Grandma Lizzy & Jesus are in Musical Cahoots

When Simon was a very small baby we sang to him a lot. Sometime after that we stopped singing, and never made it part of the bedtime routine. When my parents were here a little over a month ago, that became the routine b/c it's what Grandma Lizzy loves to do. Simon ate it up.

So now every night we have time for songs. Sometimes we still read a book or two, but we read a lot during the day too so that gets skipped periodically. But we ALWAYS have songs. Simon gets very particular about whether or not he's sitting in mama's lap or daddy's lap, and the other parent has to be sitting in just the right place on the floor in his room - either next to the crib or on the hippo picture on the floor rug. Sitting on the elephant or the giraffe is strictly prohibited - only on the hippo.

During the Christmas season we sang lots of Christmas carols, and a periodic Santa or Rudolph or Frosty kind of song. But ever since my parents were here we have regular requests for the "Grandma Lizzy song" or "Grandma Lizzy strong song." Fortunately, we know what he means. The Grandma Lizzy song is "Jesus Loves the Little Children" but we have to substitute his name in for the word "children." The Grandma Lizzy strong song is "Jesus Loves Me" because of the line "they are weak but he is strong."

Then we get requests for "Grandma Lizzy song again." And again. I think partially it's stalling, partially he loves to say & think about Grandma Lizzy, and partially he likes hearing his name in a song.

Now he's getting to know a few other songs that have become regulars, so we get requests for "Tinkle Tinkle" (of course it's Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star) and "Little Spider" (Itsy Bitsy Spider) and "Baby Song" (Rock-a-Bye Baby).

And as of a week or two ago, Simon has begun singing the songs to us. Sometimes in the middle of the day, out of nowhere (as far as we can tell) from his carseat or high chair or just dancing in the living room to his own accompaniment.

"Yes, Jesus loves me" he'll sing over and over.
"yellow black and white"
"tinkle little star wonny wonny what you are up abba so high diamond sky" (this one he will do by far the most completely)
"Jesus of the world"

We just shake our heads and smile and say "whose kid is this?" My answer? His Grandma Lizzy's. :)