Songbird in KiddoLand

Music, as I’ve mentioned in the past, is a daily part of our lives.  We listen to a lot of music, but it’s the sound of our days.  We all have our likes, but we all share in music as well.  There are things J likes that I don’t and vice versa, but we generally keep that to our alone time or headphones.  The house, therefore, is usually filled with music.  

Kiddo has never been shy about music.  She tells us what she likes and what she doesn’t.  She has her own playlists with her music on them and at rest time, or night time, or even during Mumma and Dada time, she will request her music and want to pick what we start with or what we listen to as a family.

Threeish years ago J and I got one of our favorite Kiddo music moments.  We were in the middle of Covid and WFH for both of us.  We had been good and cooking at home for about the last 6 months, but with Covid shots and contactless delivery and everything, we wanted something different.  There is a little place in North County SD (Board and Brew for those living/visiting there) that does a wonderful Caesar salad and I could get us a good local brew on the way as well, so J and I were doing salads and having a beer and just gonna chill after what was a day/week/month.  You know the days I’m talking about.

I did my Dad stuff, helping J, dinner for Kiddo, bath, life, love, tuck ins, kisses, and all the rest.  Then I go to get food.  I ordered online for contactless pick up (remember those days) and the bottle shoppe I went to knew me, so they made it easy as well and my pick ups were darned near drive by speed, I was in and out that quick.  Board and Brew was a place we’d been getting pick up at for a while, so they knew me as well, since even before Covid we’d get meals there occasionally on OT days, parent/teacher conference days, or just on days when we didn’t want to cook.  Being a regular, being gracious and understanding of delays/mistakes, and being a good tipper always makes me someone the staff is happy to see.  

Back then (can’t say now, we’ve been gone three years) the price for the salad was great.  Each was generous.  Lots of cheese also.  Good cheese.  Not just tiny shreds, I’m talking large peals of parm!  Each had a whole chicken breast.  House made dressing… yes, house made.  Each location was different (one was across the street from Optum when I was there, so I’d have lunch occasionally Pre-Covid) and once or twice on our order (two salads, but we’d ask for an extra cup of dressing because the salads were that big) they apologized and said they couldn’t do an extra portion as they were out for the night and didn’t want to make a new batch for the last 30 minutes of the day and once, when I had an early lunch, they had no dressing ready, “we’re still making it, can you wait about 5 minutes?”  So, yes, house made.  It was always worth it and it was always worth the $10 tip.  Besides, like Morgan (we’ll get to her), they were college kids, 20somethings, the usual brewpub type staff, and so $10 for good food and having them know me was a long term investment.  Between Covid and contactless delivery and then as restrictions lifted and we we’re packing up to move, we’d do salads 3/4 times a month.  Knowing it would be right, ready, and made with a little extra attention (and sometimes an extra 1/2 breast of chicken) was certainly worth it.  Remember everyone, tip your staff… or start voting for $18 min wage.

For the few readers that saw our old Oceanside place, you might get this a bit more, but I’ll try to set the scene.  We had a small shared driveway to a parking area for us and the building across the drive.  It was 7-10 yards long to the street.  The street was a cul-de-sac.  I was coming up the street and I had music going in the car, but I knew that our place had the windows open because… Well, SoCal is generally nice weather.  Getting to the driveway, there is a car coming out, so I take the cul-de-sac and turn off my music as I come around the loop and wait to turn in.  Our neighbor from across the driveway, Morgan, was leaving and gave me a wave.  She was a 20ish year old college kid who lived with her dad.  She also worked at a local taco place.  So, she was off to her shift or class or maybe out for the night.  

As an aside, we got to know Morgan and her dad peripherally, as they lived just across the way and we would see them occasionally and chat or wave and the like.  Morgan was a nice kid.  Respectful.  She’d always comment on Kiddo when we were leaving at the same time.  She also pointed out once or twice that my car tire or J’s car tire looked a little flat or squishy.  Never once was her music obnoxious and loud although, we usually had music, so who really knows.  J and I still mention her from time to time and throw good wishes into the universe for her.  If she reads this or it ever gets back to her… Hi Morgan and hope you are well.  :)

I thought it odd that I could hear her music, as she generally didn’t blast tunes.  I mentally shrug it off and start my turn into the drive.  

Wait!

I can still hear her music?!?!

My window was down, because… again, SoCal is generally nice weather.  

Nope.  What I could hear was Kiddo.  Belting out RHCP Under The Bridge in all of her 3 year old glory.  I’m not talking I could hear her a bit from the window as I got out of my car as I parked right under her bedroom.  No.  From the street.  She was IN IT!

I smiled to myself.  She always sang to herself at night.  Miss Mabel called her the little songbird as she was always humming or singing to herself.  

So, I get upstairs and before eating, J and I go in and tell her it’s time to end the recording session as it was a little rambunctious.  She brought it down a notch and J and I had dinner and watched a movie or something and then life went on.  We do, however, smile back often at Kiddo and her belting out the song.

Yesterday, J had an event for a friend here who is leaving to go back to the States.  So, it was just Kiddo and I for the night.  J left right after lunch, so I got Kiddo ready for Rest Time and she wanted music.  That’s fine, as we don’t expect her to nap, but rest time is just everyone gets an hour to rest and chill and have some alone time.  I got her music set up and left.  I was gonna lay down for an hour, but before that, I wanted to turn off the AC in the common room and take care of lunch dishes.  As I was headed to our bedroom I was walking past Kiddo’s room and I needed to stop to get a video.  I can’t tell you how happy this made me.  Just Kiddo in her room and world, in her music and playing.  Story of her life!

We had a day and played and around dinner, we headed out to get food and have some us time and we had errands to do, so it was to Central and food and all that.  We had a great time and I just fell into KiddoLand and we talked, played, laughed, and had Kiddo/Dada time.  On the way home, she was gassed and so we got the Tuk home.  It was pretty crowded, so she sat aside from me by a few seats.  I was able to get some Kiddo pics on the Tuk, just again, in her own little KiddoLand.  

Sometimes she is just so her I can’t even.  She is always so sure of herself, so confident, and so full of energy and life that it just fills me to bursting.  She sings because music is in her heart.  She laughs when laughter is in her heart.  Unfortunately, she also melts down because being the best and most 6 year old she can be is in her heart.  

I’m sure that one day Kiddo is going to see and read the blog and if and when she comes across this post she is going to be mortified.  Look on the bright side, Kiddo, that I don’t use our names to give us some veil of privacy.

That was three years ago and three days ago.  Much has changed, but in a lot of ways, the core of us remains.  Kiddo will always be a songbird.  I think she got that from me, but there are worse things to be than a bad singer and off-tune.  At least she owns it.

Let’s go, Kiddo… it’s 6 weeks until you’re 7 and there is still a lot to do before that and then after that moving to China.  We are excited to show you all the coolness of this summer and it looks like you’ll be able to see The Brewers play IN MILWAUKEE!!!!!  Keep singing and I can’t wait to hear the next greatest hits.