Baby girl, are you sleepy yet?

As she snuggled close, I rocked my body to the rhythms of lullabies sung from years gone by.

Music that has been passed down for generations.

Hush Little Baby escapes from my lips, but it does nothing for her.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star comes next, but she is still wide awake.

I resort to Kumbaya, My Lord, to see if God can help me get this child to sleep, but it does not work.

She loves how my body rocks as I sing, but she cares nothing for these song choices.

I smile, but I am utterly exhausted.

Her eyes gaze upon mine as her mind continues to work on overdrive.

She clutches to my breast, studying her mama's face.

My body is warm, and she embraces my hand.

Her tiny fingers tangled in mine.

My mama's heart melts at the sight of her little nose.

The way her lips curl right before she giggles.

You know your mama is tired, but you don't want to let go and go to sleep.

Your eyes begin to close but quickly open.

Your mama loves every second of this special time, but your mama wants to sleep.

She needs to sleep.

She's weary.

A glimpse of your blue eyes suddenly takes me to the lyrics of one of my favorite songs.

She's got eyes of the bluest skies

As if they thought of rain

I'd hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain

Her hair reminds me of a warm, safe place

Where as a child I'd hide

And pray for the thunder and the rain to quietly pass me by.

Whoa, oh, oh

Sweet child o' mine

Whoa whoa, oh, oh, oh

Sweet love of mine

Yes, I sang Guns N' Roses to rock my baby to sleep.

To my baby, it did not matter that I could not hold a tune like Axl Rose.

She loved the melody.

How much I loved the song came through in my voice.

Her eyes grew full with each lyric.

A few coos and smiles later, her eyes began to close.

She's got a smile that it seems to me

Reminds me of childhood memories

Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky

Now and then when I see her face

She takes me away to that special place

And if I stare too long, I'd probably break down and cry.

Whoa, oh, oh

Sweet child o' mine

Whoa, oh, oh, oh

Sweet love of mine.

She drifted off into the most peaceful sleep.

This is how Sweet Child O' Mine became our bedtime lullaby.

It is one of my most treasured memories as a first-time mother.

I sang this same song to my second daughter once she was born.

It may be unconventional, but it fit my girls perfectly.

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