Night Singing

Since Conor was very little we've had a fairly consistent bedtime routine.  Basically, three stories, a couple songs and kisses.  Conor, for his part, generally includes an hour of banging around in his bed but that's not part of this story.

Being the creature of habit that he is, Conor has been requesting the same three stories and the same song for about the last year or so.  Recently, we added a new song "Baby Beluga" and then, just a couple weeks ago, Conor requested that I sing, as he called it, "the Opa and Grandma" song.

Those of you who know my dad know that he is a wee bit tone deaf.  You also know that it doesn't bother him one little bit and he frequently with burst forth in song to the delight or chagrin of those around him.  Whether you react with delight or chagrin depends entirely on how uptight the listener is.  But again, that's not part of this story.

Back to Conor's bedroom and his request for the Opa and Grandma song.  when one pictures a child's grandparent singing night time songs one would likely think of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star or perhaps another child-like nighttime song.  Not Opa though.  Nope, when Conor requested the Opa and Grandma song I knew immediately he meant what I have always thought of as the "In 1814" song.



Singing that song to Conor, surely not your typical bedtime song, I flew right back to childhood.  I remember Dad singing that song, ad nasauem, on road trips, at home, in front of my friends (Oh my gosh, Dad!  You are, like, so embarrassing!).  It was a quick little trip down memory lane.

Just one of the many joys of having children is revisiting your own childhood.  Even if it is a goofy song, sung off key, in front of your friends.  A family tradition lives on.