Lullabies

My parents sang to us.  A lot.

Naturally, I sing to the kids a lot, too. The other night, I started singing an old song to Drew that my parents used to sing to me. They always sang, "Pretty little baby, everybody knows, don't know what to call her but she's mighty like a rose."

Of course, for Drew, I changed it to "don't know what to call him but he's mighty like a rose."

I couldn't remember the rest of the lyrics, so I looked them up. Imagine my surprise to learn that the original song IS about a little boy. My parents were changing the lyrics!

Sweetest little fellow ev'rybody knows
Don't know what to call him but he's mighty like a rose
Lookin' at his mammy with eyes so shiny blue
Make you think that heav'n is comin' close to you

When he's there a-sleepin in his little place
Think I see angels looking through the lace
When the dark is fallin', when the shadows creep
Then they comes on tiptoe to kiss him in his sleep

Sweetest little fellow ev'rybody knows
Don't know what to call him but he's mighty like a rose
Lookin' at his mammy with eyes so shiny blue
Make you think that heav'n is comin' close to you

When the dark is fallin', when the shadows creep
Then they comes on tiptoe to kiss him in his sleep

Sweetest little fellow ev'rybody knows
Don't know what to call him but he's mighty like a rose
Lookin' at his mammy with eyes so shiny blue
Make you think that heav'n is comin' close to you

P.S. Studies have shown* that children who are sung to learn to speak better, earlier, and even have an easier time learning to read.

*I loathe people who use that expression without citing the research. I denounce myself.