our soundtrack

I sing a lot with Lucy.
This is actually quite gratifying, since as a kid, I sang and annoyed the crap out of my poor sister. And Dyami isn't super excited about me harmonizing to the radio. So I've held back all these years.
But Lucy loves me singing.
Here's how it goes:
Lucy: Fuss fuss fuss. Fuss.
Me singing: Blackbird singing in the dead of night--take these broken wings and learn to fly all your life---
Lucy: Smile.
My voice is magic!

At first, I was rather (too) formal about the singing thing. I tried to learn actual tunes (Beatles, as shown above, were very popular) and remember the words. I'd be singing to Lucy while walking and stop and repeat verses and stuff because I'd flubbed a word or sung the verses out of order.
Then I realized: Lucy doesn't care! I could sing stock market quotes and she'd be happy.
As evidence, here are some of her favorite songs:
1. Bumblebee. This is a vocal exercise the old choir director at our church , Ken Fox, used to give during rehearsals. It's sort of arpeggios up and down the scale, singing the word Bumblebee. Classic. This was Lucy's favorite song for a long time. Lucas, my nephew, learned this exercise in his choir, so he sings along when we see him.
2. Singing numbers. I count a lot when we're sitting over the toilet, to keep from wondering how long I've been holding her (good news--we've mostly made the transition to the Baby Bjorn Little Potty which is a lot easier on my back and arms). She likes just the plain counting, but if she starts to fuss, singing the numbers often works. Sometimes I sing them to the same melody as Bumblebee. Big hit.
3. Humming Christmas music. This I did more around the holiday season. It made me feel a bit more festive (about the only festive thing, aside from our tree, that I did this year). Silent Night was her bedtime lullaby for about a month.
and last, but not least,
4. Any melody I come up with off the top of my head, combined with any words I happen to sing. Often I just say what I'm doing to her, but set to music. (Ie: taking of your pants now, taking off your pants now, taking off your pants now, and here is your diaper). Or I talk to her randomly but sing it (Lucy you're my girl, you're the cutest little baby in the world is a standard). Pretty much anything goes.

So our life is kind of like a really bad musical, with little plot and kind of inane lyrics and questionable melodies. Luckily I have good pitch.
Who cares, though? I'm performing for an audience of one that thinks I'm the next Barbara Streisand.
At the height of their fame, John Lennon said that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus (people got really mad at him--but Jesus was so "popular" he got executed...hmmmm.). Sometimes I kind of feel that way with Lucy (popular, not executed).
She doesn't know about Jesus, yet, though, so it's okay.
If he sang to her, she'd probably be pretty stoked.