Thursday, June 19, 2008

Oh. My. Gosh. I am not ready to stop singing.

For as long as I can remember our "Goodnight song" has been a part of our night time ritual. After bath, after prayers, after books, after tucks, I lay in bed with each child while singing our made up "Goodnight song."

"Goodnight head. Goodnight ears. Goodnight nose, goodnight, goodnight, goodnight. Goodnight lips. Goodnight shoulders. Goodnight arms, goodnight, goodnight, goodnight."

As I sing our song the children sleepily gaze into my eyes and I lovingly touch each part mentioned. Some nights I sing our song in Polish. Some nights I sing our song silly... calling shoulders, an ankle. And calling toes, fingers.

But every night I sing to them. Even when I am away, I sing to them on the phone.

Tonight was no different. We bathed. We prayed. We read. We tucked. I sang to Fifi. I sang to Lola. I stopped into Jay's room to sing to him....

"Mama?" He sat up in bed.

"Yes, handsome. What is up?"

"I don't want you to sing to me tonight." He proclaimed.

Oh. My. Gosh. He doesn't want to hear MY goodnight song. Why ever not? What is wrong with MY song? Is he tired of my voice after a long day? Jesus, Mary, and Joseph what could it be? What was the matter?

"Why, honey?" I asked and later sulked.

"Tonight. Tonight I want to go to sleep like a big boy." He confessed staring me straight in my eyes.

Seriously people. I am not ready to stop singing. Yet.


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80classy comments:

Rhea said...

Awww. It's tough when they begin to show signs of independence and leaving behind the childish stuff. Although, trust me, he is just as likely to ask for the song tomorrow night. He's at an inbetween stage.

Your song sounds adorable, btw. LOVE it. We read silly books at bedtime...funny Shel Silverstein poems and such. :o)

Blessings From Above said...

He is turning into such a big boy. Just wait until you have to watch him get on the school bus in a couple months. Such bittersweet moments.

I love your goodnight song! Very creative. I can NEVER remember the words to a song, but this one sounds simple enough for even me! I may have to borrow it if you don't mind...

Rachel said...

Oh Sweet Pea. I don't look forward to those moments when they grow up enough to not need those things that we do so very much need...
Was that run on enough for you?

i love that song, so sweet and precious.

Jay is growing up so much. My heart swells and hurts for you. XOXO

Unknown said...

Don't worry, he'll want you to sing to him again. Even now I long to hear my mother sing sometimes :) It's beautiful and a memory I treasure forever!

Angie [A Whole Lot of Nothing] said...

So sweet, but so tough. We want so much for them to grow up, but then when they do, we want them to stop.

carrie said...

My heart cracked a little just reading that.

How bittersweet.

ps - I finally got my photos up! Whew! In the nick of time!

Life As I Know It said...

Oooohh, we used to BOTH sing twinkle twinkle and You are my sunshine to our first until he was about 3.
I miss it, but he still remembers it so I guess that's good enough for now.

Anonymous said...

So, so hard this growing up thing. How can you ever be ready?

I bet he will always remember it though.

the mama bird diaries said...

I think I would have started sobbing or something. Why must they grow up? Why? I agree with the others... I bet he'll want the song again. Very soon.

Anonymous said...

Aweee, too cute :)

Zoeyjane said...

it will be okay. maybe you guys can find a new, special, big boy ritual for just the two of you to replace the song?

JuliaGulia said...

my little girl asked me to not do my night night thing about amonth ago they are growing up way to fast I feel your pain.

krissy said...

Honey, I know how hard it is for them to grow up. Wait until they want to hang with friends instead of you.

Knife in the heart......

Sing to him anyway, just do it in a different room or ask him to make up a big boy song that you can sing.

Good luckl

amanda said...

oh friend. i just can't imagine. such a big boy. such a bittersweet moment.

hugs

EatPlayLove said...

