The Alphabet Song

As in other posts, I must begin with a confession of negligence in parenting. As Seth has grown up, we have not (as the books instruct) sung the alphabet song every time we change his diaper. In fact, I must say that while I love listening to music, I am usually not giddy to sing myself - especially kids' songs. I believe the song most commonly sung in America by the amateur public is "Happy Birthday," and yet I swear that almost everyone comes off looking pretty bad - especially those who, like myself, walk a fine and wavering line between carrying a tune and dropping the bucket. There are cruel, cruel people in the world, and whoever wrote the melody to that song is on my list. The alphabet song is a little better, and we have been singing it around the house lately in an effort to get Seth caught up on his letters now that he is showing some interest in letters and words, not just the stories and pictures in his books. So for several weeks Joel and I have been constantly harassed by our dear little one to sing the "A-B-duh-C Song." (I think his sense of rhythm demands adding another syllable. Our repeated clarifications on this issue have been snubbed with all the self assurance of a three year old who is certain that it could not possibly be and we must be fools who persist in this nonsense.) We have been making up for lost time though, singing the blessed song over and over each day, inviting him to join in but only getting silent grins. Until last night. During his unnoficial but very predictable routine of a ten-minutes-after-bedtime potty trip, he was sitting on the toilet all alone talking to himself in the quiet. And then it began... an unmistakable tune, masterfully performed for what may have been the first time out loud. Almost all of the sounds were there, although a few were slurred together, and he continued on until rendering a powerfully endearing finale of "now I know my ABCs, next time won't you sing with me." So he doesn't yet know all of his letters or what sounds they make, but I suppose that until he learns them all for real he can always fake it with a very convincing performance of the A-B-duh-C Song.