What shall we do with the baby-o?

This little song is stuck in my head as it is Isabel's new favorite song we sing. We are fortunate that we were able to do two sessions of Kindermusik starting in January with a wonderful and talented woman, Miss Jody.

At first, I will be honest, I was thinking music for a 4 month old? Really? How much can she absorb from this?

It was at 9am in a town 25m away in January?!

Well, my gung ho group of mom friends were up for it and they lived further away than me so we all gave it a go.

At first, I thought that it wasn't going to be all that exciting for Isabel and we were given the CD with the music so it felt like alot of money for a CD I could just use at home.

Well, I was wrong.

The best parts of class were this:
-Continuity, we went every Wednesday and it soon became routine
-We played the CD in the car and I would pick songs (there were like 32+ songs so I thankfully had choices) and sing to her in the car, at home, to distract her from crying.
-Soon she would recognize the songs and light up and when J would start singing them she would light up and it was like she was thinking 'Hey he knows them too?!'
-Miss Jody introduced signing in class, she has been introduced to 'more', 'thank you', 'music', 'ball' 'all done','mommy', and 'daddy'.

-After class we started a tradition of going to Panera, which has evolved from us mom getting coffee and chatting while the babies Bf'd or slept to us putting them in high chairs with solids and us trying to get a bit in for ourselves ;) (still fun)

Of course there were drawbacks:
- She's missed class from being sick and she's likely been exposed to germs through class (I know we are lucky with only 2 big illnesses so far)
-Sometimes class felt repetitive or Isabel was tired because for a while she was in a napping at 9am phase

Over all though I am amazed at how much she absorbed from the class. Just how much she has developed from not being able to sit to sitting and reaching and almost crawling now!

She would listen with rapt attention (as do the other babies) to Miss Jody. Isabel would anticipate the music and learned to roll a ball, tap two objects together, pat the floor and play peekaboo.

Today, music class ended for the school year and there is a summer session I think we will do it will be in 2 months so we are done for a while. I felt alittle sad we were done today. Isabel has absorbed so much. I can see it at home. The way she lights up when we sing the songs from class, or she will clap, tap or roll the ball. Its just amazing! She is copy catting now too and it makes everything more fun.

I am so glad we did this class even though at first it was hard dragging a sometimes fussy, 4 month old out in the middle of winter in the morning no less to class. It was always better once we were out anyway.

Plus, I had my mom friends to help me out. I also got over breastfeeding in public through this too, pumping was too hard in the morning so we just nursed on the go. It was quite liberating.

Anyway, I am glad we go to have this experience because I feel like I learned alot about how to interact with her in an age approriate way. I have learned what she is capable of and I have watched her develop and grow!

So fun! I am just loving these moments. Precious moments in time. I can't help but gush!

One other funny story: This week I was pumping gas (something I usually avoid with her b/c she hates being the car for long anyway). Well, I guess I hit it just right because I played peekaboo with her in her car seat. The windows were up because of the rain but I could see her little body bouncing as she giggled with glee as we played. What a fun interaction, I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

So here's to you my FINALLY sleeping baby!

"What shall we do with the baby-o? What shall we do with the baby-o? What shall we do with the baby-o if she won't go to sleepy-o?

Wrap her up in calico, Wrap her up in calico, Wrap her up in calico and send her to her daddy-o.

"What shall we do with the baby-o? What shall we do with the baby-o? What shall we do with the baby-o if she won't go to sleepy-o?

'Wiggle her chin and tickle her toes, 'Wiggle her chin and tickle her toes,'Wiggle her chin and tickle her toes, Dress her up in silly clothes.

"What shall we do with the baby-o? What shall we do with the baby-o? What shall we do with the baby-o if she won't go to sleepy-o?

"Fold her up in a tableclothe, "Fold her up in a tableclothe, "Fold her up in a tableclothe, Send her up to the old hay loft.

"What shall we do with the baby-o? What shall we do with the baby-o? What shall we do with the baby-o if she won't go to sleepy-o?

"Swing her north and swing her south, "Swing her north and swing her south, "Swing her north and swing her south, Put alittle honey in her mouth!