Tuesday, December 17, 2013

New Meaning

The leaders of my local church recently asked me to be in charge of teaching the children music. I was/am thrilled to be able to do this for them (see previous post).

Last Sunday we spent an entire hour just singing Christmas songs. It was totally wonderful...and I was handling it like a pro until we got to the  middle of singing a song called Mary's Lullaby. Here are the lyrics:


Lullaby, lullaby, my little one.
Lullaby, my child so dear.
Thy precious life has just begun;
Thy mother holds thee near.
While Joseph watches through the night,
A star reflects thy radiant light.
Lullaby, lullaby, my little one.
Lullaby, my child so dear.
 
 
Just as we got the the words about Joseph I looked up and there was the ear doctor holding my little Sammy boy who was BEAMING...smiling ear to ear looking at my music leading. I lost it...I just lost it. In a whole room full of adorable happy children singing I was there boobing away in the front. Big, fat, hot tears rolling down my cheeks.
 
I guess that since having my own little boy the role of Mary has become a much bigger deal to me at Christmas time. When I think about having to RIDE A DONKEY in the last trimester and SLEEP ON THE GROUND...yikes. 

Monday, December 16, 2013

Festive

I started playing the violin when I was 5 years old. Suzuki method. Intense. And after the tens of thousands of dollars my parents invested and the thousands of hours I spent studying I will never be a professional musician.

But the investment was worth it because I LOVE music. To my very core I love music.

On Friday night we got a babysitter and the ear doctor and I went to see the nutcracker. We seats that, technically, are probably the worst in the whole house...box seats, right by the stage...practically IN the pit. I watched half of the show through the wings...but I was in heaven.

Hearing the musicians practice the tricky runs before the curtain lifted, watching the oboe player get out her iphone with a tuner app (I didn't even know that existed!)...it all reminded me of my love for music (and the Russian composers in particular) and my early experiences performing.

And then the show started and we were so close none of the music needed amplification. We were hearing the pure sounds of the instruments...and the tiny squeaks of the leather shoes on the stage. It was totally wonderful.

A perfect Christmas date

Thursday, December 05, 2013

Getting bigger

My baby has suddenly become a toddler. He robot walks around the house. He sits and reads his books. He can ask for food and drink. He can tell me when he is finished eating. When I ask him to sit down he does.

And (my personal favorite) he dances when he hears music

It's totally amazing.


And it seemed to happen overnight!

People told me stories exactly the same as this about their own kids, but it is really something else to see it in person. To see him growing up and having his own preferences and opinions....it is so cool to see.


Here are the words I think he's started using:

uh oh (when he drops something...intentionally)
dada
bye bye
amen...at the end of prayers...it kills me it's so cute