Nightly singing

Every night, the boys and I sit on their bedroom floor and read a couple of stories. Then they try to convince me that they don’t need to go to bed, but eventually I get them to lie down. Then, I turn out the light, and we sing a couple of songs.

During the day, when I’m working or running or trying to relax, I have kid’s songs and nursery rhymes going through my head constantly. However, when it comes time to sing something, I’m stuck, so I ask them what they want to sing. Peanut almost invariably wants to sing “Pocket Poe Da’ Pence” which, if you know him, means “Sing a Song of Sixpence.” It is fun, and they know all of the words. At the end, when the blackbird comes down and snatches off the maid’s nose, Meatball always adds “and head.” Poor Maid. If he doesn’t choose “Pocket Poe Da’ Pence,” he chooses the Thomas the Tank Engine theme song – a song that will live in my brain for the rest of my life. (“They’re two, they’re four, they’re six, they’re eight….)

Since I have such a hard time getting songs to come to my head, they boys can sing the 50 states in alphabetical order (another song that will live in my brain forever thanks to Shellie Poulsen’s 5th grade teacher for teaching her and thanks to her for teaching me – I wonder if she still knows it, too?). At least this song will serve us well at parties for years – the early years will prove to people just how brilliant our kids are, later years it will make their inebriated friends stop talking for a few minutes – a difficult feat to be sure. I have also had to recently resort to “Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree,” that much loved and never forgotten action song from years of Sunday morning Mormon primary. No, I don’t typically fall back on the Mormon classics – especially since I’m no longer Mormon (although almost old enough to be considered a classic), and I hope that the boys never choose to become one (Mormon, not classic). But, it is a fun song. Don’t worry – we won’t be singing any rousing renditions of “Jesus Wants Me for a SunBEAM” or “Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel” any time soon – or ever if I have my way.

Meatball has a larger repertoire of beloved songs than Peanut. (In all fairness, Peanut will also occasionally choose “Boo Boo Choo Choo,” too – another song from Thomas that encourages the engines to be brave and to not be afraid of the dark.) But the Meatball, he’s got this down to a science. “Sing the dog song” (How Much is that Doggie in the Window?), “Christopher Robin” (Return to Pooh Corner), Six Little Ducks, Old MacDonald, Twinkle Twinkle, Golden Slumber, and etc.

But the other night, when I asked for requests, Meatball really caught me off guard.
Me: Hmmmm…. What song should we sing?
Meatball: C’mon Baby.
Me: C’mon Baby? What’s C’mon Baby?
Meatball: C’mon Baby!
Me: Sing it for me, Sweetie. (Yes, yes – I call them Sweetie – and Buddy – and Cutie Pants – and My Favorite Green/Brown Eyed Boy – and I love every second of it)
Meatball: C’mon baby, let’s get out of this town, mom!

Yes – you read that right. He started singing “Baby, You Can Sleep While I Drive” by Melissa Etheridge. He knows a fair amount of the words! You see, when I run out of kid’s songs and they haven’t yet run out of steam, I must resort to songs that I know that are longer than just a couple of stanzas. I must admit that Meatball also knows “Poseidon” by the Indigo Girls. While he thinks it’s about fishing, and therefore kinda’ fun, I hope that it doesn’t get him beat up on the playground. I mean, really, is the kid destined to be a punching bag? All I play is Indigo Girls, and all Bubba seems to listen to is Barbra, Barbra, Barbra. When all of the kids are listening to the progeny of P-Diddy’s or Puff Daddy’s or Sean Puffy’s (or whatever his name will be then) and our little Meatball is singing show tunes or political lesbian folk music, will there be a throw down?