Music

We have music on in the house almost all the time. Recently Will began playing DJ. He had already learned how to use the switches and buttons on the stereo, and last week he asked how to get CDs out of their cases. Now he changes up the music many times throughout the day. Soon we'll need a larger music collection to keep up!

Yesterday he put on Jamie Laval's Irish fiddle album and improvised a fiddle for himself. Elias played backup recorder.

We're on the lookout for a festival or other live performances of instruments, especially fiddles, so the boys can see them close up. Will and Elias both enjoy the music at church a lot and Will recognizes and points out the instruments used during worship. He has a very accurate rhythmic sense, as well, and gets excited by drums and other percussion pieces. We watched the movie Drumline recently and Will ignored the non-musical parts, but ran back to the screen whenever the band started up and played along with the drums.

At 8 1/2 months, Elias is fascinated by music also and is amazing in his ability to manipulate instruments and toys. He likes to pluck and strum our student-size guitar, play one-note songs on the recorder, and shake maracas and tambourines. Both boys love the xylophone and piano, and Elias easily figured out how to use the xylophone mallets. His curiosity is expressed frequently through his hands and he wows everyone with his ability to pull levers, push buttons, and open lids and books and doors.