Papa's Going to Tell You a Lullaby

This is a children's story that I wrote for my grandson Zachary. It has not been edited and never made it to a book, but I like its content about adoption and wanted to share it. We have three people in our family that were adopted, so I drew from personal experiences to write this story.

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Zach, short for Zachary, was six years old and staying at Aunt Cathy's house with his older sister, Laura, who was a tween.  A tween is someone who is almost a teenager and does not want to be called a child anymore. 

Zach's parents had gone to Russia to adopt their new 3 year old son, Sam.   

Zach was worried about meeting Sam.  Samuel Henry was his new name no longer Alexander.  Samuel was his grandfather's name on his father's side.  Henry was his grandfather's name on his mother's side.    

Zach had mixed emotions about having a brother.  Sometimes he was very happy and excited and at other times he had doubts and fears.  "Why could he not have been named after his grandfathers?" Zach thought instead of his Daddy.  Why does Sam get that special honor? Does Daddy already like him best?

 His Mommy had tried to explain to Zach that Sam made their family complete and every one was loved in different ways but everyone had an equal portion of love from Mommy and Daddy.  Zach was now going to be the middle child.  Would he be forgotten?

Zach woke up that bright and shiny day at Aunt Cathy's crying.  He dreamed that Mommy and Daddy decided to make Russia their home with Sam, without Zach.  He looked through the bedroom window but could not see any airplanes.

Mommy and Daddy had been working with Zach on conquering his fears.  They had explained to him how to keep fears from finding a way to his head.  He was to sing a lullaby every time he started to be afraid.

Zach's mother sang him a lullaby every night as she rocked him to sleep.  She had a beautiful voice that sounded like an angel to Zach. He could not remember all the words to the lullabies or most of the melodies.  He did not really like how he sounded when he sang.  He tended to sing a little too loudly.

Zach had been telling lullabies instead of singing most of them when he had a fear.  Each lullaby he told had been repeated numerous times during the week at Aunt Cathy's. Many fears had almost made it to Zach's head about having a new brother.

Zach got out of bed and remembered his nightmare about Mommy and Daddy staying in Russia.  He needed to tell a lullaby.  Zach always told his lullabies to his favorite stuffed dog, Hairy.

Zach was shaking Hairy trying to wake him.  Just like his Daddy had to shake him on school days.  "Hairy it is time to wake up," Zach said.  Hairy always went to bed with Zach.  Zach could not go to sleep without Hairy.  Oh Hairy, did you have that bad dream too?  "The comfort of my voice will soothe him just like Mommy's voice does me," he thought. 

This lullaby would be easy for Zach.  He sang it every morning to Hairy.  The tune was very simple and easy for him to remember.  The words however were a little hazy in his memory.  Zach dressed himself and Hairy in their favorite blue and red Rangers baseball jerseys as he sang:

Are you sleepy are you sleepy?
Brother Don, Brother Don?
Morning bells are singing, morning bells are singing
Ding dong ding, ding dong ding.

After he was done with his version of the lullaby, he realized he had used that new word 'brother.' 

Aunt Cathy came in the room to check on Zach and said, "Your parents have left Russia and are in the air headed to the States with Sam.  Oh what a wonderful day this is Zach."  Zach was now full of anticipation.  He was finally going to met Sam.  Mommy and Daddy did not stay in Russia.  They were on their way home.  They were probably going over the ocean right now.  Daddy had shown Zach a map and explained the route the plane would travel. 

I bet Mommy is singing a lullaby to Sam right now.  Sam would be in Mommy's lap.  "What if Mommy could not rock Zach any more?  Her lap would be full of Sam," Zach worried. Once again there were tears in Zach's eyes.  Another fear had reached his head.

He took Hairy to a rocking chair.  He rocked big as he sang a lullaby about an itsy-bitsy spider.  He remembered the words and melody because they sang it in school.  Zach knew that he was getting almost too large for mommy's lap.  "Daddy could hold Zach while Mommy rocked Sam.  Then Daddy could hold Sam while Mommy rocked Zach.  That would work," he told Hairy.

Hairy did not leave Zach's side all week.  He was to always be present in case Zach needed to tell a lullaby. 

They had breakfast together of oatmeal with raisins.  Zach's favorite.  After breakfast they went outside to play.  They played on the swing set.  Mommy had asked Zach, "Wouldn't it be nice to have a brother to swing with, to climb with, and see saw with?"  Zach thought that sounded like the cat's meow.  Right on, Great!  Laura did not play outside much any more.  She was too busy putting on fingernail polish and the like.

There was a patch of clover for Zach and Hairy to lie in and search for a four leaf clover.  Zach decided to overcome his fears that day.  Zach had found a four leaf clover, and he made a wish on it.  He knew it was going to be their lucky day. 

It wasn't long until the next door neighbor's big, bad dog barked; and Zach was frightened again.  Oh Hairy, did the big dog scare you too?" Zach inquired of Hairy.  Another fear reached Zach's head, "What if Sam is smarter than me?" 

Zach was upset again and needed to tell a lullaby.  He lifted Hairy out of the clover and held him in his arms.  He told him his version of 'Hush Little Baby' which included Papa buying a sailing boat instead of a Billy goat.

