I grew up watching all the old musicals with my mom; Singing in the Rain, My Fair Lady, 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, The Sound of Music and many, many more. We would sit together and sing along to all our favorite songs and just enjoy spending time together. As I grew older, I became very critic of THOSE kinds of movies; not cool enough for my “Wayne’s World” loving teen self. I mean really! Who just breaks out into song willy-nilly in the middle of the street or in the mist of a passionate moment?

Yeah…who…who could be that un-cool, that dorky, that idiotic?

Ok, ok, I confess! Now that I’m an adult I am prone to break out into song at any given time; and not trendy, modern songs or even songs sung properly, you know, with all the correct words. Oh no, I make up my own verses to popular tunes, sing off key, and repeat endlessly the 1 or 2 lines I can remember of a song. I know, I know, I’m just SO cool!

It funny how these little ditties just pop up throughout the day. When bathing the kids you’ll hear renditions of the ever popular "I’m Going to Wash That Baby Right out of My Hair” or "Splish, Splash, Zboy’s Takin’ a Bath". Then there are the endless versions of:

Wash, wash, wash
Wash, wash, wash
Wash that hair.
Wash that hair

Brush, brush, brush
Brush, brush, brush
Brush those teeth.
Brush those teeth

Dry, dry, dry
Dry, dry, dry
Dry your hair
Dry your hair

etc.

Yes, let the good times role!

Leaving the house requires ‘Hit the Road Jack’ and coming home needs the nursery rhyme “Home again, home again, jiggity jog.” We get into the car with “1, 2, buckle the seat belt. 3, 4, shut the van door…” though this always leads to an argument with Cookie about whether 9, 10 is “a big fat hen” or “do it again”. Even Zboy has started getting in on it by chanting “gig gat gen” although it sounds like he siding with Cookie on the hen thing.

Sometimes my girls will chime in with me as we sing “Mess maker, mess maker, make me a mess” to Zboy as we clean up whatever great new thing he’s discovered to destroy. Yes, my children accept my musical eccentricity with remarkable ease - while my hubby is more likely to give me that fond, bemused at the cute crazy lady look. Cookie is my partner in musical crime and will instigate these strange hybrid songs almost as often as I will. She also has started coming up with her very own little, priceless gems.

You are my mommy
My only mommy
You make me happy
When skys are grey
You’ll never know mommy
How much I love you
Please don’t take my mommy away.

Princess prefers to ignore us for the most part, conveniently forgetting that whole year when she was 2, when we had to sing everything to her… it was like living in an Opera! I’m pretty sure this is where all this singing madness began. There is nothing like 12 months of a tyrannical toddler demanding you sing everything you say to her to improve your ability at improvising a tune.

“Sing the brushing your teeth song mom!” (see above)
“Sing the wiping your nose song mom!” (not pretty but true)
“Sing the getting out of bed and getting dressed but can find any socks song mom!” (???!!!)

Zboy has proven recently that he is definitely MY son by spontaneously breaking out into songs of his own. ‘Fere a Jacka’ is his current favorite and I am very impressed that, although the words are unintelligible, he’s got the tune pitch perfect.

Ah! My legacy will live on!!

posted at 11:47 AM  
Labels: It's ALL about ME, Kids