Music Man!

Well it seems I have a music man on my hands! Here is the best picture I could get of Luke jammin' out. (Ignore the fact that I still have my Christmas rug on the floor... de-decorating takes a while around here ;) I have been trying to get some good pictures or video on the camera of him but there is one thing he tends to like better.... cameras (or cell phones or any other electronic gadget) so the moment he spots one of these things the world stops for him.

But back to the music. So as a little baby I would play different CD's for him. My Mom would often bring over CD's for us to try. Some of the music was classical, one favorite was by a woman we know who plays the harp (she actually plays for sick children in hospitals as well), we have soothing CD's with nature sounds in the background... you get the picture. We would also do lots of singing. My Mother was a primary school teacher for many years so when she would come visit Luke she was always armed with a stack of papers that had the lyrics to any child song (from "Hush Little Baby" to "Itsy Bitsy Spider" etc etc).

At the time I was glad I had these resources but I don't think I was fully appreciative of it all until Luke was old enough to show visible signs he was into the music. The older he got, and the more I could tell he enjoyed the music, the more enthusiastic I got about playing it, singing it, dancing to it... you get the picture. As a matter of fact... he can actually do the itsy bitsy spider now! This was something my mother started with him to calm him down for diaper changes and now when it is time for a diaper change he will start doing the finger plays for the music asking you to sing it to him. It blows me away!

Now a days I think of him as my little music man because he LIVES for music! He has one CD in particular that is his favorite: A Smooth Road to London Town. It has about 20 something songs that include lullabyes to finger play songs some with a folk tone and others with a little reggae type sound. The minute he hears these songs no matter what mood he is in or what he is doing he focuses right in on the music, stands up, dances, and claps and even sings in his own toddler way of singing. (I am still trying to get used to referring to him as a "toddler"... kinda strange). It has been a lifesaver because I have heard this CD so many times I hear it in my sleep therefore anytime we are out somewhere and Luke is having a bit of a rough time all I have to do is sing one of the songs (or some of the songs) and he is able to calm down and re-focus. I would much prefer the people in the grocery line hear me singing than have to hear Luke have a meltdown right there as we are waiting to purchase groceries. Don't get me wrong... it is not always magic... but it will always buy me at least the little bit of time I need.

The music man is also great for a little laugh here and there. There is nothing more entertaining (at least to his parents) or uplifting than turning on some music and watching him do his little dances (which Dave and I named one night as we enjoyed the show!).
Today I cleaned out his room and I decided to move his little boom box that is in his room on his dresser down to his level so he could control it himself. Now he has the best of both worlds... something electronic with buttons AND it plays music! He was ECSTATIC! Before bedtime Dave and I sat in there with him for an hour while he played a concert for us on the cd player. Funny thing was he liked it best when the music was turned up loud! Boy am I in for it when he is a teenager!