Hidden Talent

Parenthood brings out many hidden skills and talents we never knew we had.

Take Mr MG for example. I have never heard the man sing. He can't. He's tone deaf. That means he sings off key. The music goes this way and he goes another. His rhythm and tempo, ok, not that bad but thats the extend of his talent..... until toddler came along of course.

Wow! Suddenly Mr MG the boyfriend and husband who could not sing, became a singer, songwriter and composer ... but only to his daughter and now his son lah. His lullaby to get babies to sleep is the song "Both Sides Now" by by Joni Mitchell (terrible lyrics for a lullaby but the only song he vaguely remembers the lyrics to.) At least now he has learned some new songs, including Ernie's (of Sesame Streets fame) "Imagine That" During playtime, he would sing stuff like these:

• "Oh, ho, ho, ho. Oh, ho, ho, ho. Everybody was kungu fighting. Hooh. Haah." and dance with them around the room. (Song by Wang Chung)
• "You should be dancing. Yeah! Dancing. Yeah!" and pull up babies hands in the air. (Song by the Bee Gees).
• "You ain't nothing but a hound dog, crying all the time...... you ain't nothing but a hound dog, crying all the time..." while holding baby under the armpits and shaking baby's body all over. (Song by Elvis Presley)

He would also sing songs that he made up like these:

The Sun is Out
And I'm Going Out
Buy Chee Cheong Fun
Have lots of fun

Go to the mall
And have a ball
Go to the park
And see bark bark
(Second part of the song made up by MG)

or

One little hand, 5 little fingers (pulls up one hand and counts)
Another little hand, 5 little fingers (counts fingers of the other hand)
Left Hand, Right Hand, 10 little fingers

One Little Foot, 5 little tossies,
Another Little Foot, 5 little tossies
Left Foot, Right Foot, 10 little tossies (counting the toes as he goes along)

(He usually sings this when we are bathing the baby together)

Baby and toddler doesn't mind his off-key singing but seem to rather enjoy his silly made-up songs. I guess thats what fathers are for. Fun, laughter and games.