They can't "let it go"

We have relaxed quite a bit on the TV-watching thing, allowing the kids to watch Netflix cartoons on weekends, and when Clair is either 1) getting her hair done or 2) getting her nebulizer treatment.

It's amazing to me how well TV glues them to one spot, and personally, I'm not that mad about it.

But we still haven't graduated to movies -- mostly because the kids still seem way too young to me to sit through two hours of plot development. They can sit for two hours, but only when there are changes in episodes or even whole shows. But one thing for two hours? Nope, not my kids.

So color me surprised when one day Dean was walking around our house singing, "Let it Go," the award-winning and oft-imitated song from the Disney movie "Frozen."

The kids haven't seen the movie and he had no idea where he'd heard it. So I showed him -- and the other two -- the video, with the princess, or whatever she is, belting out her therapeutic theme song in an icy tundra.

Now what did I go and do that for?

Ever since then, Lester and I have been forced to play the video - connected to our iPod dock, so it fills the house -- over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over (you get the picture). I have to play it in the car, streaming through the speakers, no matter where we're going. And when the car stops, I have to keep playing it, all tinny and small through my phone as we walk to the house. I had to create a Disney playlist on my Pandora account and hope, no pray, the song comes on first in the playlist. NPR in the morning has been trumped by "Let it Go." I used to be able to distract them with Katy Perry ("Look kids, a LION!") or, my favorite, Pharrell's "Happy." But no more. It's all ice cold Disney princess emo all the time.

Kill. Me. Now.

The only saving grace is listening to Dean try his absolute hardest to learn every single word and match Idina Menzel's passion with all his might. And watching Clair do interpretive dance to the song, twirling and waving her hands, ballerina-like, then running through the house on her tippy-toes, dancing. Once, Lester said Clair "caught the Holy Ghost" when the song came on the iPod. I seriously almost choked from laughing. 
[Note: Do you know what "catching the Holy Ghost" is? If not, you won't get why that was so funny. But take my word for it, it was.] 
Even Cary, who is not really a big performer -- even he gets into it, singing whatever words he can make out and doing a little old man jig.

It's hilarious to watch them enjoy a song so much. Truth be told, I actually rather enjoy their zeal for the song. They truly love it (who knows why. what the hell is a frozen fractal anyway?) and it makes me so happy to see them so moved by music.

Maybe one day I'll get them hooked on New Edition!!

Crowdsourcing for Kids' Music

After my post yesterday, my sister sent me a note saying that she has a favorite version of "Crawdad Hole" by a children's musician Elizabeth Mitchell.

She gifted the song to the kids through iTunes and we listened to it this morning. It was slower and sweeter than the version we hopped around to two nights ago, but it was quite pretty and the boys and I both enjoyed it. I'll add it to the repertoire.

We listen to a lot of kids' music in the house and in the car, but it's either VeggieTales, traditional kids' songs from a CD I bought before the boys were even born, or the Pandora Sesame Street station.

It's all good -- well the CD is a little lame, I'll admit -- but it's probably time to add some artists to the playlists.

What kids' music do you all like best?

Music, church and wedding weekend!

We had a full (as usual) and good weekend!

We took the boys to a free music class in our area, run by the woman who sings and plays guitar at the sing-along they love so much but haven't been able to go to since I came off of maternity leave.

The boys were sorta lukewarm about the class at first, but warmed up toward the end. Cary even cried when it was over, and said, "I want to go to music class again!"

So we signed them up for a 9-week course. Every Sunday we'll go, and Clair can come too (for free!) if we feel up to bringing her. It starts this weekend and I'm excited. The boys love music so I hope they'll get a lot out of the class.

So cross that off of my list of things I want the boys to do before they turn 3!

Also, Lester and I finally, finally got our butts in gear and made it to visit a church we'd been wanting to check out. The boys were having none of sitting still, so I had to take them to the nursery, where they were having none of being left alone. That meant I heard none of the sermon!

Here they are in the nursery, playing with one of those old-school musical television sets. You know the one that plays "Row Row Row Your Boat" and "Hey Diddle Diddle?" This toy took me back!

But Lester stayed in the sanctuary with Clair and reported back to me. He liked the sermon and seemed to like the Pastor too. We'll go back again next week -- right after music class -- and this time I'll listen to the sermon and Lester will go to the nursery. This way, we'll both get to assess whether we like the church or not.

