Lulling the baby

Once, when Kalina was still very brand new (as opposed to now, when she's practically old hat), I decided to join the age-old ranks of parents who sing their babies to sleep with peaceful lullabies. [side note: has that ever worked?] I sang the first stanza of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Coincidentally, her eyes drooped slightly. I decided to pull out the big guns (to use a phrase of Matt's) and try Braham's Lullaby.

I opened my mouth, and...wait, how does that go again? I was stumped. However, I soon remembered the words went something like this:

Lullaby, and good night,
You're a cute little baby.
It's time to rest, now, go to sleep.
Mommy really wants a shower.
Lullaby, and good night, please sleep right now.

Lullaby, and goodnight,
You still are not sleeping.
Close your eyes, and go to sleep,
So your mommy can shower.
Lullaby, and good night, please sleep right now.

Or at least, that's how the words went that particular day. I've found it's a very adaptable lullaby.

Then there's the very pretty All Through the Night. I found the lyrics, and have translated them into modern words as follows:

Sleep my child and peace attend thee,
[Baby, go to sleep and stay quietly asleep]
All through the night
[All night]
Guardian angels God will send thee,
[Maybe someone else can take care of you for once]
All through the night;
[All night]
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
[It's getting really late]
Hill and vale in slumber sleeping,
[Everyone else gets to sleep]
I my loved ones' watch am keeping,
[But I'm still awake jiggling you until my arms fall off so you can sleep]
All through the night.
[All night]

What a pretty song.

Fortunately, and likely not related at all to lullabies, Kalina is a good sleeper. This means we can keep the lullabies to a minimum, which probably saves both of us some embarrassment.

We also have a CD of Toddler Tunes we sing to occasionally, usually out of sheer boredom (she's systematically rejected all her toys and can't be bothered to sit on Mommy's lap for a story, and Mommy feels like she must stimulate her baby somehow). For a while, Little Bunny Foo Foo was guaranteed to get rave reviews from my critical audience.

The worst part of all these songs is that they're just so great, the toddler who apparently lives in my head just can't resist singing them all day long. Which means that, every night as Kalina sleeps rather peacefully in her crib, I drift off to the lulling sounds of London Bridge.