The Lyricist

Margot really likes to hold onto the Christmas season. Even though the tree has been down for over a week, and we stopped turning the lights on after New Year's Day, she still listens to Christmas CDs several times a day. (Last year I am fairly certain she was still listening to Christmas songs in March.) She especially likes to listen to music while she's falling asleep. If she awakens in the middle of the night, she pads over to her CD player (no, she doesn't have an Ipod yet) and presses *play*; the music keeps her company until she can drift off again.

This morning I was lying in bed, still waking up, when Margot approached me with a serious look on her face.

"Mommy. I was listening to Hark the Herald Angels Sing last night, and they were signing about baby Jesus' butt. That's not a very good word to use, is it Mommy." (That last sentence was a statement, not a question.)

Some background. After Margot started pre-school this past October, she came home laughing her head off at the word 'butt.' This is something she heard regularly at pre-school, and I understand it's funny to her and her friends. That said, I think there are more endearing words for a pre-schooler's backside, like tush or heiney or bum. I told her 'butt' wasn't a bad word, but there were better words that she could use.

So, where was I? Oh, yes. Rubbing sleep from my eyes and trying not to laugh at her. "Margot, are you sure? I'm not sure that's what they're saying." I was racking my head for the lyrics, trying to figure out where the problem lay.

"No they definitely said it, Mommy. I'm sure. And it's not nice to talk about baby Jesus' heiney." Of this, she was sure.

"You're right, Min. It's not nice. But I'm certain that the song doesn't talk about that at all."

She didn't believe me.

We forgot to listen to the song today, and now she's in bed. We'll see if she brings it up again tomorrow.