Last Wednesday, the 13th of September, marks probably one of the most special moments that my son and I have ever had. It was 9:15pm, and we were well into the "going-to-bed" process. My mom sometimes uses this technique to put him to sleep where she places my son in her lap, and she rocks him back and forth, back and forth, while singing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" to him. I decided to use this same technique. He loved it, so I thought I'd have the same luck putting him to bed as my mom does. So here we are, son in my lap, and singing the "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" song. For some strange reason, I remember when my sister-in-law told me that every time she hears the song "You are My Sunshine," that it brings tears to her eyes every time. This was the song that my mom used to sing to me when I was a small child. It was at this moment that I think about the lyrics of the song and just how truly touching the song's lyrics are. I then decide to sing that same song to my son, rocking him back and forth to bed. After singing it a few times, I decide to change back to the "Row, Row" song, then my son immediately says "SUNSHINE!" I knew that was my queue to sing that song again, and I do. As I'm rocking him to sleep and singing the song, I think of the times of when I was the one listening to the song as my mom sang it to me. Almost immediately, tears gush out of my eyes. It seems just like the other day that I was a kid, having that song sang to me, and now, here I am, singing it to my OWN son. I can't contain myself. I find it almost impossible to sing a tune, but I knew I had to manage as my son was still in my lap, on his way to sleep, oblivious to the fact that I'm just in tears. They were not tears of sorrow, but tears of joy and love. I didn't want that moment to end, it was such a magical moment.
So now, this is now the preferred method of going to sleep by my son! : )
