Daddy Fixes Broken Hearts

When Amanda was a baby, we discovered a Canadian album called Lullaby Berceuse which was a lifesaver for us. Jeff thinks it's cheesy, and OK, yes it is. But the music is very soothing, and it really helped Amanda get to sleep in those first many months. It was the music we nursed to at night, and I think we listened to the first four songs every single night for about six or eight months. I can still sing those songs pretty much completely from memory...they are imprinted on my brain!

After Amanda stopped nursing we didn't really listen to the album anymore for whatever reason. But since Baby Tristan was born, Amanda has been fascinated by hearing things about herself as a baby. "Remember when I was a baby, and I couldn't talk?" she'll ask. Or, "Remember when I was a baby, and I was much, much smaller?". She loves to hear stories and look at pictures of herself as a tiny baby.

A couple of weeks ago, when I was tucking her in, she asked me to sing her a song "from when I a baby". The most easily singable one was one I remembered well, because it used to work like a charm to get her to sleep if she was resisting (like when riding in the car). It's very singsongy and repetitive. So I sang it to her. And it has now become her favourite bedtime song. The lyrics go like this:

Lullaby, lullaby
Baby fuss and baby cry
You'll be sleeping by and by
Sleepy little baby. (Repeat over and over)

Things go right, things go wrong
Hearts can break, but not for long
You will grow up big and strong
Sleepy little baby.

Lullaby, lullaby
Baby slowly close your eyes
You'll be sleeping by and by
Sleepy little baby.

The first time I sang it to her, Amanda stopped me at the refrain. "Hearts can't break, Mommy," she said. How to explain this to a 2 1/2 year old? I told her it meant that sometimes we might feel sad, so sad it feels like our heart is breaking. But that things always get better and it won't be long until we're happy again.

She thought about this for a moment, then said "Daddy can fix my heart".

Yes, sweetie, he can. Just like you fix our hearts every day!