On music appreciation.

Note to self: Really, Serenity – it’s okay NOT to post if you have nothing but whining to post about.

Really. No one wants to read your complaining.

“Wah, my life is so hard.”

When really it’s pretty damn good.

I actually got to leave work on TIME yesterday in order to pick up O. And we had a great night – Lots of giggles and fun. He ate a good dinner, we sang songs on the way home from daycare, he chased me around the house, bathtime was good (and wet!) fun, and he snuggled with be before bed and gave me eskimo kisses before he went to sleep.

And last night J and I bought tickets for the three of us to the Kids’ Matinee of the Boston Holiday Pops.

It’s a 70 minute show, with no intermission, where kids can dance in the
aisles, do a Christmas carol sing-a-long, and meet and take pictures of Santa.

And it’s at Symphony Hall, and it’s classical music, and it means a trip for the three of us into Boston for the morning.

I am super, super excited about it.

And then I slept spectacularly, with no wake up in the middle of the night.

So I’m feeling a LOT better today.

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O is REALLY into music these days.

A few weeks ago I bought him a CD of “First Sing-a-Long Songs.” He ADORES them. He does the motions for the Itsy Bitsy Spider. Then claps his hands and stomps his feet for “If You’re Happy and You Know It.” He’s starting to sing along with “Row Row Row Your Boat” – will yell “ROW! ROW! ROW! ROW!” during the instrumental part.

And in between every song, he says, hopefully, “More?”

And when the music comes back on, he claps and giggles with glee.

And any time he hears some music – doesn’t matter what it is – he dances.

Having played the clarinet for more than 20 years now, it’s really important for me that O has, at the very least, an APPRECIATION for music.

Of course I will LOVE it if he plays an instrument. And would absolutely ADORE if he loves it just as much as I do.

But I also know that I don’t want to be that parent that PUSHES my kid into doing something he otherwise wouldn’t do.

So right now? I LOVE that he’s aware of music, and dances to songs, and sings and asks for more whenever there’s quiet.

And all I want for him is that he appreciate music as much as J and I do.

I can’t wait for the Holiday Pops and see what he thinks.

And honestly? THIS is the magic of being a parent. Getting to experience something I love – music – through his eyes.

It’s just AWESOME.