Singing

 "Spiderman, Spiderman..doing whatever a spider can.  Shooting his web, swinging from building to building, snatching up the bad guys and taking them to jail.  Spiderman, Spiderman, doing whatever a spider can."

This is the song I sang to Gabe tonight as he went to bed.  I made it up.  Last night, it was Batman.

"Batman.....nanananananananananana..Batman....nananananananana...Who's that caped crusader, saving everyone....it's Batman......nananananananananana...Batman!"

Made that one up, too.

I love to sing to my kids.  We sing all the time.  Lately, Gabe has been stretching my imagination with his selection of nighttime songs.  I don't know the theme to Batman or Spiderman!  I was ok with Bob the Builder, when we went through that phase.  I do miss the ole standbys...Twinkle, Twinkle and You are My Sunshine.  He doesn't want to hear those anymore.

But singing is something that is routine at our house.  In the morning I wake Calah up the same way my mom woke my sister and I up..."It's time to wake up, it's time to wake up, it's time to wake up in the morrrning....."  I also add a little..."Rise and Shine, and give God the Glory, Glory."

At the breakfast table, there are actually requests.  The Underpants Song.  The Announcement Song.  Let's Hit the Road, Jack.  It may not always be the most appropriate (not bad, but I should probably also teach my kids not to talk/sing about underpants in public), but it keeps us light-hearted in the morning and wards off the grumblies.  Even when Calah is pouting because she "just so tired," or Gabe won't eat, a song will bring out the smiles and we can go off happy.

I'm not sure that Chuck knew this about me when we got married.  I always made up songs, but it is significantly worse after the kids were born.  I'm really not to blame.  It's hereditary.  I get it from my mom.  She is the queen of made up songs and nicknames.  It makes life fun!

I have to say the best part of singing is that I have a special song for each of my kids.  I picked them out when they were born and sang them almost every night until they started making requests for songs.  Calah's is "Goodnight My Angel (Lullaby)" by Billy Joel.  I heard it at my sister's wedding while I was pregnant, and couldn't get enough of it while I was pregnant.  She loves it.  If we hear it on the radio, she always points out that it is her song.  Sometimes she still requests it.

Gabe's is "Godspeed" by the Dixie Chicks.  What a way to describe little boys!  I would sing it to him everynight, if he would let me.

I don't think I'll ever stop singing.  I know one day my kids will hate it, especially because I'm not a good singer.  But I stand by my singing motto...If you don't like the voice God gave you, give it back!