Emma enjoys herself a nap each and every day. She typically slumbers for several hours before waking up.
Fehmeen usually brings The Bug into our living room/ALS Boy Headquarters so she can slowly ease into the early evening with the family unit. I am seated (duh!) in my recliner, looking absolutely resplendent in my Miami J neck collar, playing the role of DJ iGaze spinning tunes for the entertainment of those around me. After a couple of songs off of her special playlist and a few giggles courtesy of her momma, Emma is up and around and chatting up a storm like a sugar-crazed tweenager.
Every so often, Emma wakes up from her afternoon nap in a mood several klicks south of good.
It starts out with whining that goes on for several minutes. Then the whining turns into tears of the crocodile variety. Fehmeen asks her what she is crying about but by this time Emma is on automatic pilot with the waterworks, inconsolable even with promises of a visit to the park or chocolate pudding after dinner. The only viable option is to let her cry it out.
And then there’s DJ iGaze.
During this crying episode, I try to help the situation by providing a soundtrack of her favorite songs such as Billionaire, Hey Soul Sister, and Meet Me Halfway. When that particular gambit has failed to elicit a smile on our little girl’s face, I take a less subtle approach towards solving the problem.
Combined with giving her the time to let her get it all out of her system, Dad, aka DJ iGaze, dials up songs like Madonna’s version of Don’t Cry for Me Argentina or Melissa Manchester’s big hit from the seventies Don’t Cry Out Loud. Fehmeen and I are still laughing at my inclusion of Bad Day by Daniel Powter.
At some point in time Emma will understand the lyrics of those tunes and we will have to face the formidable wrath of a preschooler scorned. But until then I will be on a quest to find as many songs about the subject mentioned above as possible.
She’ll think it’s funny someday, right?
And just so you don’t think I’m an evil troll who doesn’t love his daughter, I present to you a picture of the happiest guy in the world wearing a Miami J.
The Adventures of ALS Boy 
Crying in more than 1 language here…fingerplay included in the 1st song; parents’ patience possibly tested in both!
I’m hoping you saved that playlist, and I’d like to recommend a few additions:
– Crying – Roy Orbison (or the Don McLean or KD Lang cover versions if you insist)
– Crying – Aerosmith (not a cover of Roy Orbison)
– Cry Baby – Janis Joplin
– Cry Baby Cry – The Beatles
– Cry Me a River – Michael Bublé (or any number of artists)
– Cry – Godley & Creme
– Big Girls Don’t Cry – Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons
– Big Girls Don’t Cry – Fergie
– 96 Tears – ? and the Mysterians
Have fun with that…. 😉
help me help me, those socks! ruffles… That is the cutest photo ever. You do look like the happiest guy on earth.
Don’t forget:
Who’s Crying Now? -Journey
Somebody’s Crying -Chris Issak
It Only Hurts Me When I Cry -Dwight Yoakam
Cry! Cry! Cry! -Johnny Cash
Stop Crying Your Heart Out -Oasis
Jamie’s Crying – Van Halen!
try playing her some Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Pink Floyd, or Led Zeppelin. those will probably calm her down… or they will rile her up
The picture is amazing!
Full of love and positive emotions!