Listening and Dancing to (Live) Music is AWESOME!

Tallu went to the PhillyBloco show at World Cafe Live last Saturday night. Her dad and I really wanted to see this show, as we know the band members, but hemmed and hawed about going. Going out would mean buying tickets and paying a sitter...until we saw the words "All ages show" on the flyer.... so we called our friend, who sold us tickets and generously put Tallu on the guestlist. (We would've had to buy a ticket for her, too, which still would've been cheaper than a sitter. But our friend thought it was silly for a two year old to have to pay full price. Yes, we thanked him very much!) The door staff were really sweet to Tallu, taking her ticket and giving her a blue wristband (underage), as we got our red wristbands (Caipirinhas, here we come!) No attitude, no admonishments, just "enjoy the show!"


This isn't the first time she's seen PhillyBloco perform. I think the first time she was still pretty young, but we've always had her wear her famous pink headphones, which reduce the decible levels without muting the music. We're not idiots, and her father attends OSHA trainings for work, so there's no way she could get in without those headphones.

PhillyBloco was at their best that night, but the highlight for me came after the show was over. We're milling around with the band, when a stranger approaches me to say: "She did really well! I've been in childcare for 18 years, and I am telling you, I am impressed!"

I thanked this woman for the compliment, explaining we've been taking her to class with us for almost her entire life. The lady then tells me about her five year old grandson, who loves the water, and how much she encourages his love of water. We had a great conversation, and I, of course, encouraged her to buy some headphones and bring her grandson to the next show!

Concerts, libraries, restaurants, museums...all places children "should not go." Why not? Why can't Tallu listen to good music and see people of all ages dancing together? What's wrong with my child eating escargot with her parents and grandparents for lunch? Does it disturb you that she's pointing out colors in a Bearden collage? Look, I'm not saying kids deserve to be everywhere, all the time. But if we want children to respect and appreciate art, music, good food, life as we know it, we have to be the first teachers. Go have fun, everybody!

The next PhillyBloco show is Oct. 30. We're leaving the kid home, though. Sometimes it's worth paying for a sitter :-D

Blog Drought

It's been since April, huh...geez... well, how to catch you up on us?

The "What's New with Tallu" List

1- Tallu is weaned! April 19 was our last nursing.

2- Tallu is obnoxious! Well, she's two, so I don't hold it against her too much.

3- Tallu has been out of our care for a whole weekend! Her parents went to DC to celebrate the end of nursing, the beginning of our thirties, and our fifth wedding anniversary.

4- Tallu is falling asleep on her own! After the nursing was done, one of us had to lay on the floor in her room until she was asleep.

5- Tallu has been camping- three times! She likes sleeping in a tent. We bought this big tent with a "wall" (a piece of fabric that hangs and divides the tent into two 'rooms') and a "porch." When you put the up the wall, and she's asleep, it feels like she's in a different room.

6- Tallu loves the carousel- finally!

7- Tallu speaks...in full sentences! This is not a good thing when her sentences are "Leave me alone, Mommy." or "Don't tell me anything," which she said to me yesterday as I was about to tell her to pick up the toys she was throwing. Of course, it is endearing when she says to me or her daddy "You're my best friend."

8- Tallu loves dinosaurs! Most little kids do. Why is that?

9- Tallu is not potty trained! Oh well, she will be one day. That's a battle I'm not ready to fight.

10- Tallu will be an only child for a few more years! I think we're all okay with that! At least the three of us are, anyway.

I'm really sorry it's been so long. I did enjoy writing the blog, but I can only do it at night. If I had a working computer at my disposal during normal hours, I'd do this more often. (It's not like people are really reading this anyway.) It's become more of a virtual baby book, and in that spirit, I should keep at it for a little while longer.