Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Nonsense Baby Songs


Q has always made up little nonsense songs to completely original tunes that he is unable to recreate later, with the exceptions of ones that I latch onto and make him repeat over and over. I sing all the time but it's almost always real songs that I've gotten stuck in my head. Now, Miss W has joined us and it's been brought to my attention that babies tend to inspire song making and singing.

I looked up all the words to "Hush, little baby", "There was an old woman", and "The Day I Went to Sea" because I needed long songs to amuse myself as she listened during the day. Along with more traditional fare, songs that have never been lullabies have become ones because I know the words or they make me think of her - "One Day" by Matisyahu, "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles, and Amy Grant's "Baby, Baby".

Now the wonderful creative nonsense that little ones inspire...

Within the first week of Willow's life, my mom mentioned how she kept having a song she'd learned in kindergarten run through her head. The original was:
Little Duckie Duddle, splashing in a puddle
Splashing in a puddle so small
Said he, "It doesn't matter how much I splash and spatter;
I'm only a duckie after all!"
Mom knew the first two lines of the remake were "Little baby Willow, sitting on a pillow, because she is so very small" We finally completed it with "Says she, 'I don't give a hoot how much I squirt and toot, I'm only a baby after all." This is a very true song for a newborn and we enjoyed it immensely. I've modified it as she's gotten older and it's now in my regular Willow soothing rotation during the day:
Little baby Willow, sitting on her pillow
Wondering what the day will bring
First she'll have a snack, then she'll have a nap
Then she'll do it over again.


Here's my favorite that Q came up with one night. I made my own simple tune (since he couldn't repeat his):
Willow on my shoulder
Willow on my arm
Willow on my shoulder
I'll keep you safe from harm.


To the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot":
She's my baby Willow short and sweet
From the top of her head to her little tiny feet
When she gets all steamed up hear her shout
But then she smiles and the sun comes out.

or

Here are Willow's feet and her calves and her knees
Her thighs and her tummy and her chubby chubby cheeks
Here are Willow's hands and her arms and her head
Shoulders, chest and nose and now it's time for bed.
(This one is usually followed by "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" during daytime play sessions. It gets big grins.)

And the latest, to "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star":
She's my baby Willow Anne,
I hug and squeeze her all I can
When we go to sleep at night,
I'm thankful for her smile bright
She's the sweetest in the world,
My precious little baby girl.

Who knows which ones will stay with us as she gets older. Will there be ones she remembers? Will I ever remember them? I want to, which is why I wrote this post. These songs will always recall her precious early baby days for me.

At the very least, I'm sure she feels the love we're pouring out to her as we sing "her" songs. She looks into my eyes and grins her little dimpled grin. She's started cooing along in delight. That is a gift every parent should give to themselves - lose your inhibitions, sing your baby nonsense, and rejoice in having yet another way to tell her how much she is loved. Anybody else willing to share their own baby songs?

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