A little fun (and maybe a tear) for you on this Friday as I reminisce about a LULLABY.
I was sitting at basketball practice, watching my two youngest -a middle schooler and a high schooler, when I got a text from their older sister – who is away at college. The text was simply this.
http://youtu.be/YfJJMr3YJdM.
Just a link.
No words.
So, right there in the loud gym, sitting on the metal bleachers, I clicked on the link.
I couldn’t hear so I closed my eyes (that helps, you know) and put my phone to my ear and listened intently.
I teared up.
This was a lullaby I had sung throughout the girls’ lives.
My eighteen-year-old daughter had actually googled and found this tune. How precious!
I reminisced…picturing tucking her in at night, kneeling beside her bed, stroking her hair and caressing her forehead, nose, cheeks and even closed eyelids.
PRECIOUS.
So, there I sat overcome with joy and a flood of memories…
of a journey through the years of singing this song (and not every night, I might add)
from twirling ballerina days, to white lacy bows, to middle school years, to high school years, even up to recent days of singing it, by request- to my oldest daughter returning home during college breaks.
“Mom, will you tuck me in and sing to me?”
And I recall as I sung, seeing a tear gently roll down her cheek.
Mama like.
And now, the second daughter, expresses the importance of that song and our tradition…
Mama like.
I am reminded that I really need to sing it to the ones still at home. I think I’ll make it a priority to sing to them tonight.
Now that the gushy part is over, here’s the funny part.
As I listened to this link, I was APPALLED!!
I had sung the words …all these years…INCORRECTLY! I had left out the entire middle section (out of only three sections) and managed to mix up the words in the other two sections.
(This is SO like me, I might add.)
So, I texted this back to my college daughter:
“I am crying right now at basketball practice. Beautiful. I miss you! I want to sing that one more time – maybe even with the right words! LOL.”
To which she promptly replied:
“I love you mommy! Even when you leave out half the song and get most of the words wrong :)”
Followed by a big red heart emoticon…or an emoji…or whatever that’s called.
Then, she sent another text…this is sweet. She said,
“I would love an iPhone voice recording of that sent to my phone.”
So, this morning, with the lyrics in view (below), I correctly sung and recorded this lullaby and texted it to my four girls, including the two at home, one at college, and oldest who lives across the country.
Pretty Lady
I see pretty pink ribbons and white lacy bows
I see dollies and tea sets and twirling on toes
I see two little eyes full of wonder and love
Pretty lady pretty lady you’re a gift from above
I see flowers and mud pies and rainbows so bright
I hear whispers and giggles as I tuck you in tight
I know two hearts that beat to an “I love you too”
Pretty lady pretty lady you’ll be grown up too soon
But tonight as I rock you and hold you so close
I think these are the times that I’ll cherish the most
All the simple sweet pleasures we share everyday
Pretty lady Pretty lady we’ll have memories to save
I originally heard this song from a cassette tape called Bless My Little Girl by Kelly Willard. She has such a sweet, beautiful voice. There’s also Bless My Little Boy: Lullabies Especially for Little Boys from which I have songs I have sung to my boys at bedtime. I just checked and YAY! they’re now on CD…just in case you no longer have your cassette player. And if you must know…I just took a little stroll down Memory Lane, listening to all the songs on this playlist.
Rhonda doyouhaveafavoritelullaby?letusknow ellis