Our little musician

Kent just can't get enough of music and instruments, and what great timing with carols, hymn sings, and holiday performances?! 

Ever since he received his saxophone and ukulele for his birthday, that's just about all he plays with. His other obsession is still the squash racket and the ball to hit around the house all day. And he would sleep with his instruments and racket if he could. Already, he asks to bring them in the car and the stroller, so we're working on saying "see you later," "don't move" and "I'll be back". Meanwhile, here's what he does: 

He can definitely squeak out some notes on his saxophone, but here he is playing his heart out EYES CLOSED so he can really FEEL the music. 

As you can see, it's hard to get any pictures or videos of him because all he wants to do is review his adorable self. 

My Grandma Minnie got him this fantastic Usbourne book about the orchestra. With every page, the button to press highlights the different instrument families or some unique part of the song, and by the end of the book you can hear the whole piece played by the orchestra. It's really cool. Here he is opening his gift: 

And then going through some pages (the illustrations are beautiful!):

So then we took him to see/hear my performance (choir) with the orchestra and Matt brought him early to see the instruments up close and get his enthusiasm out before it started. We were rehearsing when they entered the chapel and Kent ran down the aisle pointing and shouting "Conductor! Conductor! Conductor!" It was magic. He loved the cello and violins and especially the double bass. But once the performance actually started, he was somewhat naughty: too loud, wanting to get on stage with me, attempting to climb over the pews, freaking out about dropping a pen he was coloring with, etc... He also played the narrator: when a song ended he said "it stopped!" and when the next started he said "anoder song!" Matt did his best to keep him quiet and attentive, but he sat near the exit doors with good reason. What can you do? He's still learning concert etiquette and to be quiet. It's hard for toddlers to not talk when verbal skills are growing by the minute!! 

Just yesterday, we took him to the school's winter concert in the big auditorium and he enjoyed seeing the students he knows on stage: "Jack plays the saxophone, George plays the violin, Philip plays the cello," Kent says. It was fun to see a bassoon, a tuba, a French horn and lots of trumpets and trombones. He was better behaved at this concert, so he must be getting the idea of listening and enjoying. 

Panda calls him her little Elvis and I think she's right!