Today, inspired by Gretchen’s Spin Cycle over at Second Blooming, I have taken the subject of “Apple/Tree” and served it up two ways.

First, I will tell you that my two little girls are, in essence and in action, the two parts that make my whole.

Julianna is: reserved, thoughtful, slow to warm but then extremely talkative, wide-eyed and mystic, dedicated, lazy, in love with computer games, outgoing when she feels safe, fiercely loyal, optimistic, a goofy dancer. She IS me.

Isabella is: helpful, organized, friendly, chatty, bratty, agressive, stubborn, willing to fight, unafraid of being different, willful, hard-working, considerate when she stops thinking of herself, a musician. She IS me.

The lists could be much longer, but I am struck with how much the girls are the apples from my tree. I see myself in them everyday and I couldn’t be happier about that. Music is my life, but my life, ultimately, would have no music without my girls.

Second, I will tell you that I sing “Baby Mine” from the movie “Dumbo” all the time as I put the girls to sleep. I’ve even sung the song in a Cabaret Concert complete with a 10-month-old Julianna acting as the best prop ever!

So, as a musical apple from the great Disney tree, I’ve adapted the work of Frank Churchill and Ned Washington, who co-wrote “Baby Mine” into my own new lullaby for my girls. This was just recorded live as I write this, so please, my audiophile friends, grant me a little leeway on my otherwise pristine audio files.

BABIES MINE (Churchill/Washington and re-arranged with new lyrics by LFK)

Babies mine, little girls
Cutest eyes and those curls
Let your hearts fill with my love
Sent from above, babies of mine.

Little ones, everyday
I am yours, let me say
You are so precious to me
All I can be, I love you so.

If you knew how I loved you
You’d not fuss or come unglued
You’d be kind, gentle and helpful
Your poor mother would be so grateful.

Little ones, go to sleep
Count those fluffy white sheep
Snuggle close, safe and so warm
Here in my arms, babies of mine, babies of mine.