Christmas Lullabies

Emily and I sit in a overstuffed chair with the houselights dimmed. We watch the lights twinkle on the tree as she has her bedtime bottle. We listen to songs like "Silent Night," "Ave Maria" and "O Holy Night." I stroke her hair and cradle her close. Such peace and blessing and quiet joy...

You Are My Sunshine

I've been thinking about my mom. It's her birthday today and she would have been 84. It's been 18 years since she died and while time does heal, the years also bring more milestones in my life where she was absent. My graduation from college, first job, first home, all sorts of things that a daughter likes to show off to her mom. The big ones are the saddest~she never met my husband, danced at our wedding, or saw the birth of our child. I know she is here in spirit, but my heart aches that she and Emily will never know each other.

My earliest memory of my mom is her singing the lullaby "You Are My Sunshine" to me. I remember being comforted in her arms when I was sad or sick or too tired to sleep while she sang. I remember listening to the words and feeling special and loved.

My mom usually had a sunny personality. So the words, "You make me happy, when skies are gray" seem an appropriate way to remember her today. She wouldn't want me to be sad. And if she could, she would delight in rocking her granddaughter to sleep with the same song.

It's a song I sing to Emily. I hope to pass on the same memories of comfort and love to her as I received from my mother. Someday, she'll know that her grandmother sang it to me. That will be one way at least she will know her.

Baby Signing

A few years ago, I knew a child who had several older siblings and did not seem to want to talk. It may have been that she wanted to get it just right before saying things or that she felt that she couldn't get a word in edgewise! Or it may have been simply that she was more comfortable communicating with her body and facial expressions than with her voice. She was in no way delayed but her reticence to communicate verbally brought much frustration to her and her family. So her mom started teaching her baby sign language, something she had never done with her older children. The change was amazing. Suddenly, the little one had a way to communicate that she could master until she was ready for words.

I Have Ten Fingers

"I have ten little fingers and they all belong to me.
I can make them do things, would you like to see?"~ traditional fingerplay

A friend told me once when Emily was very small, "Wait until she discovers her hands!" She was right. One day, Emily suddenly found her hands to be immensely fascinating. This was more than sucking on them. She twisted her hand one way and then another, with intense scrutiny and awe.

She is past that stage now, but is still learning how to make them do what she wants. Someday she'll blow kisses and wave, but for now she is content to grab a toy and put it in her mouth. (Success!)

Ten Little Fingers by Annie Kubler is an oversized board book of the fingerplay. (Published by Child's Play, it also  won the platinum award for best book by the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio.) It's illustrated with giggly children doing each of the actions. The story can be read, and done with the actions. It can also be sung, with the music on the back cover. (I've also done this fingerplay as part of storytime because it ends with hands folded quietly and held just so.)
Fingerplays are great to help children learn listening skills and to follow directions. They love to model and feel a sense of accomplishment when they can do simple movements.While Emily isn't ready to do them yet, she is just as fascinated with my hands as she was with hers.

Do you have a favorite fingerplay?

Tickles, Giggles, and Bouncy Rhymes

It's a joyful day when you hear your child laugh for the first time. Once you hear it, you want to hear it over and over. And then the quest is on, to find what else will make her laugh.

Emily loves bouncy rides. One of my favorites is to the tune of "The Mulberry Bush." I put her on my lap and gently bounce.
"This is the way the baby rides,
Baby rides, baby rides
This the way the baby rides
Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy."

Sometimes it's surprising what will make her laugh. I also do "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" as a bouncy rhyme and she thinks it's ridiculously funny. (Who would have thought?!)

A new one she likes is a tickle rhyme~
"There once was a bumblebee under the barn
(circle finger in air closer and closer to baby)
carrying dinner under his arm
and when he got there he went "Bzzzzzz!" (tickle baby)

Bouncy and tickle rhymes are great ways to have some together time when we are sitting on the porch enjoying the weather or when she is tired of playing with toys and wants to be held. I like variety, so when I was on my quest to find more lap games, I discovered this CD.

