For a long time now I've been wanting to make a note about the songs we sing each night. With each child I kept adding a song to sing at night. I remember "walking" the boys to their room each night by following the flashlight we would shine on the floor as they tried to "catch" the light all the way to bed. We would sing "Night Night" in a sing-song way. But when they were babies, the routine was always rocking them to sleep right before putting them to bed singing a few of the same songs every night. I was convinced I was doing something that my grandmothers before me surely did through the decades. I think that's why I chose old hymns. I didn't know any nursery rhymes or kiddie sing-songs anyway! Starting with Noah and Simon I always sang, in order, (1)What A Mighty God We Serve, (2) I Love You, Lord, and (3) Amazing Grace. When Elizabeth came along, we added "Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord" because the boys LOVED singing that song! As the Finch family will tell you, the boys would yelp "see you song!" whenever they heard the tune. ^_^ So it was added to our nightly music list. When wee little Rachel was placed in our arms, we sang the same four songs and added a new one this year thanks to Elizabeth. In choir Elizabeth learned "Nothing But the Blood of Jesus". So one night when I was finishing up the last chorus to Rachel, Elizabeth broke out into song. Then we had five nightly hymns. How quickly they grow, because Rachel now makes her own requests. She no longer allows me to rock her to sleep, so we stand next to her bed and do the night-night-sway singing two songs that Rachel promptly pleas "Jesus!" and "Bawny Mama!". Translation: "Jesus Loves Me" and Barney's "I Love You". There is just no shut-eye until those songs are sung.
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