Annika's Favorite Song

Annika and I spend a lot of time together in the car going to and from work/daycare and home. She's a pretty good traveler, but sometimes she cries and/or screams when we're in stop-and-go traffic. There's usually not much I can do about it except keep going, so I just turn up the music a bit to drown out the noise. It seems that she might have a favorite song -- this one almost always stops her crying:



I'm so glad my kid has good taste in music. 


(Random side note: you can create a personalized music video using your address. I tried it with my childhood address, 919 N. Hill Blvd., Layton UT, and it was pretty cool.)


Someone gave me the advice to keep listening to my music for as long as possible, since at some point I'll have to venture into the somewhat frightening world of children's music and then try to keep my sanity. I'm sure at some point the soundtrack to my life will consist of Raffi tunes, and I don't need that day to come any too soon. 


While we haven't exposed Annika to a lot of kids' music, I have created cheesy songs lyrics to familiar tunes. We sing these to her (it's a real treat -- if you've ever heard Scott or me sing, you'll know what I mean):


(to the tune of Frere Jacques)
Noodleriffic, Noodleriffic, 
Noodle Nu, Noodle Nu.
You are so fantastic, you are so amazing
I love you, I love you.


(to the tune of 99 bottles of beer on the wall)
Annika Annika Joan
Annika Annika Joan
We love you so much
You're the best of the bunch
You're our dear sweet Annika Joan
(for variety's sake, and to keep her ego in check, I sometimes substitute her cousin's name, Ha Jyn Son)


(to the tune of some random song I sang in church as a child)
Mommy (Daddy/Lucky/Grandma/Dee Dee/etc.) loves her fussy-bus
You're the best of all of us
It's ok, cry if you must
'Cause mommy loves you fussy bus.


I also tried "my baby's too Noodle-licious" instead of Beyonce's "my body's too bootylicious," but I'm proud to say I didn't know that one well enough to make a whole song.