Gatlin Brothers, who I know just about nothing about. They are Janey's favorite group, starting from her love of her favorite song "All the Gold in California" Why exactly this song speaks to her so much is beyond me, but boy, does she love it. She has also gotten extremely fond of "Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak Tree". She loves to belt out the line "Now the whole damn bus is cheering", which I kind of hope she doesn't sing at school! She also loves "Morning Train" by Sheena Easton and "Everyday" by Buddy Holly. I've made a little playlist of her songs for the car, and although I must admit I'm getting sick of them a bit, it's worth it to see the joy on her face when they play, and to hear her singing them at random times. It's a lot of fun to see what her taste in music is.

Music is also a way we can all have fun as a family, even with TV watching. Janey was mesmorized by Madonna's half time Super Bowl show, and she loved watching the beginning of the Grammys with us. It's wonderful when we have something the whole family enjoys and we can do it together, without it being a situation where we are doing something FOR Janey---not that we mind that, but it's more fun to just do something WITH Janey. All five of us love music, although we have differing levels of talent, and I look forward to seeing what the next song Janey falls in love with is!