'Round and 'Round the Garden: Music in My First Year! is one of several collections by John M. Feierabend and Luann Saunders. It has over 60 rhymes and songs for playing with baby. According to the insert, they have been collected "from the memories of our parents and grandparents, in hopes that these treasures will be preserved for future generations." In addition to bouncy and tickle rhymes, there are "wiggles" (done while wiggling baby's toes or fingers), tapping and clapping songs, and lullabies. While your voice is the most exciting to baby, having a CD is a great way to learn the words and melodies. Or you can have laptime and play along with the CD. I was reminded of some old classics and found some new favorites.

How do you make your little one laugh? Any lap games to share?

Time for Sleep

Only one week into blogging and I'm already behind in posting! Ah, the joys of having a six month old. That probably sounded a tad sarcastic, but it has been mostly joyful ~ the grandparents were here for a lovely weekend visit. Emily, of course, basked in their attention. While they were here, my husband and I went on our first real date since our daughter's arrival. After a delicious and quiet dinner at Macaroni Grill we realized there was a time not that long ago that we would have gone dancing afterwards. Instead, we opted for a nap. Bliss.

Sleep has been a bit elusive for Miss E in the last few weeks. She'll have a great night (which for her is 6-8 hours, eat, then 3-4 more) and then have a night where she wakes up every hour. Yes, that's right, every hour. (Even as I write this, she has just awoken after a whole 30 minutes. I know it's a phase, but momma's tired.)

Not surprisingly, lullabies have been on my mind.

I have always loved the melody of "Brahm's Lullaby." I never knew the words. Several of my nieces have been sung to sleep by me with the words, "Go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep my sweet baby, go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep my fair child. Go to sleep...." you get the idea. (Hey, it worked.)

With a new baby on the way, I thought I should finally learn the real words. I discovered there are many versions of the lullaby. So making up my own wasn't that far off, right? (Except real artists did it much better.) My favorite is by Jewel from her album Lullaby. When I can find the piece of paper that I've put the lyrics on, Emily get's to hear this version. Otherwise she gets whatever I can think of that makes sense in the moment--which may not make much sense at all when it is 3 am. (Poor kid.)

Another discovery was the song "Hush" by Sara Hickman. Written by Sylvia Long, it is a beautiful adaptation of "Hush Little Baby." It can be found on her album Newborn. Instead of "If that mockingbird won't sing, Papa's going to buy you a diamond ring," it's "If that hummingbird won't fly, Mama's gonna show you the evening sky." And later, "When that storybook's been read, Mama's gonna bring you your warm bedspread." This was one of the first songs I sang to her as we got to know one another, rocking in the dark.

Now it is time for sleep. "Lullaby, and good night."

This is the Way We Sing Our Song

    “Children learn by repetition. Infants and young children have the most active brains. The more stimulation they receive from their environment--what they see, hear, touch, taste, and smell--the more connections are made between brain cells.... It is repetition that keeps these connections between brain cells and makes them strong. So at home or in the car, do these rhymes and songs over and over again.”                     -Saroj Ghoting, early literacy expert

I am a terrible singer. I forget lyrics, I don't have a good memory or voice for music. I hope that my daughter picks up her father's musicality, not mine. But the thing is, kids don't care. They love the sound of music and singing.

One of the things I do with my daughter every day is sing. It's often the same song(s), but that's okay. Children thrive on repetition.

Here is one of our favorites.
(Head and Shoulders)
"Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Knees and Toes
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Knees and Toes and
Eyes and Ears and Mouth and Nose
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Knees and Toes"

I touch or tickle the parts of her body as I sing it. At 6 months, she stills gets so excited when we sing this song. I know she recognizes it. This simple song will grow with us. Right now it is a fun way to bond. As she learns words and then coordination, she will be proud to be able to do it herself.  This is also great fun with a group of children. Have them try to do this as fast as possible. They love it!

Another of our daily songs is
This is the Way We... (fill in the blank.)
To the tune of "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush."
"This is the way we [wash our ears]
[Wash our ears, wash our ears]
This is the way we [wash our ears]
So early in the morning [or evening, or late in afternoon]"

I've adapted this to practically every situation possible from changing diapers or clothes to bath time. It's very versatile.The repetition of the melody and many of the words helps with language development. It also works to quiet a fussy baby.

So no matter what kind of voice you have, sing a song with your kids today. Be silly about it, make up words, sing the same songs over and again. Put on a CD or ask them to sing to you. And if you think you don't know any songs, you can always try "This is the way we sing our song..."

Do you have any songs to share?