4/4 Time

At four months old, you continue to wave your arms, not quite as wildly as you once did but with a tad more orchestration. Your fingers grasp toys, and most become a wand for whatever fast, jazzy piece you seem to be conducting (although some go straight into your mouth). You rehearse and perform new movements on a daily basis, grabbing your toes, rolling onto your side, pushing your head and chest off the floor. You’ve learned that your voice is an instrument; you make the same kazoo noises your sister made when she was your age, but more often your compositions are made up entirely of high pitched squeals. Your rendition of razzing sounds never fails to make us request an encore, and your belly laughs compel us to stand and applaud. You like Patty Cake and Itsy Bitsy Spider, Laurie Berkner and Justin Roberts, Dave Matthews and Cage the Elephant, Wicked and Ragtime… We shouldn’t have been surprised that you like the sound of a crinkly chip bag; we used to wash and dry an empty one for your big sister to play with, too (see below). You’re better able to convey your desire for a change in tempo these days; you change your tune to help us know you'd appreciate having some solo time in your crib. We can’t wait to learn the meter of your walk, and to hear the timbre of your speaking voice, but for now, Tucker, everything you do is music to our ears.

CEB, Fall 2007

JEB