So you think you can sing?

Tonight both of my little girls had their recital. Maggie, the four and a half (very important to mention the 1/2) year old did a ballet number and a tap number. Tyler, the six year and a half year old, did her first ever solo. She sang "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" from Annie. It was quite a proud moment for me, and it made me take a little trip down memory lane.

My Dad could sing. He would get out his guitar (or as he would say in his Canadian accent, trying to have a southern accent, GE-tar) and he would sing all of the Bob Denver folksy songs, and whatever else came to mind. He played a lot. He played at school (he was my teacher - remember it was the 70's). There was music in our house quite often. I would sing along, I would sing loud and I would sing proud. He always told me I could sing. I believed him. Heck, I even tried out for a singing part in a musical in high school! I didn't get the part and couldn't quite figure out why.

I remember listening to my Mom and sisters sing and I would think, WOW they cannot carry a tune. In my head, I was Madonna, or Helen Reddy. I was someone and I could carry a tune.

My Dad got sick when I was 25. He got leukemia and then had a Bone Marrow Transplant. He was in the hospital for just over 4 months. There were a few times that he was well enough to "walk the halls", and we would share walks. One day, I thought, what could be better, I will sing to him! So, we walked and I sang. Finally he looked at me and said "leigh, your singing is really bad". WOW, seriously?

Fast forward two years later, and I had met my hubby, Tony. We had not been dating that long and he got to experience me in a car, belting out some tunes. I would just sing it out and he would sing and it was fun. I remember him saying, "I love that you sing" I took that as, I love your singing. Years and years later (we are talking 10 years later) he finally says, "you know, when we first started dating it was cute when you sang in the car, and now, well, not as cute". You see, my hubby can sing. He can carry a tune, and it hurts his ears to hear the pitches I can produce. Don't worry, I still sing in the car, I still sing to him, but I know now that I am a terrible singer.

I am though, a really really lucky Mom. I have a child who can SING! I love that she can sing, I love that she writes her own songs, and I love that she is shy and still gets up on stage to sing. I love that she tells me that I am a very good singer when it comes to lullabyes, but she often tries to help me out with my pitch for songs in the car.

I am also really lucky, because Maggie carries a tune like I do. She loves to sing, she believes she can sing, she believes she is as good as her sister tyler, and she sings loud and proud. She cannot carry a tune in a bucket, and I think I will wait until she is in her 20's to tell her that fact!