My grandson, Jameson, was born exactly 2 months ago. Having been born so many days before his due date, he spent many days in the NICU. His grandpa and I spent endless hours with him. Holding him, watching him, taking pictures, and just generally remarking on his incredible level of cuteness. But after a while, I thought, well, what else should I be doing with this sleeping bundle? Of course … sing.
I made a strange discovery: although I know a ton of songs, it was incredibly difficult to think of one off the top of my head – a song that a 4 lb. infant might appreciate. I did OK – singing “Hush Little Baby” as far as I could remember it. There was “Oh Do You Know the Muffin Man?”, but let me tell you, that is a very short song indeed. I remembered my mother singing “Sing a Song of Sixpence” and I smiled as I sang that one to Jameson.
Like so many things in my life, I made this into a project. I googled “lullabies to sing to a baby”. And let me tell you, people have great ideas. There are some standards like “Puff the Magic Dragon” and “You are my Sunshine”, both of which I knew, but only the first verses. Honestly, how did we ever live without the internet? Soon, I was copying down all verses of Puff (do you remember the unbearably sad ending to that one?) and all the verses of “Sunshine” (there is more than one). Other ideas presented themselves: “Michael Row the Boat Ashore”, “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”, and “The Water is Wide”.
But unique ones popped up too, ones I had always loved, and had never thought to sing aloud to a baby.
Take a listen to these possibilities:
“Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head”
There were many songs which I knew just vaguely, and found they were just right to sing to my little bundle of love.
Try these:
The list went on and on, and even included “Rockin’Robin” and “Silent Night”.
By the end, I had amassed a collection of 42 songs! Enough to keep us rocking (in the rocker) all afternoon.
Today’s joy: singing. Just singing with all the joy and gusto and love, so much love, that I can.