Piano Forte

Two of my kiddos are enjoying the piano! One of those "if I were a better mom" guilt traps is that I do not have a set practice time or amount for them. Once they start playing I think, "oh yeah! I wanted to make them practice!" But as soon as they step away I think, "Oh, yeah! I wanted to house to be quiet, I'm so glad they're done, but TOMORROW I'm definitely setting a time and a timer so we can get serious...." Ahhh, the eternal optimism - it's hopeful yet maddening. 

I've taken a few videos of them playing, NOT to brag (because let's face it, Patrick is almost 9 and there are concert pianists his age) but to enjoy watching the kids do what THEY enjoy. Caroline especially enjoys it, and will find a few moments, opportune or otherwise, to practice the piano (while I make dinner? Great! After I've asked you 3 times to find your shoes because we're late? Not so much!). Patrick enjoys it BUT... I think he mostly enjoys being better than Caroline, however so slightly. When she can't quite figure out a note or a phrase, he will step in and step on her toes - often literally, hip-checking her to the side so she can "see how it's done." This, not-so-shockingly, drives Caroline insane, thus driving me insane. I think he practices juuuuuust enough to stay ahead of her on a song. I've noted to Patrick's teachers, and I think it remains true here, that Patrick is motivated by praise for being the best. I suppose it's fortunate that Caroline is setting the bar high for him ;) 

I posted most of these videos on Facebook, but that was a terrible combination of oversight and laziness** on my part. I don't really like posting on Facebook - I find it more a useful platform for getting information like, "Where's a good Mexican restaurant Joe can take me for my birthday?" and, "What was the book club book this month?" And I also enjoy funny videos people post, so if it made my day, it made my wall! But I REALLY don't like multiple posts of the same event, and I could not for the freaking LIFE of me get the videos to upload into one post! But the videos were too long for instagram (where I ALSO hate multiple posts of one event), and people... it's just been so long since I was in the habit, I FORGOT ABOUT THE BLOG. So now, for your viewing pleasure AGAIN, but all in one post where I can easily find them, are the piano videos. With a bonus video of Patrick playing Jingle Bells, his new all-day-every-day song.   

**You should know: It took me 2 hours of wrangling my phone's countless (ok, 1,830) picture and video files onto my external hard drive just so I could post these videos. I can only hope one of my kids turns out to be a tech whiz