Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Dancing and Singing

Certainly children have their moments where they can drive their parents absolutely crazy, but for certain there are two ways to stop the world and make those same frustrated parents stop in their track and smile.  It’s when those same children who have just torn up the house or who have hit their sibling with a block or wet their pants inches from the potty start dancing and singing.  When all else fails in our house and we have all had enough we put on the music and dance it out.  Nothing warms my heart more than to see my toddler drop it like it’s hot.

Right now Emerson’s favorite song is Thunderstruck by AC/DC.  In the car I put it on repeat and watch him as he just jams.  It started innocently when I heard it on Planes Fire and Rescue and decided to add it to my playlist for my workouts.  Bam it was like dance mania for Emerson.  He puts his whole body into it.  If he is in his car seat he uses his feet to push against the seat and bounce.  Then he shakes his head and moves his arms.  If I wasn’t driving I would capture it on video.  Sometimes at red lights I just stare at him and smile as I give it a good effort and car dance along with him.  Sometimes I play the air drums. His second favorite is Baba O’Reilly.

Brenton started singing recently.  His favorite is “Happy Birthday” or anything he has seen on Umizoomi including the theme song.  There is nothing like the sweet sound of my speech delayed song singing happy birthday to me in tune with all the words.  I didn’t even mind when he blew out all my candles.  He can use my birthday wish any time because in truth as mothers we spend those on them anyway.

Night time is my favorite time.  Usually during dinner prep we have spontaneous dance parties.  Brenton will just hit the button and we all break out and move.  We laugh at Emerson who likes to wiggle the most.  Then we all try to mimic him and he think that is hilarious and just giggles that happy toddler giggle. Then he will take all the crackers out of the cabinet and throw them around…or the Tupperware or really whatever he can get his hand on.  Then he says uh oh.  It’s not an uh oh when you do it on purpose, but he will learn that soon enough.

The other great thing about night time is story time and lullabies.  Singing a song my mother sang to me, singing a song I love and singing a song they love I lure them into dreamland.  We start with Twinkle Twinkle little star.  The song they love.  Then I sing Danny Boy replacing their names with Danny’s.  The song I love.  Finally rounding out the set with “For Baby”.  The song my mother sang to me.

I'll walk in the rain by your side

I'll cling to the warmth of your tiny hand

I'll do anything to help you understand

I'll love you more than anybody can

And the wind will whisper your name to me

Little birds will sing along in time

The leaves will bow down when you walk by

And morning bells will chime

I'll be there when you're feeling down

To kiss away the tears if you cry

I'll share with you all the happiness I've found

A reflection of the love in your eyes

And I'll sing you the songs of the rainbow

Whisper all the joy that is mine

The leaves will bow down when you walk by

And morning bells will chime

I'll walk in the rain by your side

I'll cling to the warmth of your tiny hand

I'll do anything to help you understand

I'll love you more than anybody can

The leaves will bow down when you walk by

And morning bells will chime

I hold the hope they will carry this on and sing it to their children someday.  As I listen to Brenton hum the tune as I sing to him, I remember the first time I cradled him in my arms and sang the words.  Crying as I sang thinking about the words and how much I meant them. I still mean them each time I sing to them.

The power of music is it tells the story of our lives.  I remember the songs throughout my life marking moments in time. Hearing the songs later snaps me back to that exact time.  I can hear the sounds smell the smells and feel the emotions. Watching my children sing and dance I know in the shared moments we will mark time in movement, lyrics, melody and harmony capturing moments while we keep singing and dancing.