Songs that will always remind me of Chloe Grace

I'm sure most people can agree that certain songs out there remind them of certain things, certain people, or certain situations. For instance, when I hear "I've Got You, Babe", I chuckle as I picture Bill Murray destroying his alarm clock over and over and over again in "Groundhog Day". I remember dancing to "Stairway to Heaven" with my high school sweetheart at our Vice Versa dance senior year, which is bizarre actually, because it was 1996, not 1976.

Anyway, there are songs I will always attribute to my daughter, Chloe. I will never forget being wheeled into the operating room after 4 am on December 30, 2006 to have a c-section. The room was cool and blindingly bright. My epidural made me VERY happy. As I was being operated on, Floyd looked fuzzy to my left (couldn't wear my contacts) and as I heard all the doctors talking to each other, I remember hearing Chicago's "If You Leave Me Now" floating around the room. 'Cooooollll...' I thought to myself in my epidural-causing stupor. ' I loove Chiiicaaggo." Minutes later, the beginning of "When the Leevee Breaks" by Led Zepplin had taken over. 'Coooolll...' I thought to myself again. ' I loooovve Leeedd Zeppppliiin..' ( I really did feel high with that epidural. For a girl who had never gotten high or tried any drugs in her life before, I was feeeellliing gooood!)

So, in addition to those two songs that were playing in the operating room, here's a list of songs , in no particular order, that will always remind me of my sweet Chloe Grace:

Songs By Neil Young:

* "After the Gold Rush"

* "Long May You Run"

* "Tell Me Why"

* "Harvest Moon" (which coincidentally is Floyd and my song)

* "Only Love Can Break Your Heart"

Songs By U2:

* "Running to Stand Still"

* "Stay"

Songs By Bob Marley:

* "Is This Love?"

* "Kaya"

* *Actually..every song by him reminds me of Chloe..she was kicking and dancing to him while living in the womb. :o)


Another song that should be added to the list is a take on "Edelweiss" from "The Sound of Music". Floyd changed the word "Edelweiss" and put the words "Chloe Grace" in its place...so it's the "Chloe Grace" song now. Sorry, Julie Andrews.

These songs on the list are ones that we've listened to and that I've sang to Chloe over the past eight and a half months of her life in lieu of "traditional" lullabies or kiddie songs. Although she does enjoy hearing "Winnie the Pooh", and I love listening to Floyd struggle as he tries to remember the lyrics, it's those songs that got us through long, long, sleepless nights as we bopped along to Bob Marley's spirited cries for freedom or slowly swayed to Neil Young's distinct, somewhat nasally but emotional voice. It is those songs that I will always remember many decades from now, and those memories will simultaneously bring a tear to my eye and a smile to my face.