Sooths the savage beast

As I was growing up, music was a constant in my life. Not only was every member of my family in band but my mom gave piano lesson and my dad gave clarinet lessons as well. I remember once Dwayne and I were watching a movie and the fictional family gathered together around the piano and burst into song. Dwayne looked at me and asked "who does that!?" I then told him we did...all the time. He thought we were a little weird because our family did and I thought his family was a little weird because they didn't. Needless to say I have brought that musical importance into my own home. It started when my kids were babies. Instead of one song or lullaby that I would hum (I don't sing..not a talent of mine) to all my kids, each baby ended up with their own song. This makes sense to me because each child is different. All my kids know which song is theirs.
 It took me the longest to find Denyce's song. She wasn't happy with anything I could come up with and I was very frustrated trying to find a song that would calm her down. Finally I struck gold. For some reason The Wise Man and The Foolish Man from The Childrens Songbook hummed really slow worked for her. She is still that way. Totally unique.
 Garrison's song is "Stay Awake" from the movie Mary Poppins. As a baby Garrison was very mellow and easy to please. I only had to hum this song once and his eyes would get droopy and he would nod off to sleep. He is like that now. Once he calms down, he will sleep like the dead.
   Mason was one of my kids that needed all the help he can get to calm down and get to sleep. He needs three different pills to go to sleep at night and it still takes him an hour to do so. It doesn't surprise me that he needed the ultimate in calming songs. In my opinion that is Alisson Krauss. I would kneel at the side of Mason's bed humming "Down to the River to Pray" over and over again while rubbing his back and legs. This process would sometimes take me and hour. It's a good thing I love this song and didn't mind the repetition.
  As a baby, Lily loved anything with movement in song. Her song is "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley. I would sway and dance while humming this song and she enjoyed the back and forth motion this song created. If I'm every listening to my Bob Marley CD, she gets excited when her song comes on.
  I was going through a Jane Austin faze when Kwynn was a baby. Because of this her song comes from Sense and Sensibility. Its the song that Kate Winslet character is playing when Col. Brandon first sees her. I don't know exactly what it is called. I guess I should find out because if everyone else knows what their song is, she will too. Kwynn loved the three count feel to this song, especially when I would rock her in our rocking chair.
   It's no surprise with Aubrey being the youngest I don't watch what I want but what Kwynn and Lily want to watch. When Aubrey was a infant, Kwynn loved Cinderella. So Aubrey loves the song "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes". It would make me relax which would make her relax. Plus Kwynn would dance to it too.
  My girls love to dance in the living room and everyone will sing along to songs on the radio. Garrison and Mason have excellent memories and learn lyrics quickly. Part of Mason's stemming is humming. Not only does he hum a variety of different songs but he responds well to music too. As we were watching conference today, the only time he was still was when the choir was singing. Being still for Mason is rare and he only does it when people are singing. But he doesn't like my taste in music. I'll have to work on that.