As I scrambled around this morning making breakfast, assisting everyone eating it, emptying the dishwasher, washing dishes and countertops, and making my usual attempts to keep up, Sara suddenly decides it is time to work on her potty training. This is a very good thing, don’t get me wrong, it’s just that timing is always tricky with potty training, isn’t it? Soooo…. one successful attempt later (yay, Sara!), and lots of necessary cleaning of girl and bathroom, I’m back to the kitchen feeling like I’m spinning my wheels.
Pause. Deep breath. Lightbulb. Music!
People may think I’m crazy (most likely my niece Christen and Mom who were visiting and witnessing my morning spaz-tastic routine do—thankfully, they love me nonetheless) but my music of choice these days is also my kids’ favorite. Specifically, I’m talking about the one, the only Caspar Babypants aka Chris Ballew. I liked this Presidents of the United States lead singer back when he was “movin’ to the country, and gonna eat a lotta peaches,” but it wasn’t until having children and discovering his new “kindiependent” genre that I began to appreciate him so wholeheartedly.
Cheer and pure fun oozes from his CDs (in a good, I-don’t-have-to-clean-that-ooze-up kind of way). The beat is fast enough to get you moving (and finally get me through the awful kitchen mess this morning) but not so intense that you feel like you’ve entered some surreal kiddie techno club. His lyrics, often variations on classic folksongs, are clever, funny, animal- and earth-friendly, and I think, downright exceptional. Laughing, smiling and dancing is what we most often do to Caspar Babypants’ CDs but then one of his ballads will come on and transport me back to the glider chair of new mommyhood and I’ll be in tears. “I made up my mi-i-ind, I’m in love with you-oo-oo” and “You’re a bright little bug and I love you” get me every time.
 |
| Chillin' with the Babypants crew before the show |
Except for possibly remembering me as the mother of the lovely young man who wouldn’t stop insisting that he sing “run, baby, run” with “go slow like a sloth, baby, go slow like a sloth,” inserted, Caspar Babypants doesn’t know us and I know we are just one of many who love him. But today, as I just received Sing Along!, the new album in the mail and am patiently waiting to get the first listen with the kids tomorrow, it feels like the right time to say thank you, Mr. Babypants. Your music keeps us happily dancing around and it has provided great happiness, humor, levity and joy over the years. Can’t wait to hear the new CD when the kids wake up tomorrow… it feels a little bit like Christmas eve only I’ll be the one waking them up to come see the goodies.
For more information, go to the Caspar Babypants Website where you can order a CD for yourself (just say it's for the kids, wink wink) or find out where to see his next live show, an amazing rock-star-led playdate in itself.
No comments:
Post a Comment