I've had similar moments with my soon to be 5 year old. Very bittersweet moments, indeed.

Wendi said...

I love that you always call him handsome.
Growing up is hard to do.
Especially for us parents.
I just sent my first born off to a college basketball camp.
Alone.
Without me.
Somehow... I survived.
You. will. too.

Jennifer said...

Oh, my heart ached just a little when I read your post. I am SO not ready for my littles to grow up. I'm sure your big boy will be ready for a song again sometime soon, but it is always good to be reminded how much us mommies should appreciate the sweet and tender moments while we have them. I'll spend some extra snuggle time tomorrow morning during my daily a.m. cuddle with the monkeys.
Thanks for sharing,
Jennifer

Miss said...

Oh yea... I remember this moment. Its so hard to watch them grow up. You do it with grace and style.

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

I am so emotional right now and this made me tear up yet again.
They grow up so, so fast.

the dragonfly said...

Aww, poor mamma. Kids grow up too fast.

chichimama said...

I bet you it comes back, at least for a bit. C tried sleeping without his Mama Hippo like a big boy for a few days not so long ago, and now she is more entrenched than ever.

justme said...

isn't it scary to think of all the things that come as they get older !!

Indy said...

Jay will want you to sing again. Maybe not every night. This broke my heart. Hopefully he only wants to be big boy a few days a month.

Anonymous said...

AAHHHHH! No! Don't let it be! (as I am typing Lil V just asked me to put him down and stop sniffing him) I hate that they want to be 'big boys'.

Kat said...

Nooo!!!! Not already! Ack!!! Slow down kiddo!

What a beautiful picture! It captures this post so well. :)

Unknown said...

Awww...it's so hard when they want to grow up. Sometimes I like to tell my kids that it's for ME and could I just do it for ME...sometimes they are ok with that...sometimes NOT...

Valarie said...

Oh my gosh!! That brings tears to my eyes! It made me remember the first time my oldest asked me to stop singing to her. Only, it wasn't nearly as nice. I was rocking her in the rocking chair, singing ever so sweetly and she reached up, slapped her hand across my mouth and yelled out "No sing Mommy!!!" It sucked.

Lisa said...

My eyes welled up with tears just thinking about how heart breaking that would be. We sing every night too....and I'm afraid I may just have to sing to them, even if it's out in the hallway while their door is closed, as long as they live under my roof.....

Put a brick on his head & make him stop growing already!

Jennifer said...

awww... hang in there. i think this is just a mild phase and he will be right back to wanting you to sing to him in no time. :)

it is rather heartbreaking though when they say such things. although they don't mean it that way at all.

my son one time did this with reading a book before going to bed... broke my heart too. but we are back on track for reading every night. and those minutes laying together in his bed, while reading to him, at the end of a crazy day... those are the minutes i cherish the most! my girls too. :)

maybe you and Jay could start a new tradition for him, if he really decides to give up the goodnight song... which sounds super cute!! :)

good luck. chin up.

xoxoxoxoxo

Stephanie said...

I guess it happens to the best of us. It's much like rocking, brushing their teeth, going potty...I was so sad when Punky wouldn't let me rock her anymore. But with each age comes new traditions. Take it as a challenge to do something "big boy" with him.

Anti-Supermom said...

Henry did this to us too, but wanted us to start singing to him again when Wyatt was born.

Regression? Or he just wanted to make sure we still loved him too. It might not be over quite yet.

Don Mills Diva said...

So why am I welling up at this post?

Because I know my boy is growing just as surely as your is...sigh.

Ali said...

oh no!!
Emily dropped the songs AGES ago...because she's WAY too cool for that. grr. now she just wants to read me her zac efron biography...(kill. me. now.)

C and C Mommy said...

It's hard...my little man went to kindergarten this year. I got teary every morning that I dropped him off. I had the window rolled down,yelling "I love you, have a good day, be polite, etc" until people were going around me in the drop off line. After a few days of that, he got his Daddy to drop him off.

