Morgan likes for me to sing songs to her as the final pass of our naptime/bedtime dance. After we’ve done the potty, put on the do-rag — yes, she wears a rag — , read several stories a la Olivia and gotten the blankie, she asks for me to sing some songs. I know that this is her stall tactic to prevent the inevitable, but she is so sweet and cuddly and her voice is that 2 year old saccharine pitch, how can I say no? I really should, though because my song catalog is quite thin.

I can squeak through a few staples like “Itsy Bitsy Spider”, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”, ” You are my Sunshine”, “If You’re Happy and You Know It”, and a handful of Bible Songs (her current faves), but after that, I’m reaching. I’ll throw in my sorority hymn, my high school and college songs, “Happy Birthday”, and a couple of songs that I made up for her when she was just a few weeks old. After that, I’m out. What’s even worse is that I know I don’t sing well. I can’t carry a tune in a bucket and I sing in the key of F. She doesn’t seem to mind because for her Mommy’s tuneless singing = less naptime or later bedtime.

I’m trying to expand my repetoire, though. And despite my previous rants against the DP’s, sadly, I’ve turned to the theme songs from their movies as new fodder. Of course, my memory isn’t what it used to be. I think the last time I saw Aladdin I was still living in New Jersey, probably in 1992. Yikes, let’s not do the math on that one. But I digress. So I starting singing “A Whole New World” and that’s as far as I get. I’ve got the tune (to the best of my ability), but the words fail me. It goes like this. . .”A Whole New World. . .la la la la di da di da” and repeat for another minute or so. But like I said, Morgan doesn’t seem to mind. I tried “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” from the Lion King, “You’ll Be In My Heart” from Tarzan, and “Somewhere Out There” from An American Tale. Not only could I barely get through that last one for lack of knowing the words, but thinking of Little Fievel Mousekewitz all alone — I’m getting a little verklempt just thinking about it.

So perfectionist that I am, I’ve Googled all of the aforementioned song lyrics and I plan to keep them next to the rocking chair so that when it’s naptime or bedtime, I can whip out my cheat sheet and belt my little heart out. Albeit off key, but who cares? I feel like a good mom and Morgan gets to stay up that much longer.