Little Donkey, Close Your Eyes

Last week at Media, Madeleine took out a book called "Little Donkey, Close  Your Eyes," or, as she called it, "Close Your Eyes, Donkey."  She was SO excited about this book for some reason.  From the moment she was dismissed from school she was talking about it.

MADELEINE: Mama!  Just WAIT 'til you see what book I have in my backpack from media!!
ME: (peeking into her bag) Ooooh!
MADELEINE: It's called "Close Your Eyes, Donkey."
ME: It looks great!
MADELEINE: It is.  It's SO great.


Since Media is on Thursdays, I usually get to hear Madeleine read her newest book to me at bedtime, but this past Thursday was an unusual one.  On what is normally a free evening, Ethan and I had a make-up rehearsal with our vocal quartet, so Aunties Shannon and Caitlyn were in charge of bedtime.  The girls were in bed but still awake when Ethan and I returned home, so I went in to both their rooms to say good-night. 

MADELEINE: (reaching out her arm to me and making a sad face)
ME: Good night, honey, I love you.
MADELEINE: (whimpering)
ME: What's the matter?  Were you missing me?
MADELEINE: (pathetically) "Close Your Eyyyyes, Donkey"
ME: You wanted to read it to me?
MADELEINE: (nodding with her lip curled down)
ME: How about tomorrow night?
MADELEINE: (dolorously) Oookaaay.

Tomorrow "night" turned out to be 6am the following morning.  Madeleine joined me in bed and read the book to me.  And by read, I mean sang, since she apparently decided the book's text needs to be set to melody.  I have been such a fan of her musical setting of this book that I asked her to re-sing it to me this evening so that I could capture it on video. 

Here it is, the premiere recording of "Close Your Eyes Donkey"  "Little Donkey, Close Your Eyes":





What a sweet little lullaby.  It definitely gets me ready to close MY eyes!  (Especially when sung to me at 6 in the morning...)