So I walked with him in my arms. I kept calm, gentle, and patient regardless of his wailing. I held his sweaty, teary cheek next to mine, and I sang to him. I sang the only Amharic words I knew that made sense in this situation. I sang to the melody of the same song I sang to my older kids... Jesus Loves Me.
Ishee, Ishee
La ten ya
Ishee, Ishee
La ten ya
Ishee, ishee
La ten ya
Ishee, ishee
La ten ya
Ee-wha-de-halow
Ee-wha-de-halow
Ee-wha-de-halow
Ee-wha-de-halow
It's OK, It's OK
It's time to go to sleep
(repeated)
I love you!
(repeated)
Eventually he slept.
For a while after we came home, Joshua was so easily overstimulated that singing or even humming while I rocked him agitated him. So we rocked in silence or to the sound of "shhhh, shhhh, shhhh" as that was most soothing.
One night while I was getting Joshua into his pajamas I started to sing this first song. Joshua's eyes lit up and he said, "Mommy's and Joshua's song!" I was shocked and pleased that he had some sweet memory of this song. Especially since at that point, it had only been sung when he was in such distress. That night as I began to rock him to sleep he said, "Ishee, Ishee pleasie"
And thus a bedtime ritual came full circle. It began out of a desperate need to somehow comfort and connect with my son and has become comforting to us both.
As I began to realize that he did not understand ee-wha-de-halow meant "I love you." I changed the second verse to:
Momma loves you Joshua!
Momma loves you Joshua!
Momma loves you Joshua!
Mommy, Mommy's baby!
(He does not understand the words to the first verse anymore either, but I do not want to get rid of all the Amharic. Afterall that is where it began.)
Now that bedtime has become a time of sweetness and snuggles, this song has become a treasure. Joshua will let NO ONE other than mommy sing it. After all it is "only mommy's and Joshua's song!"
So Karri, my friend, you were so correct when you encouraged me (while I was half a world away) to sing to my little son. You said he would remember. You said he would be soothed. You were more right than I had ever guessed.
And Joshua Gebeyehu, Mommy does love you so very much! You are mommy's baby and I love to rock and 'nuggle and sing with you! I am so thankful that God chose me to be your mommy.