Recently, we had a conversation about how long I could kiss him on the cheek in public...he drew the line on the sidelines of the a football game or basketball game...he told me that I had to stay off the field (court)!! I said, "What if you get hurt?" He told me to wait until after the game or I could meet him at the hospital!!

Kim said...

I am so not ready for things like that to happen.. but it will I know for independence is something we crave when we are younger.

Love the picture!
Kimmylyn

Ashlee said...

I feel so sad for you and completely understand. He'll still want it every now and then. My son asks for a lullaby every once and while.
I love your fun little song you sing. :0)

Laura said...

Awwww - my heart breaks for you...but as he passes this stage, think of all the new and great milestones he will hit as a big boy!

Mom said...

Ok I have a knot in the pit of my stomach for you. I worry that my daughter will soon say the very some thing to me about wanting to be a big girl. Have a great weekend.

Tara R. said...

Awww... that is so sweet. It's hard to give up those little rituals... now you'll just have to introduce new ones.

The Daily Stroll said...

I'm not looking forward to the day when Jonah asks me not to sing "You Are My Sunshine" to him at night! Right now he likes to sing it to me as he falls asleep and I'm okay with that except that I usually fall asleep also! The best part is he changes up the beginning verse a little - "You are my Sunshine, Mommy's Sunshine..." So so cute! I really need to get it on video!

Unknown said...

each day that i read your post i think to myself "how is she ever going to top this one?" well, my heart hurts for you, sister, and i shed more than ten tears. your first born, love of your life is growing up and is now officially a big boy! no worries, though...he'll always need his momma. think of the occasions when he'll want to hear you sing - when he's sick, when he's scared - you'll be there to comfort him. don't stop practicing just yet - i still would LOVE a tuck-in from my mom - she didn't sing but the gentle way she swept my bangs to the side every night and then kissed my forehead made all the bad things go away!!

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

Just cut out Momma's heart, why don't ya... I hope you sang it after he was asleep, anyway.

The Mom Jen said...

Sneak back in when he's asleep and sing it to him!!

Elizabeth Byler Younts said...

awww, how can something be so cute and so sad all at once! our kids are growing toooooooo fast!

Caroline C. Bingham said...

What! Tell him that I said that under no circumstance is he allowed to dismiss the goodnight song until he's at least 10.

Danielle said...

awe! So sweet. My daughter will probably beg me not to sing because I sound so bad. They grow up quick!

Anonymous said...

Awwww... that'd crush my soul... i am soooo not ready for that yet either.

Aimee said...

First off, I think it's so cute that you sing a made-up song every night! Second, I think it's so sad that your son doesn't want it sung to him anymore. On to another stage in life - kids growing up!

Kendra said...

Oh my. I say don't stop signing no matter what! :)

Angie @ KEEP BELIEVING said...

I can relate.

However, when he is ready to stall bedtime, he will suddenly want you to sing that and every other song he can remember.

It happens here about 5 nights a week.

KEEP BELIEVING

Unknown said...

Oh, that's simply not fair. Did you choke back a sob? And, I love your use of the JMJ! I say that a lot myself.

Jennifer said...

Ouch. That would have sent me into tears (out of sight, of course.)

AutoSysGene said...

Ack! I'm so hearing you on this one! Where did our little babies go?

Cecily R said...

OH, I know this feeling. It is the push pull of parenthood. So fun to see them grow and be big. So hard to see them grow and be big.

Beautiful shot...as always.

P.S. This is a PERFECT PSF entry. You should just sign in on MCMB. :)

Miss Lisa said...

Odds are he'll be asking for it again soon. Kids don't usually make such clean breaks :)

Holly said...

Awww! That tugs at the heart for sure. It's such a mixed bag of emotions watching our littles grow up.

Beautiful photo!

Jaysi said...

