Emma' Greatest Hits

I did a lot of singing while pregnant with my daughter, Emma. Exclusively, mind you, while driving to work, since it meant forty-five minutes alone with thundering music and baby getting the full luxury (or jail time) of hearing yours truly belt away.

So is it really surprising, after nine months of lullabies (or torture) that Emma, now four years old, is well known for singing whenever and wherever she's the chance? She is especially fond of singing while in the car and while one would assume Emma would sing along to the radio or sing a song she's heard before; instead she sings her own made up songs.

For example, as I'm driving, Emma spotted a bright red bird sitting in a tree. Immediately she starts to sing:

Red bird
Red bird in a tree
Red bird
Red bird
Red bird
Red bird

The tune and subject of Emma's songs vary, along with the volume and intensity that can be incredibly distracting. Many of her "chauffeurs" have attempted to use the radio to drown her out, only to quickly find it doesn't phase her one bit. That may sound mean, to want to drown out a child's singing, but when one word is repeatedly sung to infinity from the backseat, it tends to grate at one's nerves.

Which leads me to wonder what the future may hold for my little musical muse?

Will my youngest daughter be a famous singer/song writer thrilling fans while up on stage, or writing obnoxious commercial ditties that get stuck in your head?

Overlooking the one or two word repeats, it's fun to daydream about larger possibilities that was until Emma's latest song emerged.

Bee flying
Bee flying
Bee hits a car
Dying
Dying
He's dead

At the time, "Bee Dying" had been the only troubling song in the, "Emma's Greatest Hits" collection so I was relieved to hear her return to lung-filled, but completely innocent, tunes. That was until a Saturday while in the car with her grandmother where Emma started singing about chopping off people's heads. (I'll spare you the lyrics)

Attempting to make light of the situation, my mother jokingly asked Emma to, "Change the channel," which Emma answered by singing with greater intensity from the backseat.

I could see that my mom was getting a little edgy, was it the increasing volume or the subject matter?

My mother, knuckles white on the steering wheel as the singing continued, replied evenly to me, "Please, do us all a favor and don't sing while pregnant with your next kid.

Guess I won't be taking song requests anytime soon.