sing it in a round

ava's a singer. it makes me laugh to hear her because i can tell that she finds herself more princess-like than usual when she's singing. therefore, i love it when the child sings. i also love it when she wants to have me videotape her singing so she can watch it again. she points to the scene she wants, takes the camera from me and slides her little hand into the leather handle to sit back and watch.

"that's me," she says, listening to herself with a smile on her face. "i'm singing."

my favorite part of ava singing is when she gets stuck and doesn't know how to stop. for example, she takes a deep breath and begins, "HHHHHHEEEEEAAAADDDD shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes, HHHHHHHEEEEEAAAAADDDD shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes," with a bit of a confused look, a look that shows she's struggling to remember how this song ends, she continues, "HHHHHHEEEEAAAAADDDD shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes, HHHHHHHEEEEAAAADDDD shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes," more confusion for a brief second before she throws herself into the song, closes her eyes and cranes her neck. too much american idol, if you ask me, "HHHHHHHHEEEEEEAAAAAADDDDDD shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes, HHHHHHHHEEEEEAAAAAADDDDD shoulders knees and knees and toes," her eyes open, she takes another deep breath, looks confused and perhaps a little panicky before beginning (again), "HHHHHHEEEEEAAAAADDDD shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes, HHHHHHHHEEEEEEAAAAAAADDDDDD shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes,"

this is where two things can happen: 1) i kindly step in providing either additional lyrics or a distraction. it depends on how much singing has gone on today already. or, 2) i let her suffer because she has been beastly that day. there, i admit it: hanging out with a 2-year-old has resulted in some immaturation of mommy.

i'm certain this post reminds my parents of a certain car trip where I sang, "i had a little turtle- no, wait-" and beginning again, "i had a little turtle, he lived in a- no, wait-" and again, "i had a little turtle- no, wait-" and once more, "i had a little turtle, he lived- no, wait-" ALL THE WAY FROM CALIFORNIA TO UTAH. that's hours and hours AND HOURS of a 5-year-old and her inability to remember a simple song taught in mrs. price's (i called her dr. price for some unknown reason) kindergarten class about a little turtle who lived in a box, who swam in a puddle, who climbed on the rocks. . .

aside from the ever popular "head, shoulders, knees and toes" song, ava also excels at "i know YOU. i walked with you once upon a dream" and "i am a child of got" (should be "god". i guess she so seldom comes across an opportunity to speak german she's got to take it where she can). and of course, my personal favorite, the nighttime lullaby my mother sang to her children (not me, of course. being the oldest you miss out on everything) "go to sleep the bobbits". we have no idea what a "bobbit" (pronounced bo-bit) is. we just sing about them. i hope it's nothing vulgar. the song makes seth throw out his arms and squeal. or maybe that's ava singing it to him. were i not possessed with such magnificent self-control, i'd throw my arms out and squeal when i saw ava, too.

so tell me, do you sing? what do you sing? and how do you feel about it?