riding in our car, singing the songs we sing

Sidney's at that age where she enjoys songs - not just music and rhythm but lyrics and lines and actual little songs.

She lets me sing to her now - and it reminds me of being pregnant. I sung to her constantly, usually in the car, as we do so many evenings and mornings and minutes now when we're riding in the car together.

She'll yell out "frog song" from the backseat.

Eeeh-aah went the little green frog one day, eeeh-aah went the little green frog. Eeeh-aah went the little green frog one day and his eyes went eeeh-aah-eeeh-aah-aah. Honk honk went the big mack truck one day, squish-squish went the little green frog. And his eyes didn't go eeeh-aah anymore, 'cause they all got ate by a dog, woof-woof....

It's a rather morbid little song, but right now it's her favorite. So I sing it over and over again. I can sing the "frog song" about 47 times from the time I pick her up to the time we get home.

Of course there's also the usual suspects like "Row Row Row Your Boat" and "The ABC's" - and "Old McDonald", too. Personally, I like teaching her new songs, different songs, playful songs.

We sing what she calls the "worm song".

Ooey Gooey was a worm, a mighty worm was he. He climbed up on the railroad tracks, the train he did not see. Squish! Squash! Oh my gosh! Ooey Gooey guts all over you!!!!

Do you see a pattern here? We like to sing songs about animals getting run over and squished - but it's fun and there's creative noises, so it's all in good humor I guess (???).

I've timed all these songs, counted how many times I have to sing each one before we finally get home. I'm out of breath and my brain is even more fried than before I left work.

But it's worth it - every time. Every single "again" and "again" for her. Because she lights up, she loves the songs. And she lets me sing to her for a moment.

Someday she'll ask me to "stop singing, mom!" so for now I'm treasuring these silly little songs. All about frogs and worms getting ran over and squished! Magical moments, these are. And I wouldn't want to miss them for the world.