Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

Hello. My grandmother used to repeat a little rhyme to her grandchildren (including me) when we were little. We cannot–for the life of us–find its origin. Perhaps she made it up? My guess is that has something to do with an old phrase or movie line. Can you help? It goes:

“I wanna waddle, pea-attle toola. A hittle-tumma patch in a ho pa ta.”

It’s pure gibberish to people who are not in our family. Did “Nana” make this up?

Any help would be most appreciated.

Waiting in my hittle-tumma patch,
Christina Smith