Mo's music class

I've always gotten into trouble for talking too much.  I find it very hard to just shut my mouth and pay attention.  I am always the one (or with the ones) who get told to keep it down - as a kid - at sleepover parties, in school, at summer camp, in dance, music and swim classes.

When I was in high school, the teachers always used to tell my parents that I wasn't working to my full potential.  I spent more time talking with friends than I did focusing on the teacher.  My memories of high school are of laughing wildly with friends on the front lawn, having an ongoing dandruff contest on the black tables of science class (the joys of an all-girls high school), Indian wrestling in the junior and senior lounges, passing notes about boys and speaking in code language in front of teachers.  I didn't become interested in learning until much later.

Later in life, I was always with the loud crew and often leading it.  I could not shut up in restaurants, in movies (how annoying am I?), at hotels, it was hard for me to pay attention in class.  I'd rather be socializing.  I remember being on the patio of Lucy's Al Adobe Restaurant with girlfriends a few years back and being told to be quiet by the people at the table next to us.  I think it just made us louder.  My friend Suzy and I took a weekly semi-private pilates lesson from our friend Molly for a few years.  While I liked pilates (and Molly is an AMAZING teacher), I really went because it was good catch-up time with my girlfriends.  We were told to be quiet more than once (a lesson) by other teachers and their students sharing the studio.

Even on the trips I've led to Israel.  I am usually sitting in the "back of the bus", with the loud croud, yucking it up and not setting a good example of how to pay attention to the guide or speaker at the front of the bus.

I have often just found it really hard to shut up.  I like talking.

Times have changed a bit.

Mo and I have been taking a music class.  We go once a week, with my new best friend Kim and her twins.  The twins are 3 years old.  They are ADORABLE!  They love Mo and he loves them.  I try not to think too hard about the fact that they are six months older than Max would be.  Somehow that six months makes the difference though.  I convince myself that Max wouldn't be anything like them - because he would be six months younger.

Mo loves this music class.  He loves being around other children.  He loves that we sit on a mat and that he can roll around on it and put instruments in his mouth.  He loves when other children pay attention to him.  He loves when I play the (very annoying) CD of all of the music class songs in the car.  Sometimes it is the only way I can get him to stop whining in the back seat.

The best thing about this music class is that I don't have to talk to other moms.  We don't sit around and try to troubleshoot issues we are having with our babies, which is more like the baby and me stuff Max and I did together.  Even the baby and me yoga class I took with Max had too much talking - we all had to go around the room and say how many kids we had and how old they are at the beginning of each session.  Kim assured me ahead of time - there is no talking in music class.  In fact, if you ever do get caught talking - the teacher WILL give you a dirty look.

Talking is not allowed.  Just the way I like it....for now!