Feb 02 2009
It’s always Christmas to a three year old
There is a mom and two daughters who come into the library every week. I helped sign them up for their library cards, and I absolutely love the two little girls, so I always look forward to their visits.
Well, today I got a special treat from them. The younger daughter (maybe three or four years old) was in one heck of a singing mood. I was standing at the front counter, doing my thing, not paying any attention to the rest of the world, when my boss Martha snickered. “That’s cute!” she said.
I looked up. “What’s cute?”
“That little girl! Can’t you hear her singing?”
I listened for a second, and sure enough, there was a little warbling voice belting out:
“Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the waaaayyyyy.”
Pause. Silence.
“Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the waaayyyyy. Oh what fun, it is to ride” big breath “in a one horse open sleigh!”
Pause.
“Jingle bells. Jingle bells. Jingle all the way.”
I’m doubled over at this point, laughing. Although the picture to the right is my niece, Allie, the similarities between Allie and this little girl at the library is almost uncanny. They have the same big cheeks, the same brown curly hair, the same cute little nose. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think they were twins. Or at least sisters.
So there’s your mental picture, okay? Now get the voice in your head. You know how three-year-olds are, where they can sing as they do other things (sing LOUDLY, mind you) and yet their mental concentration is on something else. She had a very cute, high-pitched little girl’s voice that actually stayed on key for most of the singing.
And boy did she belt it out. Her mother came over at first, and tried to shush her, but she would have none of that. Mere seconds after her mother went back into the stacks to try to find a book, the daughter would start singing again.
“Jingle bells! Jingle bells!” Every time, I cracked up. I just couldn’t help myself. Oh, to be three again, and have that complete lack of fear of making a fool of yourself in public. She would sing for a while (and she’d get pretty far into the song, actually - I was rather surprised at how well she knew the song, not just the first line) and then peter out. About a minute or so later, she’d remember, “Oh yeah! I was singing!” and start belting it out again. And I’d start laughing all over again.
I was sad when they finally left - I was getting good exercise, laughing that hard.
Now have I made up for all of the times where I whined and complained about the patrons? Because I have to tell you: There are a lot of great ones out there. And awfully cute little kids to boot.
Hava
thanks for sharing that with us…I’m sitting here smiling
wish I could go to YOUR library … it sounds like way more fun than mine.
I almost wrote another rant about them just last night… not bad enough they wouldn’t let me take out books the other day - I found an online text I could use instead and last night THAT wasn’t available either.
I’m starting to take it personally.
Fortunately, I was able to log in to my old university and get it there instead.
Oh my. That is too funny! Kids can bring so much joy to our lives just by virtue of their innocence. If only all of us could go back to the bravery and sheer joy of being 3 again ..
When my daughter was three, I had just bought a copy of The Aristocats and my daughter decided, as we were waiting in line at a busy checkout line the next day, to share one of the songs from that movie.
“Everybody wants to be a CAT!” she sang, all but the last line which was shouted at the top of her voice with a little growly sound (I presume a la Satchmo). The rest of the song clearly didn’t interest her, because it was that one line.
Over and over and over.
She’s actually a superlative singer with a great ear, but I can remember the embarassment while still thinking it was desperately cute. And her demand that everyone wants to be a cat - believe me, she was quite imperative.
Cute post!
Oops, I “tagged” you on my site, but I just saw your post down below, LOL. Don’t feel obligated, but I listed your site because I think it is well written and fun to read. Yeah, I totally missed your Fly Lady post!
Awww, how adorable!
I think the cuteness of a child doing a public performance is inversely proportional to your degree of relation to that child.
Haha. That’s so cute! Actually, you don’t have to be a kid to sing Christmas songs out of season. I do it too at throughout the year.
sitting here with a big smile on my face - not just about the impromptu caroling, but about the fact that no one felt compelled to make her mommy drag her out of there to preserve the hush of books. I love real libraries where people are allowed to talk!
That was so cute. I loved it! I really needed to hear that sweet singing that day…it made me smile:)
Yes, there is a resemblance to your niece. They are both so cute!
Lol, that reminds me of my (surrogate) niece, who is actually my best friend’s niece, but I’ve known her since she was born, so I consider her to be my niece too….anyway, she doesn’t break out into Christmas carols, but she has been known to spontaneously combust into some intense dance moves.
Chris >> I’d love to see that. Spontaneous kids make me laugh.
Hava