Dance Parties

Admittedly, I am a dancin' fool.  But so is Brady P.

We have recently started our mid-morning dance party sessions.  I will play songs that I really like to dance to, and he dances with his own moves.  He will usually take one of his animal figurines in each hand while he dances.  Often the pig in one hand, and the bull in the other.  

I noticed a couple songs that he really likes.

His two current favorites are Kelly Clarkson's "Love so Soft" and OneRepublic's "Love Runs Out."  Noticing that he dances with a particular zest to these songs, I gave him signs for them.

"Love so Soft" starts with birds chirping, so I ask, "Do you want to listen to the song with the birds?" as I flap my hands like a bird.  

"Yes," he answers by slapping one hand on top of his head.

So when he wants to hear that song, he either points to the JBL speaker or signs "music" by swinging one hand from side to side.  Then he flaps his hands like a bird.

I will play it loud, and we dance and smile and hoot.  My favorite part is when, in the chorus, she sings, "and it's sure gonna cost ya!"  Brady P. throws his hands in the air on the "ya!" as the word raises in pitch.

I always laugh at that.

When he wants to hear "Love Runs Out," he stomps his foot because we call that the stomping song.  It starts out with a good stomping drum beat.  He stomps through most of it except for when the energy really picks up.  Then he throws his hands in the air, gallops wildly and makes an overly excited face.  

That makes me smile and shout "Wooooo!"

So that's all fun, and we have a great time.  But he's getting a bit obsessed.

He wakes up in the morning, and after his ritual of sliding some animal figurines down the ramp, he remembers the speaker and stomps his foot.  We have't even had breakfast.

Then when we get home from anywhere, he remembers the speaker, and he stomps his foot for the stomping song.

Or, since it's in my head from hearing it two dozen times a day, I'll accidentally whistle or sing a part of it.  Brady P. immediately recognizes this tidbit, and stomps his foot to hear it again.

During his dinner, he will stomp his foot.  If I pick up my iPhone (the source of all music in the house), he will stomp his foot.  Right before bed, he will stomp his foot.  HE WANTS TO HEAR THE STOMPING SONG ALL THE TIME!!!

He is stomping for me right now.

So what do I do?  I play it.  And we dance.  After it's over, he signs "more" by tapping his fingertips together.  "Okay," I say.  "We can hear it again."

I'm surprised some of the pictures haven't fallen off the wall.  He certainly has a good stomp.

So perhaps I have created a little stomping monster, but we both love it, and we'll continue to play his songs and dance til the love runs out.