So much about Tucker’s future development was unknown when we brought him home from the NICU 2 years ago. The odds for a 24 weeker were not wholly in his favor in that regard. So each milestone kinda feels like Christmas morning. A gift we weren’t sure we would open. One for which we are humbly and fully grateful. There are preemie moms and dads waking up every morning hoping this will be the day their kiddo takes a step. That this will be the day they hear his voice. That this will be the day he eats solid food. These are biggies. Maybe not as big, but still something for which I was hoping for Tucker, was to hear him sing.
I love to sing. True story, I used to swing in the swing set in my backyard singing (loudly. I did most things loudly), Kenny Rogers, The Gambler. I was five and didn’t even know what a deck of cards was, but you come in my backyard, you better know when to hold ’em.
Tucker loves it when you sing to him. If you ask him to sing though, you’ll just get a grin and a blank stare. At times he might string song lines together like a long sentence, but no actual singing or tune. His favorite for Darrin and I to sing, by far is Old McDonald. We sing, pause for him to fill in the animal name “on that farm he had a….” and then try our best to make sounds for things like flamingos, manatees, camels and anteaters. Manatees sound suspiciously like camels if you’re wondering. And settle in, the song goes on until he runs out of animals. “How ’bout humpback whales?”…”How ’bout storks?” Kid watches Animal Atlas like it’s his job.
Just this week though, if you ask him what he wants you to sing, first up has been “Jesus Loves Me.” So, last night we asked him to sing it, expecting a blank stare. Instead we got this:
Click here if you can’t see video
https://vimeo.com/106313362
Summer says
So so cute! Love that sweet voice and big grin!
Heather says
I’ve listened to it no fewer than 50 times Summer!
Chris Ashley says
Heather, that was precious.
Heather says
Thank you Chris! I saw the precious picture of your sweet grandson walking in his race. So awesome. Nicole would be (and is) so proud of her boys.
Amanda Soesbee says
I have two favorite parts. (Well, three if you count #1 being that he sings.) #2, the kid is Southern through & through, as evident in the four-syllable “soooo” at the end of the song. #3, he’ll do whatever it takes to watch Animal Atlas. I feel like he may sing Barbra for you one day, just to watch Animal Atlas. 🙂 So much joy!
Heather says
He would watch Animal Atlas all day every day if we would let him. If we gently suggest, “hey buddy, how about Mickey Mouse Clubhouse”, he’ll say, “How ’bout Animal Atlas?”. Hilarious.