Musical Program for Tots and Jazz Band

Today was my day off.  The day I really try to NOT do work and rest....kinda like my Sabbath.  I work every other weekend all weekend long, 3 12hr shifts during the week and 5-8 hrs on Fridays (depending on the Friday).  So on Wednesdays, I really try to keep from working and I rest....which means SLEEPING IN!!!  If you know me, or have been around this blog long enough, you know that anything before 9 is early...10 (or later) is preferable.  I am a night owl by nature and my circadian rhythm does not take kindly to changes....I've been TRYING for over 20 months now....no such luck.  Getting up before 9 on a daily basis (no matter HOW much sleep I get) is exhausting.  Constantly.

 

I was led to believe that the US Navy were coming today (they are docked in Maputo at the moment and always do service projects in the towns/countries where they are docked) and part of their program (with the help of a music guru ex-pat that lives in Maputo) would be a music program with the BH tots.  I was also led to believe that this would INCLUDE cute tots with musical instruments sitting in a circle, looking all precious, banging drums and shaking tambourines and ringing bells and the such.  Perfect photo opp, right?  So, though it was my day off, I sacrificed sleep and woke at 8:30 and dragged myself out of bed, got ready, skipped breakfast, grabbed my camera and prepared for the cuteness of musical babies and toddlers.

I was led astray.

Enter me, coffee and camera in hand, slightly groggy and very tired.  I was then told there would need to be a one-to-one adult to child ratio.  I assumed this was because of the precious instruments and how toddler could be...um....occasionally...a bit...heavy handed and excitable with said instruments.  I was wrong.  Very wrong.

Enter the music guru ex-pat who runs a baby music program out of her home with the boom box, saying pick a baby (we did half of the BH kids first round so it was 1-3 yr olds) and let's all sit in a circle on the floor.  Hmmm....where are the instruments?  Oh yeah...let me interrupt this wonderful reenactment to say that my favorite toddler Dio, woke up on the WRONG side of the crib this morning.  So from the moment I walked into the room he instantly became an extra appendage and really liked screaming.  So I was stuck with the screaming tot as my partnered baby.  We sat on the floor, then she started giving instructions.  Let's bounce the babies on your knees to the music.  Ok, D is 2 yrs.  He's not REALLY a baby.  and he's heavy.  and I haven't worked out in 20 months.  it's HOTT!  and he's screaming cause I'm sitting on the floor with him and he'd rather us leave the BH.  Then we are rocking the babies.  Now we are standing and dipping and swaying.  Then we're jumping with the babies....there's marching and free dance and more bouncing.  We're on the floor, we're standing, the kids are supposed to be on the floor mimicking us, then we're sitting.  My extra appendage doesn't separate so nicely, so we modified that song.  Also, my extra appendage would much rather the standing songs, because then he has the HOPE that we might leave the BH.  He despises the sitting ones.  He knows he's doomed to stay.  Not a happy musical tot.  Finally it's over.  I'm dripping with sweat with a very clinging tot and I'm already feeling the burn.  The tias pry D off me for snack time and I run and hide in the next room so they can get him to settle down and actually eat. 

Now it's time for round 2....the older BH tots.  

I picked one of the youngest, cause this group is 3-5 yr olds and some of them are HEAVY!  Mindah is laughing and playing until the moment we start the bouncing.  Then the thumb goes into her mouth, she gets a scared look on her face and tries to sink into me.  She's not so thrilled about this musical program.  So we begin the dipping and swaying and bouncing...and man are 3 yr olds A LOT heavier than 2 yr olds.  Then in the midst of it, Antonio gets free from his partner and decides he should be with me too.  So now I have two "babies" (both 3yrs) to bounce and dip and sway with.  Right......3 songs later, I pass of Mindah (who's not into it anyway) and keep giggling Antonio who's actually mimicking my moves and thinking this is a fun game.  By now I'm just hot and tired and in need of water and am already sore.  Finally it's over! 

I do have to say that it was really cute seeing these big men get on the floor and dipping and swaying and especially free dancing/waltzing with toddlers.  Hysterical even.  The best part is that most of the tots, though they usually LOVE visitors, were petrified and didn't really want to go to the Navy men and "dance" with them.  They mostly had frightened looks on their faces throughout the 30 min or so program.  Even the older ones.  Good thing I was lead to think it would be cute tots wielding musical instruments....cause I would have slept in and missed the workout if I'd have known the truth.

I've been told that this is going to become a biweekly program and that my help will be solicited.  I think I'll need a lighter tot or two to make it through.

Later in the day....much, much, much later (2pm later).....the Navy's New Orleans's style all brass jazz band played for me...I mean, the kids.  They seemed to really enjoy it.  Especially seeing their reflection in the giant (to them) tuba!  The kids were dancing around and the guys were really interactive with them.  It was great!  and boy do I miss live music and jazz music.