Tag Archives: parenting

Music Joy #1 – My Son Singing a Song I Wrote

Blogging doesn’t come easily to me so I’ve made a prompt for myself to encourage writing. I’m calling it “Music Joy” and each post will be about a joy I experience through playing children’s music. The joys will be in no particular order. I will share new joys as I experience them as well as joys I recall from the past. Here goes…

Music Joy #1 – My Son Singing a Song I Wrote

This has happened many times and is always such a treat. The most recent occurrence was yesterday while playing at the beach. Owen was all suited up in his wet suit (the one just like Daddy’s) and was squealing and grinning from ear to ear from the moment his feet hit the water. He was having a great time chasing waves and digging in the sand with a little shovel. As he dug in the sand he sang:

    Out in the backyard
    Waiting for you
    Out in the backyard
    There’s playing to do

I smiled to myself and thought it was sweet but also appropriate as “Out in The Backyard” is a song about playing with a shovel and a pile of dirt. He sang those four lines then splashed deeper in the water to “surf” with Daddy. It was a special moment I will always remember.

Our afternoon at the beach was filled with many special moments. As we drove away I closed my eyes and smiled in gratitude; grateful for my family, our music, the sun, the waves and the sand.

Suiting up with daddy.

Song Inspiration: The Edamame Cheer

We went out for dinner the other night and when the server brought a plate of edamame to our table Owen’s face lit up with a huge grin and he called out “edamame” and clapped his hands in delight. He then gobbled down the edamame one after another practically non-stop. He has always liked edamame but the day I gave him a little pile of full pods instead of shelling the beans for him, well that day edamame shot way up to the top of the list of his favorite foods.

Inspired by the excitement he showed over the edamame I made up a little song. We sing it at dinner sometimes especially when we are having…EDAMAME!

Owen loves edamame!

The Edamame Cheer

I love edamame
Edamame is yummy, yummy for my tummy
I love edamame
Edamame is yummy, yummy for my tummy

When the plate is put down in front of me
I clap my hands, I cheer in delight
Let’s count it down, so happy that it’s time to eat
3, 2, 1
Edamame! All Right!

© 2012 Kristin Kellner

Ikura is his favorite

I don’t have an edamame picture but here is one from a sushi outing
He also loves sushi, his favorite is ikura (salmon roe)

Song Inspiration – Whale Kisses

Recently, while packing up a bunch of baby gear that Owen had outgrown, I came across Owen’s aqua-themed activity mat. I felt a little sad preparing his things to give away because each item, the mat especially, triggered so many memories of Owen as a baby.

Owen spent countless hours rolling and crawling and drooling on this little piece of fabric. When he was tiny he would lay on his back, kicking his feet and punching his arms all over the place. If we played James Brown, those arms and legs really seemed to have a mind of their own.  Sometimes he would repetitively kick one of the foam poles that arched over the mat, jiggling all the sea creatures and rattles that hung above.  As he grew he became more interested in those items hanging from the poles, he would pull and swat at them or just study them and explore the different textures. He was a champ at tummy time, and would lie on his belly and rake his hand across the silky surface. I smiled as I pictured him on the mat and felt a little unsure about giving it away. But I finished packing it up and hoped another family would enjoy it as much as we did.

Later I went downstairs and saw a little whale shaped pillow peeking out of a basket, another piece of the aqua-themed mat. Seeing it triggered another memory. I remembered when I lightly touched it against Owen’s cheek and sang “whale kisses, whale kisses” and Owen giggled for the first time. I picked up Whaley, as we call the pillow, looked at it and then hugged it close. “Whale Kisses, Whale kisses, ….” I sang in my head and smiled to myself again. For just a moment I wondered if I should bring it upstairs and pack it with the rest of the mat but I knew right away I couldn’t. Our little whale pillow is definitely a keepsake item and will stay with us.

Whale Kisses
Whale Kisses
Gently on your cheek
Whale Kisses
Whale Kisses
Giggles soft and sweet

I swim right by you
Up an down and all around
I’ll rise and surprise you
Blow a spout of water out

Whale Kisses
Whale Kisses
Gently on your cheek
Whale Kisses
Whale Kisses
Giggles soft and sweet

The deepest oceans
That’s where I roam, my happy home
I eat lots of plankton
My baleen, filters it clean

Whale Kisses
Whale Kisses
Gently on your cheek
Whale Kisses
Whale Kisses
Giggles soft and sweet

Here is the video of Owen’s first giggle and the inspiration for the song “Whale Kisses”.