Dora Ditty

"Gonna pick some juicy ones!!"

Barney and Dora are staples in my youngest daughter's life. My oldest daughter comes along for the ride despite having outgrown them long ago. She finds something to lose herself in regardless of what's on TV, so it's not a huge stretch despite her whining, because midway through the much-protested Dora episode that her younger sister is DEMANDING, i'll ask her a question and find her completely unresponsive, having devoted all her attention to thwarting that sneaky fox or helping Dora count out the books for the Octopus librarian (1 per tentacle. . . or 8 in all, if you care to know). 

Yesterday we watched Dora as she escorted the grumpy old troll and the giant to the barber to get them (Boots too) all hair cuts. Emma, the oldest, protested, preferring Total Drama, or Phineas and Ferb, but it was Lily's turn. I sang along to D-D-D-D-Dora!

"Don't sing pease," Lily commented, watching the screen.

"I'm an AWESOME singer," I responded, but I stopped. I turned to Emma. "Sometimes I make up my own words to Dora's songs, Emma."

"Like what?" she asked.

"Well, you remember when she goes to pick berries and they have to go to blueberry hill where Swiper lives?"

"Yeah."

"You remember the song?"

Her mouth worked itself around as the wheels in her head tried to churn out the answer. "Huh uh," she replied at last.

"Going on a berry hunt, (repeat), Gonna pick some juicy ones! (repeat), We're not scared, (repeat), What a beautiful day!" I sang.

"Don't sing pease," Lily commented again without turning.

"Well I changed it to, 'Going on a booger hunt, (repeat), Gonna pick some juicy ones! (repeat), We're not scared, (repeat), What a beautiful day!"

Emma giggled at this and we sang it together. Lily ignored us. She only tells me to stop singing. Not Emma.

Then I leaned in and told Emma conspiratorially, "best we not sing that song in front of Mommy, 'kay, kiddo?"

"Okay, daddy."