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Kai's Lullaby

Our Baby Kai 5 months

Stacia and I wrote a lullaby for our 5-month-old baby, Kai. Here's how it happened:

Before Kai's birth, we intended to create a personalized lullaby like my sisters’ kids had. However, busy schedules made it challenging. During our Christmas vacation at Heather's house in Spokane, WA, we aimed to fulfill that goal and compose a special lullaby for Kai. However, with the house packed with family to interact with, we never made the time. Fortunately for us, my sister invited us to extend our stay by a week. Once the house was quiet, we immediately got to work on Kai's goodnight song. After months and months of anticipation, it all came together—in a single afternoon!  First, I threw a favorite chord progression together on the guitar. Then Stacia and I figured out the vocal melody, lyrics, and form and wrote it all down on sheet music. 

The following day, we were still in the flow, so we added descants and harmonies. My 12-year-old niece Annika and my sister Heather pitched in by making up a piano accompaniment. We laughed and laughed while trying to record it later that night. I couldn't keep both the lyrics and the chord progression in my mind at the same time. (That's what I get for not touching an instrument in years.)

After seven recording attempts with me fumbling on the guitar, we asked Heather to accompany us on the piano, allowing us to concentrate only on singing.

Upon returning home to Provo, UT (and with another week of practice), Stacia and I recorded a live version in our bedroom closet while putting Kai to sleep. Since I loaned my guitar to Heather's freshman son, Tanner, a freshman at BYU, I accompanied us on the ukulele. The uke is better anyway because it easily fits into our closet space and it gives the song a fun, island vibe that we love. We hope you enjoy it too! Download the .m4a version here: Our Baby Kai

Stacia and I plan to write lullabies for each of our kids. I guess we'll have to visit The Whitehead Spa & Resort in Spokane about 11 more times in the near future for continued inspiration! (Just joking, Mom; only 8 more kids...)

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Comments

  1. Julie TWed Mar 16, 01:34:00 AM MDT

    Love that! Only I hope you only crank a few more visits in because I don't think I have 11 more grandmotherings in me!!

    ReplyDelete

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