prenspace

We’re now into our 3rd week of the new music semester and my Little Mama has already selected her favorite songs to sing. I’ve created a monster! “Wiggle song? Wiggle song? Wiggle song?” is all I hear around here. It’s amazing how far she has come from the first class last summer. You really wonder how much an 8 or 10 month old is actually getting out of a music class. Well, I can attest personally that they get a lot out of it.

Even a year later, little Mama asks to sing songs from her first semester by name. How much of that is her remembering the song specifically and how much of it is continuing to hear the song every so often? So maybe she is reminded of the song, but she definitely remembers the movements we did way back when because I don’t do those very often. I’m too wrapped up in this semesters’ movements. It’s pretty amazing. I need to post some videos STAT.

Their very own Schoenhut Baby Grand baby piano!

We’re not spoiled at all..

Strings For Things has an official presence online now! The wedding expo this past weekend really put me in gear. I made a Facebook page and got our website up! Check us out!

On Facebook

stringsforthings.com

We’ve already got some gigs lined up for this year. So exciting!!

I don’t know how many years we’ve been saying that our quartet needs to get in on the Wedding Expo action. This year, we finally did it.

Yesterday, Jan 9th, was the bridal expo in our area. I only knew about it after seeing signs around town. Out of desperation, I called on Tuesday (Jan 4th) to see if we could squeeze in and get a booth. Wouldn’t you know, there’s always room, especially for paying vendors! The remainder of the week, I rushed around, making business cards, information packets, and organizing my set of music. I must say, I think we were a hit.

Cheers to gigging!

I love my Android phone. Recently, I downloaded a WordPress app so now I can blog on the go. No more excuses left now!

My little Mami is turning 1 in 2 weeks! We had her birthday party at the park this weekend with all her friends. It’s so hard to believe how much has happened this past year. I’ve been terrible at keeping up with all the milestones, so instead, here is a list of everything she has accomplished since her arrival.

2009

08/28
We welcomed SGL to our family! She was born at the Women’s Center at 4:29pm by c-section weighing in at 7lbs 15oz and 19″ long

09/14
The first day back for me driving, wearing real shoes, and our first outing out (not to a dr apt)

09/30
She made her first visit to the Ronald McDonald House for a board meeting and met Ronald himself! She even got his autograph!

10/01
The babysitter backed out at the last minute, so Mami was the youngest person at the Child Advocay Center’s Gainesville Gone Nashville charity event. She was obviously the star of the show.

10/06
The first day going to daycare with Miss D and the first day for me going back to work part-time. I cried most of the day.

10/14
At 6 weeks old, Mami slept in her own room in her crib for the first time.

10/16
We did the Gator Gallop with OD, CMcD, and the College of Ed ladies. When we were done, Mami exploded out of her diaper and I ended up with poo on my face. We went home right away.

10/21
2 months after the c-section, my incision still had not healed closed. Gross, but true.

10/22
I could finally wear REAL zip up, button up pants! Granted, they were 2 sizes bigger than before being pregnant, but an accomplishment nonetheless.

10/31
First Halloween. Daddy wasn’t home, so we gave out candy to the neighborhood kids. She was an octopus. The costume was a little big and we will be wearing it again next year.

11/07
Our first trip as a family to Miami. Mami got to meet her great grandma, all her great aunts and uncles, and cousins, big and small.

11/11
First shots. We did not delay any immunizations and went along with the APA guidelines.

11/25
First Thanksgiving. All our family was in town because Mami and CMcD got baptised together! I also had the stomach flu. It was an eventful weekend.

12/11
Mami started sleeping 6-8 hours a night, but no matter what, was waking up at 4am.

12/25
Our first Christmas!

2010

01/05
Our first experience with bronchitis and using the nebulizer. You’ve never seen anything more pathetic.

01/10
We are officially going to bed at 9pm and waking up at 5am. As a mom and dad, we are starting to feel human again with a normal amount of sleep.

02/14
This was my last day at work and the start of my new life as a stay at home mom. So many mixed emotions. I loved my job at the College of Ed, but I never really went back to full time. This next chapter of my life will be interesting, but we’ll find a way to make it work.

02/26
Great Grammy passed away. I”m sad that Mami will never really know her, but I’m so happy they at least got to meet. I know deep down Grammy knew who you were and that you were her first great granddaughter. We went and visited with her a lot and she was always so happy when she was holding you.

04/14
By 8 months, we have 6 teeth! Mami got her first one somewhere during month 4. That was a surprise!

04/26
Mami waves bye-bye to everything that moves.

05 – 07
Lots of things were going on during this time period. Mami starts to army crawl, but looses interest once she figures out how to pull up on the coffee table. Mami loves the water and we’re in the pool every chance we get. We start music lessons at Tonewood Family Music, and I know right away I need to become a teacher.

08/03
We are finally on the move! Mami takes her first steps, is signing “more” and has her second molars coming through. By now she has a mouthful of teeth and is eating almost everything we eat.

08/10
Mami is signing “more” when she wants more to put in her mouth! And “milk” too. We’re starting to really communicate here!

And that pretty much where we’re at at this point! Things are just starting to get fun. I can’t wait to see where we are this time next year!

It should come as no surprise that Little Mami will be starting music classes before her first birthday. This makes me very excited! We will be starting classes at Tonewood Family Music, where I hope to eventually become a teacher.

Everyone asks me if she is going to become a violinist like her mommy. I have mixed feelings about it. Of course, she will be musical – there’s no doubt about that. It would be hard to do in this household, where all these instruments hang out. And she loves hearing her mommy and daddy duet, event if a violin bassoon duet is a little unconventional. But, will she become a violinist? If she does, she will not be taking lessons from me! I can only imagine the struggle it would be to teach your own child how to play an instrument.

Music is so important. It’s so much fun playing in ensembles with friends, feeling that sense of personal accomplishment at learning that difficult run. And of course, there are the multitude of studies out there on how music helps in a child’s educational development.

It’s funny. A year ago, Little Mami was still in my belly. Our quartet was preparing for a recital just 4 weeks away from her due date. I knew she could hear us play because every time we would rehearse, she would go nuts! I remember looking at my belly during our recital and seeing arms and legs wiggling around.It was pretty amazing knowing she already knew music and enjoyed it.

I have no doubts she will enjoy music her entire life.