Tuesday, January 05, 2016

Sing Song Boy

I have been singing to Matthew since he was in the womb. I sing church songs, traditional kids' songs, songs I made up just for Matthew, and a couple songs my dad used to sing to us when we were little. At first, I dreamed about him singing along with me when he got older, but as he grew, he showed no interest in my songs. They helped calm him and prepare him for bed, but he didn't seem to care about the actual songs.

Goes to show how kids pick up on things without parents realizing it sometimes.

Sometime last Fall, Matthew started making noises like he was singing while I sang. Then, in November, I started singing a song and Matthew repeated a word I had just sung. My heart almost burst. He continued to repeat the last word of each phrase and sometimes he'd sing the word before I did. He actually knew the song! I sang some more songs and he did the same thing. I taught him a couple church songs that have actions, and he picked them up quickly.

Christmas time was fun. He loved the Christmas carols, especially Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer which he continues to request. He used to sing the last word of each phrase until my nephew Porter taught him the phrase "like a light bulb", so now that's all he'll say...except "ho ho ho" at the right time. It's pretty stinking cute.

I love that Matthew likes to sing. He really gets into it sometimes, too; holding out the note, singing loudly, doing actions. I hope he continues to enjoy it. Steve and I don't have the best singing voices, so Matthew may not be the best singer either, but who cares. As long as he enjoys it. And who knows, maybe he'll be pretty good.

2 comments:

Cardine said...

I love this. My younger sister sings to her daughter every night. Her daughter is 3 now and knows an incredible number of songs. Since my sister's life expectancy isn't very good, it seriously makes me happy that she is leaving a musical legacy for her daughter, no matter how long she is around and no matter what age my niece is when she passes. It's tragically beautiful.

Sarah said...

I love that! It amazes me, too, how impressionable my kids are. I didn't realize it, and probably still don't to it's fullest, until the other day when Daniel started telling me the next phrase of one of our favorite stories! Also, he's started saying phrases that I sometimes say. My favorite is, "Ah... Nice Day!" That makes my heart warm.

Cardine, I was thinking about your sister recently. Thank you for sharing this about her and your niece.