This week has been very special for me… Camden turned 6 months old yesterday!! And Nick released his lullaby album, A Father's Lullaby. Music is a big part of the Lachey family and will continue to always be a part of our lives. One thing Nick and I have always done for Cam is sing to him. From when he was in the womb to those sleepless newborn nights to now, while we rock and cuddle. I am beyond excited to share with you ALL these beautiful songs that have meant so much to us.  Nick's album has 4 original songs and 8 songs you will all recognize. Every song has a special meaning as to why it is on the album. I'll share a few of the stories behind them…

For the entire time I was pregnant, Nick would hum a tune to Cam in my belly. He had no words at the time, but he did have a definite melody. That song is now on the album as Sleepy Eyes.  You Are My Sunshine is on the album because Nick's grandfather used to sing it to him all the time when he was a little kid. Now, it's something that's special for us to share with Cam and Nick's Grandma Leigh.   Another song on the album became important the day Camden was born. I read about the importance of consistency in a newborns routine, so I decided to pick a song I would sing to him every night before he went to sleep. Baby Mine was always a sweet song I loved from the movie Dumbo… It's from a moment in the movie when all this craziness was going on around little Dumbo, but he had his mama's Love and protection to tell him everything was all going to be okay. So now I sing this song to Camden EVERY night…And I have since the day he was born.  To see him smile and look in my eyes as I sing to him just absolutely melts my heart.

Since it’s been such a special week for the two most important people in my life, I thought I'd let Nick be my guest blogger so you can hear his inspiration behind the gift we gave Cam…and a gift we can now share with you, too!

Hope you enjoy!

Xx, Vanessa

A Note from Nick

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a father. I've been very lucky to have had many successes in my life and career, but no role or job could ever be as important as my role as a dad. It's something I've looked forward to for a long time, so the fact that it is now here is still so surreal to me. When I first heard the news that we were having a baby, it was an instant flood of emotions: It started with disbelief, followed by total excitement, and then ultimately fear…of not wanting to fall short of the fatherly expectations I had established for myself in my own heart and mind. My dad was such an inspiration and role model for me, and I wanted to be able to be the same for Camden. With every sonogram and OBGYN appointment, the emotions seemed to multiply. I had so many thoughts and feelings, I just wanted to try and find a way to express myself and all those things I was thinking and experiencing. Music has always been an outlet for me to express myself, and it once again seemed like the perfect way to say what I wanted to say about this new little person who was about to enter my life and all the emotions that came with it. I felt like doing a lullaby album, dedicated to my first-born son, was a once in a lifetime experience and opportunity that I HAD to take advantage of, as I knew I would cherish it forever.  I started to write down every thought, record every melody, document every moment... And this is how "Father's Lullaby" started.

Writing a lullaby record is much different than doing a typical pop album. Obviously, the real purpose of a lullaby album is to soothe and relax a baby to sleep, so I had to approach it from a different angle than I normally would. As opposed to trying to hit the high climactic note at the end of the song, I tried to keep the vibe calm and beautiful. Having a baby is the most precious thing you can ever experience, and I wanted the music to parallel that preciousness. I was very lucky to work with a longtime friend and collaborator, Emanuel Kiriakou, in both a writing and production role on this project. He is a father of 3, so we were both able to channel our experiences as fathers and put those efforts into the album. The result is something that will always be very special for myself as a musician, but more importantly, as Camden's father. I hope he will always have this as a memory of how much his dad loves him and lives to make him into the best man he can possibly be…much as my dad did for me.

I hope that everyone, parents or not, can feel the love I have for him, expressed through this music. It is easily the most special project I have ever done, and I couldn't be more proud, excited, and genuinely thankful to be able to share it with the world.  I hope you enjoy it, too. This is "Father's Lullaby.”

-Nick

To download A Father’s Lullaby, click here. A Father's Lullaby - Nick Lachey

Ps. Let us know if you like the album! We'd love to hear which songs are your favorite!!