We got finished with supper last night and were cleaning up and getting the kids shooed upstairs to get ready for bed when Cat said, "Daddy, you're still gonna sing the "O Danny Boy" song to me after we read, right?"
I hadn't realized I'd agreed to this, but she tucked her head onto her shoulder and twisted back and forth in a close approximation of various Precious Moments figurines, so how could I refuse?
I got all ready and made her move out of my place on the couch so I could have the light, and we read Chapter Three of Romana Quimby, Age 8 (through much yawning on my part--I'm yawning even typing about it) and then it was time for the recital. "Come on, Daddy--I'm going to get in the bed and you're gonna sing, and then I'm gonna sing." I bundled her up and sat on the side of her bed and sang to her, and she sang to me, and then she said, "Okay, now you said you were going to find the words to O Danny Boy on the computer, and you're going to find Tammy, and print them on the printer on some of your paper so I can sing them anytime I want to and learn the right words to them, right? You said you would!"
Again, I have a feeling this was one of those things she wanted me to do and decided to ask/tell me during the middle of one crisis or another, and I probably said something like "HUH WHA? Yeah, uh-huh," and never thought about it again. But, not wishing to disappoint, I have them both printed out on papers from the computer thing.
As for what got her started on this particular obsession, I don't know. But I suppose it's okay. Singing or being sung to are about the only times she's simultaneously awake and not wiggling.
(She also gets hung on the Peasall Sisters' version of "In the Highways," but she hasn't asked to sing that one lately.)
Posted by Terry Oglesby at October 4, 2005 02:00 PMSo do you do the Ray Price version of "Danny Boy" or are you more of an Irish Tenor?
Posted by: Larry Anderson at October 4, 2005 04:22 PMProbably more like Vincent Price. Or a cement truck.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at October 4, 2005 04:37 PMwhen my nephew was little he HAD to have "Danny Boy" sung to him every night otherwise a temper tantrum would ensue. one night i was sitting with him and he asked me to sing and i did. from that point on he never wanted it sung to him again.
Posted by: elizabeth at October 5, 2005 08:27 AMAre you daring to suggest that you are less than interested in the doings of Ramona?
I love those books, although I am somewhat less enchanted now that I've given birth to a blonde version of Ramona. Middle Girl is so Ramona it is amazing.
Posted by: Jordana at October 5, 2005 08:36 AMHeh--Elizabeth, I hope it had nothing to do with your voice and simply because your nephew outgrew tantrums!
And no, Jordana--I love Ramona Quimby at any age, but when I read the kids bedtime stories, I start yawning because I want to go to sleep so bad I can't stand it. The good thing is that it gets them sleepy, too. Sorta.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at October 5, 2005 09:30 AMThat happens to me at nap time. I lie down to read to the Middle Girl and the only thing that keeps me awake is that The Baby is on the floor fussing because I'm not paying attention to her. My eyes want to shut so badly they burn some days.
Posted by: Jordana at October 5, 2005 03:53 PMI have those afternoons, too, sometimes. Usually all the cars in other lanes blowing their horns at me wakes me up. Usually.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at October 5, 2005 04:11 PM