Hands and Harmonicas

I used to think it sounded so cliche' when people would say, "enjoy your kids now because they grow up in the blink of an eye." 


Well, I've learned. They do. 


And, the more kids you have, I believe the faster they grow up. I feel as if I just had Emerson yesterday and she is 4 weeks shy of her first birthday. 


You don't realize it until a brief moment passes and you know you have crossed a new bridge. I was reading a flip book with Hunter this week. As he used his tiny little hands to open the flaps in the book, I realized it. His hands were no longer baby hands. They were the hands of a boy. 

Although it warms me to see the boy he's becoming, it aches my heart a bit to know he is no longer a baby and will need me less and less. 

Our new favorite activity is the harmonica. As you can see above, we rarely are without one of the three we own....even at mealtimes. 

Hunter is constantly practicing and he's good. Actually, really good. But, what gets me is that he plays with reckless abandon. He doesn't care what he sounds like or what anyone thinks. He just plays because he loves it. 

And he plays for anyone who will listen. 

Playing for Aunt Kiersten

Why do we lose that kind of passion as adults? Why do we shy away from singing in the shower or getting out on the dance floor when every ounce of our inside is screaming to be let free? Who was that moron who told us we weren't good at something or made us feel bad about the way we sing, dance or anything else for that matter?! I'm quite confident that he/she isn't even as good as us at doing it so why did we believe him/her? 

I don't want to be at the end of my life looking back wishing I'd sung a little louder, clapped a little harder or grooved a little bigger. This is it folks! Do you not break out into a full grin when you see someone next to you in their car belting out a song? You laugh at them but then you secretly wish you had enough guts to do it too!

And you know what? When you are having the time of your life doing something you enjoy and not caring what others think, you draw like a magnet. Who doesn't want to be around someone who is comfortable with themselves? Take my little harmonica man. His friend Carly saw him having such a great time playing his musical instrument at their weekly play date that she brought along her own harmonica the next week so they could do it together. 

As I type this I hear the sweetest little harmonica melody coming from a crib upstairs. And although I know its not on key or following any sort of musical phrasing, it's nothing but beautiful because it's played with all heart. 

This week I'm challenging myself to totally rock out on the dance floor (I'm going to a wedding). I actually bought a dress that I wouldn't typically wear. Yup, it's a little tighter than I normally do but, hey, I'm gonna rock it while I got it! 

What will you do? C'mone! Sing in the shower or even in the car. But, to make it really feel good, do it will gusto and do it with heart!!