Madeline's Wake-Up Song

One morning, when Madeline was still basically a loaf of bread, I sung a silly little ditty off the top of my head without thinking about it as I roused her from her crib.    

The little song has stuck, and whenever I have to wake Madeline up, I find myself singing it to her.

I can't place where I've heard the tune before.  It's the kind of song that sounds like it should belong in a grandfather clock, or in a Jane Austen movie, or sung around a piano at Christmas...maybe my mother sang it to me, but I'm just not sure where I got it from.    

The words are very, very simple:  

Good morning, sweet Madeline

Good morning, my baby!

Good morning, sweet Madeline

Good Morrrrr-ning.  

When Madeline hears this song, a smile creeps across her sleepy face, she stretches, and stumbles to her feet to be picked up.  Once in my arms, she usually snuggles her face into my shoulder because she's still half asleep, and I rub her back and rock her awake.  It's clear that Madeline likes being awoken this way.  

This week, Madeline's begun softly chanting, "Morning!" in a high-pitched, sing-song voice from time to time.    

At first I thought it must be related to a song she does at school, but then Eric said he thought it was the song I sing to her.  I'm choosing to agree with him.  

She's up in bed now tossing and turning, and hopefully, falling asleep.  I just heard her softly singing "Mornnning" to herself and it really does sound like her wake-up song.  

I hope she lets me sing it to her till she's at least fifteen.