Monkey's Music

Today, finally, after planning and canceling for two weeks and postponing a third due to 'half-term', we made it to Monkey Music.  It's a program at the local rec centre for kids, different groups for different ages, that introduces them to music and rhythm using actions and dancing and simple instruments.  We'd arranged a trial visit ages ago but then got sick, and then got sick again, and then the program took a week off.  We almost missed it today, too, but Jeff was wanting to go into work early so I was up earlier than usual.  It was actually nice to fit a shower in before he left for the day (don't. say. a. word.).

So today, we got packed up (my first time taking Asher and a diaper bag out on the bike), we braved the dreary looking day (not too cold, but damp), and headed out.  I grossly overestimated the time it takes to bike into Summertown.  We were there a half hour early.  Okay, so I didn't need to get up quite so early after all.  So we sat in the lobby reading books.  Well, I read, Asher watched the people after a few unsuccessful attempts to squirm out of my lap.  So really, in retrospect, he'd already been very patient for a good 25 minutes before we even got into the room, I was clearly asking too much that he show the same level of restraint during the program.  Especially with all those fun looking pushchairs (strollers) sitting around the room just screaming to be inspected.  The program was fun enough.  Asher was the youngest there and it was really geared towards one year plus.  The director thought he would do better in the older group seeing as he would turn a year before the term ended.  Not too sure about that, but anyway.

There are set songs and activities that most of the kids and parents already knew.  I guess some of the middle parts were variable and everything was pretty easy to follow.  There were actions/clapping/patting knees/waving and shakers to shake and drums to bang on, all really neat and just what I had imagined it would be.  And Asher did like those parts, but as soon as the music stopped and the lady started talking, he was trying to get out of my lap and go steal her monkey.  We stood and danced for a time so he would stop squealing at me.  None of the other kids were disruptive or squirmy, I kind of felt like the uncouth mom from 'the colonies' with my over-indulged child.  I'm sure it was all in my head, but still, it took away from the magic of what I had imagined our first mom and tot program would be.  

The lady was very kind and offered to give me another trial day if I still wasn't sure.  I said I would like that but I'm not now that I'll take her up on it.  Jeff made a very good point, why fight with him to enjoy something we're having to pay for if we can just search around a little and find something we both enjoy more.  Maybe something a little more active for Asher's part.  There are, after all, no shortage of mom and tot programs in Summertown.  And you would not believe how many of those things are on Tuesday morning.  It's like everyone got together, checked their schedules and Tuesday morning was good so they just decided to book everything then and you could pick one thing to do in the entire week and you would do it on Tuesday morning between 9:30 and 11:00.  Which just happens to be the exact time of Asher's morning nap.

He fell asleep on the bike on the way home.  Too cute.  Definitely have to get out on the bike more often.  Fresh air makes for great (and long) naps.  Then after lunch we had our own music to monkey about with.  I found his African CD and we did our own dancing.  I'm very sad I didn't have my video camera ready for that as it was terribly cute.  I took the camera to the program today but didn't even think about taking it out once we were there, but I did get some pictures of him dancing at home after.

Whew, that was quite the workout!