Remember way back, about a year ago, when I blogged about how lame it is when parents only play kid's music in the car all the time? Well, I tried really hard not to be that mom, and I have to say I've been pretty darn successful... until recently.
Baby Girl likes all kinds of music, from Mo-Town to Jazz, Hip Hop to Alternative Rock, even a little Bluegrass (introduced by daddy). She'll rock out to back-to-back songs by Katy Perry and Gordon Lightfoot (again, daddy). She doesn't give a crap. If it feels right, she'll shake what her momma gave her.
But her all time favorite song is "Rocketship Run" by Laurie Berkner. You might be familiar with the Laurie Berkner Band if you too are a parent, a nanny, or a preschool teacher. If you are none of those things, and you still know who I'm talking about, then that's just weird. And stay away from my kid.
Anyhoo... The Laurie Berkner Band, or LBB as all the cool moms call them, is made up of 3 adults who wear bright clothing and sing about things like going on a treasure hunt, silly fish who are confused about their identity, or eating spaghetti with friends named Victor Vito and Freddy Vasco. They are super ridiculous and I want to make fun of them so bad, but gosh darnit, they are talented and their songs are catchy little ear worms that dig deep in your brain until you know every word and are singing out loud to yourself, even when baby is not around. I'm assuming there are subliminal messages sprinkled in there and that's why, despite the variety of musical genres we have exposed the little peanut to, "Rocketship Run" is the only song I can play or sing to her that can immediately distract her out of a full-on tantrum.
The LBB has become our secret weapon. If I have to take the remote control away from our little darling, and I see her tiny mouth pucker and her feet stomp on the ground, all I have to do is start singing "5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Blast off! Another rocketship run," and that little frown turns upside down and she forgets all about how badly she wanted to screw with the TV by pressing every combination of buttons as fast as her little fingers could manage.
My husband even set up a LBB station on his Spotify app on his phone, which came in handy on our way home from dinner just the other night. Baby Girl was having fun at the restaurant playing peekaboo with the other patrons and she was PISSED when we had to put her back in the car. But three notes into her favorite song and we were sailing home in a smooth, quiet car ride.
So I'm not full-on Kidz Bop mom. I hope I never am. We don't do this all the time, just when we're desperate. But I know my days of playing whatever radio station I want are numbered. Peanut is learning how to imitate words now. Have you noticed I've been sensoring my language with this one? I'm practicing. I have to keep it clean at school, but home and this blog were my only foul language outlets. Not anymore (well I'm sure I'll let an F bomb slip into the blog every now and then)! This was decided when my husband dropped something in the kitchen and yelled "SHIT!" and Baby Girl started to repeat "shh shh!" I quickly redirected her to words like "sheep" and "sugar," but it will happen soon enough! She'll probably drop her own F bomb at daycare after hearing me say it in the car during our 30 minute morning commute with "Rocketship Run" playing on loop. Honey, save your quarters! It's time to get the swear jar ready...
So there. I admit it. Foot in mouth. Shut up. Don't judge me.