The civil rights historian Taylor Branch attends this church and he was there on Sunday. I've interviewed him before, but only by phone, so I wanted to go up and introduce myself, but it was too hectic.  Maybe next week.

Saturday night, Lester and I went to the wedding of my brothers' friend Jason. Jason grew up with my brothers since he was in the 2nd grade. I can't remember a weekend that he wasn't sleeping over at our house.  I love him just like he's my own brother and I'm so, so, so, so happy he's found an awesome woman to spend his life with. She is really good for him, and he seems so in love! It's really cute.

The (new) happy couple. The old happy couple. My parents (the even OLDER happy couple). And Lester, posing with the cigars the groom handed out to all the men at the reception. Ain't he suave, y'all? I married well! :-)

We had a GREAT time at the wedding and reception, which were both beautiful and elegant and a lot of fun. There was an open bar and we didn't get home until midnight, and now -- knowing those two things -- aren't you even more impressed that we got up, got ourselves and three kids ready, and went to church on Sunday?

God? See how we're trying? :-)

Lastly, I should mention that my meeting with Miss Toni went tolerably well. Not badly, but not swimmingly either. I think I am just going to resign myself to the fact that she is a really kind, warm and genuine person, who loves kids but is not ever going to be the organized, perky, informative pre-school teacher I'd envisioned in my head.  But as long as my boys seem happy (which is, finally seeming to be the case) it'll all be fine.

And next year, they'll have one of the 3s-class teachers, who are all the way I envisioned! I just have to be patient. Guess I'll work on that virtue in church!

Play that funky music, Davis boys!

I think it's high time we got the boys in some music classes.

We went to my friend Stacey's house this weekend for a playdate and, despite the fact that she has more toys in her house than a Toys R Us warehouse, all my two sons did was fight all afternoon over a toy guitar.
See?

They have pretty good technique, if you ask me.  OK, actually I know absolutely nothing about guitar technique. I have no musical ability whatsoever. But those two kids sure look like they know what they're doing!

Then yesterday, while playing with Legos, the boys both made "guitars" and started singing "Neon," which is their favorite John Mayer song.

(Dean cracks me up!)

Anyway, I don't know if this is an indication of real musical potential (where they would have gotten that from, I don't know) or just a passing toddler interest -- the same way they are into excavators and lawnmowers, for instance. But it can't hurt to see, right?

There's a free try-out class next month at a place not far from us. So we'll go there and see how they like it.

And just remember -- if my boys turn out to be the next Jimi Hendrix (minus the drugs) and Carlos Santana (minus the accent) -- you saw it here first.

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands! (Clap! Clap!)

Today has been a really good day! I don't feel tired or sore or too overwhelmed. In fact, I feel downright joyful!

What brought on this new rush of happiness? Getting out of the house!

Over the winter, Michelle didn't take the boys nearly as many places as I would have liked during the week, mostly because it's hard to take two toddlers anywhere by yourself, especially if any one of the crucial factors in twin-outings is off (how they slept; if they're hungry; what kind of random mood they're in for who-knows-what-reason). And also because it was cold. I don't guess I blame her too much. But I really want my boys to get out and see the world.

So I was determined that as soon as I was able to move around comfortably, my maternity leave would be chock full of things for us to do inside -- and especially outside -- of this house.

Today was our first outing. We went to a favorite neighborhood coffee house and bookstore, for a morning sing-along.

It was the boys' first time, I'm ashamed to say, even though I know, and really like, the owner of the shop and Lester and I frequent this place all the time. (Homemade organic muffins to die for!)

They both loved it! Cary enjoyed wandering around playing with all the toys and books. Dean, as usual, couldn't get enough of the music. They both loved seeing all the children, just about their size. Dean was as helpful as ever, handing a little boy his fallen sippy cup, and putting toys back on the shelves after the music ended. Cary was as busy as ever, wandering from corner to corner, inspecting everything, and asking random people to tell him what things were.

I had a blast, laughing as Dean shimmied his hips and Cary did his stiff-man shuffle to all the songs they sing at home every day. It was great to be out with other mothers and kids, among the living! I didn't even cry (not even a little) when a mom with a 5-week-old in a baby carrier discreetly nursed throughout the sing-along.

I had my three sweeties with me, singing and playing and clapping (and in Clair's case, napping) and that was all that mattered!

Yay for kids' music to get you out of a funk! :-) Clap! Clap!

Here they are...having a great time (despite their solemn faces, I assure you):