All I have is a song...

I just got done putting Mary Ruth to bed. It’s probably one of my favorite things to do. When I put her to bed, I lay down in the bed with her and sing songs. Sometimes I let her pick the song, but I usually just sing whatever comes to mind. Here’s the thing, I’m not much of a singer. I seldom sing in public. Even in church. See, we are told to lift up a “joyful” noise to the Lord. My singing doesn’t really sound all that joyful. So the only time I really sing is if I’m in the car alone (or with The Wife and Mary Ruth) or when I’m putting Mary Ruth to bed. One time I sang baseball songs one after the other all the way home from church just so I wouldn’t have to hear The Wife tell me what she wanted me to do the rest of the day. Don’t judge me. Oh, and I do sing with Maverick from time to time. He’s not that bad. We sing a version of Me and My Shadow that would put Frank and Sammy to shame. We also do a good job singing Happy Birthday. I have a picture somewhere of the two of us singing. Maybe I’ll post it on here one day.

Anyway, I sing to Mary Ruth at bedtime. One reason I do that is that she wants me to. The other reason is that I know there will come a day when she doesn’t want me to. The songs vary. One day soon I’m going to have to learn all of the words to the songs I sing her because she’ll know if I’m just winging it. I’m waiting for the day when she calls me out for inserting the chorus of Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds into Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (it flows nice… you should try it… though I’m sure it would make John and George roll over in their graves and probably send Paul and Ringo to their graves). I’ve already learned that she is learning these songs as I sing them to her. Without prompting, she will now yell “Play Ball” at the end of the National Anthem. She pretty much now knows the words to Take Me out to the Ball Game. She is getting better at singing Old Rugged Cross with me. There are parts of Battle Hymn of the Republic and Dixie that she will sing with me. Some of the other songs I sing her include In The Garden, Because He Lives, Living on a Prayer, My Way, Devil Went Down to Georgia, Let it Be, The Mary Ruth Song (something Jennifer made up) and any other song that might come to mind (that I know at least some of the words to).

I’ve been doing this with her for as long as I can remember. I think I started doing it as soon as we brought her home from the hospital. I would recommend everyone try it (if you have a baby). It at least will give you something to do while you sit and rock a baby that won’t stop screaming. It might even help her (or him) settle down and fall asleep. Try it sometime.