Oliver loves "Boogie Beebies" on CBeebies at the moment. It's a programme where kids dance specific moves to music based around a theme. So, for example, a football theme (that's soccer for our American readers) will have them kicking and heading an imaginary ball. I thought this show would be much too old for him but he seems to like anything musical right now.
When I came home tonight I sang "If you're happy and you know it..." and he immediately started clapping his hands. More surprising to me, later when I played it on his xylophone he immediately recognised the tune and started clapping his hands again.
He's really enjoying his xylophone. He had to be helped to take it out of its box this morning. After a few minutes hitting the keys with the sticks, he happened upon the sound made by running the stick up and down the keys. It's great watching him discover things like that.
Last night I sat and played guitar and sang to him. He jigged about happily watching me attempt to play the guitar while inserting the motion of the wheels on the bus or the marching of the grand old duke of York's men. He applauds at the end of each song, bless him. He also applauds his own performances on the xylophone! But if I sing or play something he doesn't want to hear he waves his hands in his "all done!" sign to make me stop! Apparently he also did that to Damien the other day at Song Time and Hayley had to explain what he meant. Poor chap!
I was talking to Jack's Dad the other day about our hopes for our sons. Being a bit of a footballer, he has discussed with mates what position Jack will play. (Centre-half if you are interested. He's going to be a BIG lad.) Being musical is perhaps the only special aspiration I have for Oliver beyond the predictable parental yearnings for their offspring to be happy, confident and to buy them a retirement home in the Florida quays. (Just kidding.)
But it seems his talents may lie elsewhere. At Alphabet Zoo today he worked out that if he took his socks off he could climb up the slide in the wrong direction. He's constantly trying to climb stairs of all kinds, climb on top of hs walkers and most often climb all over me. I wonder whether one day he'll be off to the Himalayas.
So perhaps I should buy him a Tibetan musical instrument to combine both hobbies. Come to think of it, maybe playing all that Buddhist music we had playing during labour had some effect after all!
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