Greatest Hits

As most of you know, we listen mostly to country in our home. So naturally, Ally has taken a liking to country music as well. When Tim McGraw's last CD came out, he had a song called "Fly Away" in which he laughs part of the way through. We didn't think she was paying much attention to it until she laughed the same exact way right on cue the next time she heard the song. This was nearly 2 years ago when wasn't quite 2 yet. As she's gotten older, she's gotten more into the music to the point where she's singing along to everything and now requests songs by name. Since she keeps asking, we decided to burn her a compilation of her favorite songs. Little does she know that it's really a great way to keep ourselves from having to hear the ABC song or "Ring Around the Rosie" 40 times in a row. So here's how the compilation shapes up:

• Sugarland - Already Gone (she started singing the hook one day in the car, before I had heard the song for the first time myself)
• Sugarland - All I Want to Do (known as the Monkey Song, hear it for yourself to know why. Listening to her sing this is probably the cutest thing. Top requested song.)
• Andy Griggs - She's More (all she needs to hear is the line about green eyes)
• Brad Paisley - Whiskey Lullaby (the Angels song)
• Jason Michael Carroll - Livin' Our Love Song (there's a line where he says "Fairytale Princess" and that's all a 3 year old little girl needs to hear)
• Keith Urban - Jeans On (she likes to clap along to this one)
• Keith Urban - Got it Right This Time [The Celebration] (known as the "Ohh" song)
• Keith Urban - It's a Love Thing (loves singing the hook)
• Keith Urban - Raise the Barn (this is the Hallelujah song)
• Keith Urban - Sweet Thing (do-do-do song... she actually knows the words to part of it. I thought it was great the other day when I asked her how was the big girl class at church and she said that they sang songs, but they didn't sing the do-do-do song. She looked disappointed.)
• Kenny Chesney - When the Sun Goes Down (another catchy hook)
• Kid Rock - All Summer Long (there's something funny about a little girl rocking out to Kid Rock... this is probably the next most requested song on the compilation)
• R. Kelly - Red Carpet [Pause, Flash] (yet another catchy hook)
• Sheryl Crow - Soak Up the Sun (upbeat happy song that she likes moving to)
• Tim McGraw - When the Stars Go Blue (perhaps the song she knows best)
• Tim McGraw - My Little Girl (do I really need to explain this one? There's a line that she likes to sing out loud that goes, "Daddy, love you more! Every time that line comes on or when he says "my little girl," it's necessary that we hold hands)
• Tim McGraw - Last Dollar [Fly Away] (any song that features counting and little kids singing tends to attract the attention of little kids)
• Tim McGraw - Grown Men Don't Cry (features a line that says "I love you, Dad.")
• Raffi featuring Keith Urban - Apples and Bananas (a traditional kids song from an album of Raffi songs performed by country artists. Keith Urban + kids' song = an instant favorite.)
• The Spaniels - Good Night Sweetheart (I got this from "Three Men and a Little Baby" and I sing this to her at night. She now knows the words herself.)
• Lupe Fiasco - Kick, Push (see below)

Lupe Fiasco is actually a Chicago rapper. I don't know much about him except that he's into skateboarding. This song is actually about skateboarding... kicking your foot out and then pushing with it to gain speed, get it? Anyhow, the hook basically goes "Kick, Push, Kick, Push, and Coast." She's not really into skateboarding or anything but this song has now become her theme song for potty-training. Grammy became one of her first students so you can ask her about it. See, what she does is she'll be sitting on the toilet when she needs to poop and she'll teach you that in order to do the business that you need to Kick, Push, and Coast. She uses the leg motions and everything. This doesn't end at home as she taught class at Sweet Tomatoes the other night as well. My one question regarding this is why does everyone look at me as though I'm the one who taught her this? Can't you see from the picture above that I'm raising a perfect little princess?

I'm going to be searching for new material before she wears out this CD. Any suggestions?