If I don't listen to her when she's asking me something, she'll repeat the question in song. She almost always uses the same tune, no matter what she's asking. It's the tune to "Where is Thumpkin", which is the same as "Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping? Brother John?", or she'll sing it to "I'm a Child of God." So she'll say "Mom, can I do fingerpaints? (short pause) Mom, can I do fingerpaints?" (even shorter pause) Then, if I haven't responded, she'll sing (remember to sing the Are you sleeping tune as you read this) "Mo-o-o-m, Mo-o-o-m, can I do...fin-ger-paints? Ca-an I-I do-o, fi-in-ger-er pai-aints, can I do, fin-ger-paints?" Hyatt has now caught on to this tactic and has begun to adapt it into his questioning also.
She finds it extremely difficult to remain quiet in the car if she's awake. I think it's literally impossible for her. If she's quiet, you know she's asleep before you even look at her. She's always either talking or singing, but usually singing (you know this, Nana, from your road trip with us last October).
Talea doesn't like to have you correct the lyrics to the songs she's singing. Well, she'll let you correct her a couple of times, but doesn't appreciate it if you start singing the song the correct way. I think she feels like she's being outdone (she wouldn't be competitive or anything, would she?). She would rather stop singing altogether (for about 5 minutes usually before she can't resist singing again) than have to be told the proper lyrics all the time. We can't help it though. When she sings "Book of Morning Stories" we feel that if she doesn't learn the correct word, she'll go around telling people her religion is "Morning." We let a lot of stuff slide, but sometimes we just can't keep quiet. Sorry, Tilly!
When Talea watches movies (have I already blogged about this one?), she gets very emotionally tied to what's happening in the movie. When we watched Wall-E and Spiderwick Chronicles (those two in particular), she really displayed this new habit. If she feels scared, or feels really bad or frightened for the characters, she will start getting antsy, bounce around in her seat saying "Aah, aah, aah!", then she'll duck, and look back at it, and then when it's just too much for her, she goes into her own little safe world of happiness by belting out music, though it's never a particular song, it's more of an "Ah la la la la la" type of singing just to drown out her fear or intense compassion. It's pretty funny, although embarrassing and rude when we're in a theatre with other people. I wish I could catch it on film sometime.
2 comments:
This is so funny! I loved singing to myself when I was little too, and I always got the lyrics wrong (and still do)! And I love how she uses music to put herself into her own world when she's scared. Maybe she has a talent with music - it seems so important to her.
Don't worry Tilly, it seems your just carrying on the Johnson & Cluff (it seems) tradition. I use to make up my own songs where ever I was and belt them out as loud as I could. And I hated watching the scary parts on all the old Disney princess movies like little mermaid or sleeping beauty (that one was the worst. The scary music when the steps apear to lead her to the spinning wheel). I would plug my ears, close my eyes tight, and hum to myself. Don't worry sister your not alone! Love you sooo so much! Aunt Maren
Post a Comment