You Want Daddy To Sing You To Sleep ?

There are numerous things as a parent that can be both exhausting and exhilarating.  Bedtime routines are probably at the top of that list.  Each child has different needs related to going to bed.  Some need darkness and quiet.  Some need a drink of water or a bottle.  Others need a nightlight or a blanket for security.

Spencer, our youngest child, has decided that he needs daddy to hold him and sing him to sleep.  This isn't every night, but it does seem to be happening more than half the time lately.  Even when he knows it is what he wants, he almost fights it until he is resting in my arms - and then I hear that contented 'sigh' that is one of the most rewarding experiences as a father.

Some nights I am just exhausted and really do NOT want to hold him, nor do I feel like singing the set playlist he seems to have selected and approved.  And no, I'm not kidding about that.  I've tried to incorporate a few different tunes over the past few months, but his head always pops up off my chest and he starts wiggling like he wants to get down.  Thankfully he is gracious enough to allow me to select the order in which I sing the songs, but it's always the same 4-6 (I sing until I feel his body fully go limp and hear that deep breathing which confirms my work is done).

All that said, I cherish these cuddles with him.  I'm never bothered after putting him to sleep with a few lullabies.  In fact, I often hold him for a few minutes longer just to bask in the tranquility of the moment.  Among countless examples of when I've been less than a great father, these times reinforce for me that at least some of the time I'm doing the best I can.  Soon he will be too big for me to do this and he will have grown out of desiring it by then anyway.  So I hold on and enjoy each opportunity to connect with my baby boy through music.


Song Of The Day:
One of the songs I have to sing, almost every night, is the Harry Connick Jr. tune "A Wink And A Smile"  I'm not entirely sure why he likes this one so much, but I love singing it so I am glad he does.  It even has the phrase sleepy towns in it, so that's a great tie-in!

...