That just brought tears to my eyes. Why do they have to grow up? I dread the day that my son doesn't want me to do our good night routine. Maybe I will have to just keep having kids....ummmm no!

Supercool Hotmama said...

Sniff. I know that feeling. But my oldest was two when he begged me to stop singing. You must have a better voice than me.

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

Growing up is hard on the momma!

Kelly said...

Ya know, I'm willing to bet he's going to miss that singing ritual and come ask for you to do it again. We went through that phase a number of times until it gradually phased out. Now only my 2 year old wants to be sung to. :(

A Crafty Mom said...

Awwwwwwwwww - sniff sniff!!! I'm terrified that day will come soon. I would probably stand outside his door and sing it under my breath, lol. What an amazing blog - I'm fairly new and have just been reading this in the past week - LOVE IT. I have three young ones close in age too, so I can very much relate. Looking forward to stopping by more often :-)

Mama Smurf said...

My heart is breaking for you...just a little bit...

*sigh*

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the comment :) Have a great time at the party, let me know how it goes with the FUN drinks!

Kristen said...

Say it isn't so!

Oh my! I hope he got extra kisses. Or is he too much of a big boy for that too?

Rue the day I tell you, I rue the day!

PS-still trying to get that head shot at some point. My new Nikon D40 is coming in handy. :) I hope you keep up the camera advice.

Jules said...

The little ones grow up so fast, don't they. Sometimes, at very special moments, I'd like to be able to stop time, just for a short while.

Kelley said...

Oh babe, I went through this a couple of weeks ago with Boo wanting to sleep without me.

Did you see it? Oh and as promised this is a drunk comment, taken me AGES to get the spelling right!

kim-d said...

Here's the way I think you should look at it. This is a testament to your good parenting, and proves that your Goodnight Song did what it was supposed to do. It's the job of a parent to guide their children to independence, whatever that level is for their age, and you have successfully done that with Jay. And I have the feeling there are going to be plenty of singing opportunities in the future--maybe now you can come up with The Big Boy Song, especially for him :)! Seriously, what a wonderful Mom you are!

April said...

I totally agree w/ Kim-D. Also, with the commenters who said he'll go back and forth with it, giving you both time to adjust to the idea!

Jenera said...

Oh, that brought tears to my eyes. Even though it's such a sad day for you, it's such a big day for him, wanting to be a big boy and all that. I dread those moments with my little guy.

::hugs::

lattemommy said...

They grow up way too fast. The good thing, though? He's probably going to ask you to sing again soon. He's just testing the waters.

((hugs))

Karen said...

Oh, I'm so sorry! I hate when they grow up. It's too hard to let them go.

ShannanB said...

Auh. That broke my heart a little.....

Clare said...

This is so cute, and so sad! I don't want my little Bradley to ever grow up, but they are going too! Sigh...XO, clare

ConverseMomma said...

This totally breaks my heart. I dread the day this happens to me.
Lovely post, as always.

Carissa(GoodnCrazy) said...

Isn't that a country song or something?


La, La...

I ain't ready...
I ain't ready...
To stop, stop, stop SINGING
You can't make me...

La, la...

Can you hear it?

You know they love it.

Flea said...

Oh! How very sad! Your "Jesus, Mary and Joseph" made me laugh, though. I recently finished The Book Thief and it was a constant quote. Good book, BTW.

Quarantine Hobby said...

Oh my gosh! That would just break my heart. :(

He's still your little boy, though. I'm sure he always will be, whether or not he lets you sing to him for bedtime.

Crystal D said...

Every little step they take away gives me a tiny heartbreak. Oh but thank goodness they still come running back when they fall or need a kiss. I am pretty sure that won't stop for a very long time.

Marmarbug said...

Sniff. This sucks. I don;t want any of them to grow up.

Sorry. :(

NerdyRedneck Rob said...

Yeah, that is a sniffer. Just wait until he gets tattoo and a motorcycle like mine. Then you will REALLY be crying. ;)

 

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