Miss E has always loved singing. Each night as she lay in her big pine bed surrounded by soft toys and sweet smelling blankets she would take my hand and make her request and I would sing till her eyes closed, her breathing slowed and I was able to sit up without her springing awake and begging for more.
Miss M is different. She has always loved music and dancing but bed time songs never interest her so the ritual I had loved with Miss E faded away. I mourned it a little, but Miss M didn’t want it, it just wasn’t for her.
Last week, on our third night of tears and protests and a small child adamant (No relation to Adam Ant) that she was ‘not going to sleep’, I asked her if she wanted a song. She nodded and I tentatively began ‘Stay Awake’ a song from Mary Poppins which I loved as a kid. (The link’s here is you want to listen.)
As I got to the second line I expected, ‘Shush Mummy. No more singing. My want a story now.” But it did not come.
Tonight again as I saw my child readying herself to wrestle with sleep, I began to sing. I started slowly, quietly, waiting for her hand on my mouth, another book thrust in my face or a simple “No.” But instead she stares at my face, her eyes, deep sweet pools of chocolate and honey, watch my mouth, her own lips silently shaping the words as she follows. I am mesmerized. As we move further into the song she croons along gently, quietly trying it out, testing her memory, reading my lips.
Her eyes flutter for a second time and she yawns as I begin a new song, slowly, softly trying not to break the magic.
“Baby mine don’t you cry.
Baby mine dry your eyes.
Rest your head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine.”
And she stares and smiles, her face open, trusting, full of love and the knowledge that she is loved. My eyes blur as a lump rises in my throat, and I have to concentrate for a moment on drawing a breath, so huge is the swell of emotion that threatens to overwhelm me. For the rest of the song she snuggles close and is silent. After it ends she stays like that for a moment, then raises her eyes once more to my face.
Miss M: “Mummy, can we have ‘Oops my did it again?”
Damn Britney Barbie.
September 2nd, 2008 at 2:17 pm
That is so sweet! I miss singing mine to sleep, but they are getting to old for that. Sigh!
September 2nd, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Yup. That Britney has a lot to answer for.
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:00 pm
I sing stay awake to K as well… thankfully we have no damn Britney Barbies
September 2nd, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Oh for the love of Britney, no way!
I was all weepy and misty and choked up and then…BRITNEY???
Oh, too funny. I LOVE Baby Mine and if you sang it to me, I would not ask for a Britney song when you were done, I promise.
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:03 pm
i know you said no adam ant, but really really have you tried “prince charming?” fairy-tale-ish!
“ridicule is nothing to be scared of!!!”
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Oh HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! That was hilarious!
So, did you sing it?
September 2nd, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Hahaha
I feel your pain. Only here, it’s Miley.
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:59 pm
JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO……darn you…..how do you always know how to ruin a sappy moment? LOL you killed me. I as alreay composing my sweet comment about how much I love “baby mine” and I wished I could hear you singing it in your cute little accent….then BAM….Brittany. oh for pete’s sake…..
September 3rd, 2008 at 7:33 am
Hee hee hee! How to ruin a lovely ritual
Then again it could have been ‘Who let the dogs out’ or Tom Jones’ ‘Sexbomb’ …
September 3rd, 2008 at 8:48 am
Oh the preciousness of it!
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:11 am
awwwwwwwwwwww … its good she doesnt know ‘dont worry, my happy’
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Awww, I was so choked up till the end. Perfect blend of emotions there Jo! Bravo.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
She wanted to dance not sleep! LOL