A flat minor

What do you get when you drop a piano down a mine shaft?
Sorry, couldn't resist. I heard that one in a radio commercial yesterday.


Bug likes classical music. He was in the car when I switched from public radio to a classic rock station and from the backseat he protested. I've no idea what was playing but I switched back for him.

This isn't really new. They hear plenty of classical music at home and in the car, but they also have been exposed to jazz, bluegrass and other musical styles. We took both boys to a "Petting Zoo" at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra when Bug was only two. He was enamored with the string bass and the tuba. He's been saying that he plans to play the tuba ever since. He has a preference for the low notes which could be genetic- CD plays the baritone saxophone, although they may have only heard him perform once. He'll even sometimes cover his ears when a soprano soloist at our church sings (yes, embarrassing).

Sometime before the holidays I noticed Bug freeze in his actions when the William Tell Overture came on the air. I watched him and the totally absorbed look on his face and then asked him what he thought might be happening. We galloped around the house together while we listened to the rest. Since then he's taken to asking us "What's it doing?" when he hears a particularly interesting piece of music. I had fun telling him the story behind "The Nutcracker". CD took the opportunity recently to compile a disk of music with a lot of drama for him.

Unfortunately, he's also decided that good music requires everyone to stop what they're doing and concentrate. Yes, my bouncy son wants us all to "SHHHH!" and sit quietly. I tried to tell him about the lyrics of "Twinkle Twinkle" while he listened to "Mozart for Toddlers" and he shushed me. I've never seen him so intent on something and so still.