Bedtime Song
We received a wonderful book at my first baby shower: Backyard Bedtime
After countless readings over the years, the soft cadence has been burned into my brain.
It's bedtime for vegetables, carrots and beans
Turnips and pumpkins, potatoes and greens
Curl close to the vine, now, my little sweet pea
I'll sing you an earth-song --
Hush, hush, sleep, deep
Last night as I cuddled with my kids on the couch for a last few minutes, we read through the books they had selected, and then I started shooing them towards bed. As we walked, I began to recite from Backyard Bedtime. The kids have it memorized, too, and will often join in. We must have eaten something silly at dinner, though. I got through two stanzas before my daughter offered up this:
It's bedtime for babies and monkeys round town...
I added in:
Go use the toilet! It's time to lay down!
My son threw in:
I don't have to poo now, but I might have to pee.
My daughters just lost it. She was howling, with her head pressed against the door frame. My son beamed as he emerged from the bathroom.
I decided to finish off the stanza:
I'll sing you a bathroom song --
I'll spare you the finish, but suffice to say that all three kids crowed assorted sound effects that might be heard in the bathroom. There's nothing like ending the night with three kids giggling themselves to sleep, making occasional 'poot!' noises from under the covers.
Sweet dreams, my strange little peepers.
Comments
My kids love the rude sounds at bedtime. I'm embarrassed to say I've put them to bed many a night with my ass doing the talking (think Ace Ventura)..."Now you kids go to - pffffffttt - bed and no sounds - pfffffttt - out of anyone"
They giggle themselves to sleep too. It's part of my "Clown Parenting" strategy.
Love the rap too...your kids have your sense of humour!
V.
Posted by: Vicky | March 14, 2006 10:08 AM
Those are the moments that live in a mother's heart and children's memory. Of course, it will probably be substantially less funny when they are reciting it at the top of their voices at,say, Costco or the grocry store. Not that I would know anything about that. 'Cause I wouldn't.
Posted by: Jenn2 | March 14, 2006 11:29 AM
My favorite thing is listening to my kids talk to eachother. Somewhere along the line my kids decided that they needed someone to "chat" with when they poop. Obviously my husband or I usually got the honors. That changed when one day I heard voices behind the bathroom door. I opened it up to see my 5 year old on the pot and my 4 year old sitting on the stool across from him chatting away. That's love.
Posted by: Mega Mom | March 14, 2006 11:35 AM
I do that with the kids songs, especially the earworms that won't seem to go away. (and aren't they ALL earworms?)
There was one song from a video they watch. The first two lines go
"I am feeling very happy to-day
I am very, very smart..."
Which I morphed into
"I am feeling very crappy to-day
And I really need to fart..."
My nine year old LOVES it. I'm just so proud.
Posted by: buffi | March 14, 2006 11:41 AM
How sweet! I can't wait for times like those with my little man. He is 7 mos. now. He loves to be sung and rocked to sleep. I look forward to bedtime books and songs.
Posted by: EmilyRoseJewel | March 14, 2006 1:17 PM
Strange indeed. I have two little freaks of my own (wipes tear of joy from face...)
Posted by: Candice | March 14, 2006 6:42 PM