Lullabies by Johnny

Last week, Cubby decided he was not going to be having this business of being put in his bassinet for naps during the day. He'd be almost asleep, so drowsy his head was floppy and his eyes just barely slit open, and then I'd put him in his bassinet to sleep and the screeching would commence within minutes. Irritating.

One day I had just put Cubby down and begun the dishes when the screeching began. Reluctant to abandon my hot water to cool down while I tried to get him back to sleep, I instead brought him into the kitchen with me and put him in his car seat, which was fortuitously sitting on the dog couch. My reasoning was that he always slept really well in the car. And since the radio is usually on in the car, I figured it wouldn't hurt to turn on the radio. There's a small radio/CD player in the kitchen. The CD that happened to be in there was Johnny Cash (this one, as a matter of fact). And as soon as "I Walk the Line" started, Cubby was out.

It works almost every time. I put the CD on, and he sleeps right from "I Walk the Line" through 27 songs (including his theme song) to "Ghost Riders in the Sky." I haven't tested this technique with any other music; for all I know, he would sleep through polka music, too. But I think Johnny Cash's deep voice can't hurt. Though I might discontinue use of this CD by the time he's old enough to understand the wealth of lyrics about prison, drinking, and murder.

But for now? Keep on singin' about those Folsom prison blues, Johnny. Cubby can't get enough. And neither can I.