When he was done with the lullaby, Zach always felt better just like Mommy told him he would.  He thought, "I have good grades in school.  I have even made the honor roll.  Does it really matter if Sam is smarter?  I am plenty smart. "

Aunt Cathy called them to come inside.  The movie they wanted to watch was about to start.  Zach put the four leaf clover in his pocket.  He did not want to loose it because it contained a special wish.  He could not tell his wish to anyone because he really wanted it to come true. They all watched the movie about a young girl and a beautiful black horse.  It made Zach sad. 

Daddy had taken them to a horse ranch before he left.  Zach had tried to get Daddy to buy him a pony at the horse ranch.  "Do you think he will buy a pony for Sam and not one for me?" Zach thought.  "Oh Hairy, did that movie make you sad too?  Do you want a pony also?  Listen to me my precious Hairy.  I won't to tell you a lullaby about all the pretty little horses.  Daddy likes to sing this one to me.  Do you remember it?" Zach asked.  Zach told his version of the lullaby but when he came to the line that said to go to sleep little baby, he slipped and said middle baby.  Zach knew in his heart that their yard was too small for a pony.  Daddy would take all three of them to the horse ranch again.

They all had lunch together including Laura this time.  After Zach finished his sandwich, he decided it was time for Hairy's nap.  Zach feed Hairy and gave him a bath with a wash cloth.  Zach made sure he washed Hairy's face, hands, and feet.  Mommy had said, "Never go to bed with dirty feet or you will get grit in your bed."  Hairy was now safely tucked in with his blanket in their bed.  Zach started to read Hairy a story about a lost deer that wanted to be tucked in.  Zach especially liked the part where the deer remembered how he snuggled with his mother.  Zach felt like the lost deer he was separated from his mother also.

While he snuggled with Hairy, another fear found its way to Zach's head.  "Oh Hairy, I am going to be stuck with Sam all my life.  After all, Mommy and Daddy call themselves Sam's forever parents.  What if we do not like each other?  What if we fight all the time?" Zach whined.  Zach now recited his special version of Rock-a bye baby to Hairy.  It ended with 'Don't worry baby Papa's so tall.'  That was how Zach remembered it.

Grandma says it is natural for brothers and sisters to not like each other all the time.  She reminded Zach that he did not always like Laura.  Boy was that the truth.  She was bossy and put him down a lot.  The hall to Zach's room had the washer and dryer in it.  Laura would deliberately stack her dirty clothes outside of Zach's room.  Grandma said though eventually they would like each other and even be best friends.  All will be forgiven.

Maybe Zach and Sam will like each other from the start.  Daddy and his brother love each other.  They share their lives together.  When one hurts the other one hurts, and when one is happy the other one is happy for him.  Zach would have to ask Daddy if he and his brother had always liked each other. 

Zach was now comfortable in the bed with Hairy.  He did not usually take naps but he was tried from a worried spirit.  He had heard so many bad stories from his friends at school.  They told him of their little brother tearing off the arm of their dolls, cutting their hair while they slept, telling their mother that they hit them when they did not, and more horror stories. 

What if Sam tore an arm off of Hairy?  Can you imagine?  How horrible!  "Oh Hairy, I won't let Sam hurt you.  I will keep you always by my side.  He will never touch you," Zach promised.  He tried to sound like Mommy, "Hairy, my dog dearest, do you remember 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot?"  He only remembered the first four verses.

Zach knew that Sam would have his own toys just like Laura did.  It might be fun to share toys with a brother.  They could play monster cars together.

Hairy and Zach were now asleep.  Zach had seen a picture of Sam and saw that little boy in his dream.  It was a very pleasant dream.  They were playing together in the sand on the beach.  It was nice having a brother to play with.  They were making a big sandcastle.  Zach could not have made one that big by himself.

Zach had woke up from his nap and gone outside with the others.  The sun was setting and they were going to have a marshmallow roast outside.  Zach had his coat hanger loaded with marshmallows.  He carried the coat hanger in one hand and Hairy in the other to the fire pit.  He was a good Daddy and careful not to get Hairy too close to the flames. 

When it became dark, Zach saw a shooting star.  "Make a wish," his big sister said.  "I wish my mommy and daddy were here right now," Zach said out loud.  He doubted it would happen because that was what he wished when he found the four leaf clover. 

They all decided to sing a lullaby with Zach.  They sang Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. 

About that time they heard a car honk.  Then car doors slam.  Then the door bell rang.  Zach's parents were home with his new baby brother.  They were a day early.  They wanted it to be a surprise for Zach and Laura.

Zach opened the front door. Sam was clinging to his new father.  Zach saw that Sam was more afraid than he was.   He offered him his favorite stuffed dog, Hairy.  Don't worry Sam.  Tomorrow I will teach you some lullabies.  See how they put Hairy to sleep.

Samuel reached for the stuffed dog and smiled at Zachary.  Sam hugged and kissed Hairy with tenderness.  Sam seemed to have so much love to give.  Zach then realized it would be great having a brother!  He also had so much love to give, and Sam would gladly accept all of it.  They would be loving brothers forever.

Sincerely,

April

P.S.  I hope you could relate to the story, and I would love to hear your stories about adoption.