sleepytime songs

i'm a singer, so when i put the kids to bed, i sing songs i know, and they just happen to be in multiple languages. i didn't really think that was odd until i realized that my kids sing along with me in my multiple languages. and they have names for everything:
the daddy song: "can't help lovin' that man of mine", from showboat
the mommy song: "adieu" and "prison" by faure
the isabelle song is made up by me, but sung to the tune of "silver bells"
the alexander song is also made up by me, but sung to the tune of "top of the world" by the carpenters
the german song: "gretchen am spinnrade" by schubert
ninghe: "cancion de cuna para dormir a un negrito" by montsalvatge
the new song: "someone to watch over me" by gershwin
the summertime song: "summertime" by gershwin

i've also sung random songs from shows that i'm working on. i've done bits from carmen jones, and most recently "uzh kak po mostu mostchku, pa kalina vim da sochkam, vainu, vainu, vainu, vainu!" from eugene onegin. they never actually asked for that one, but... :)

now christopher, he has a completely different idea of what sleepytime songs should be, and they tend to be more participatory in nature, which i totally don't think is the point. and his songs tend to me more camp-song in nature. oh well. we can't both be musical snobs :)

alexander is incredibly musical and can already match pitch and sing along in the right key, an octave higher (especially when he's singing with daddy). i have visions of marketing us as a mother/son duo for "amahl & the night visitors" soon. i love the mother's role, and he'd be an awesome amahl. at least until his voice changes :)

isabelle, on the other hand, doesn't do as well. i can't remember alexander at this age, cuz it seems like he's always been musical and sang well. i feel bad for her, becuz there are times when alexander won't let her sing along with him cuz "she's bad" he says. i keep trying to tell him that she's still little & singing with him will make her better, but he's not buying it. oh well. it would really be a shame for her to be the only completly unmusical member of an incredibly musical family. i can't really say she's getting better, though. just louder :) but just becuz she doesn't sing well doesn't mean she doesn't enjoy it. she doesn't realize how bad she is. i just hope there isn't a music teacher somewhere down the road who decides to burst her bubble in a really mean way. not everyone can be the fabulous mr. laret :)

SpongeBob is an agent of the devil

really, it's my fault. i'm the one that taught alexander what channels have his shows. but it's not my fault that nick decided that preschoolers don't need to watch tv after 9am. last summer i had until 10am with preschool programs, but not this year. and now that he knows what channel spongebob is on, he won't watch anything else. craptastic!

now, don't get me wrong. i'm not one of those moms who feel that all tv needs to be appropriate for my kids just cuz i don't feel like making sure they're watching something appropriate. i fully believe that i should be able to watch the daily show at 2pm during nap-time. but i do personally dislike spongebob. i don't think there's really any redeeming qualities beyond the entertainment value. which is fine! but not for a 2 year old and a 4 year old. if i'm gonna let the tv babysit my kids while i work on the computer, i'd much rather have pbs sprout or even disney, but lately it's spongebob or nothing. when i abscond with the remote and refuse to allow him to watch spongebob he just turns off the tv, which is fine. i'm tempted to block that channel, becuz really there's nothing on nick that we watch (except spongebob) since they stop doing preschool shows like dora and wonderpets after 9am. but i think my husband would be upset, cuz he actually enjoys spongebob. and since it's geared more to his age group, that's ok. :)

i can't think of any other shows that i really abhor. caillou is really whiny and he's not my favorite, but i can't really complain. at least he's age appropriate. spongebob lives alone, away from his parents, so he's obviously grown. he doesn't have his drivers license, but he's taking the class, further evidence that he's at least in high school, if not an adult. he's got a job, which again points to him being over 16. all reasons that a 4 year old should not be watching him. plus he doesn't always do the right thing. at least in the other cartoons we watch that aren't at all educational the characters make good choices so at least they're learning good decision-making skills. but spongebob tends to do the wrong thing with alarming regularity. very distressing.

if i block the channel, i'll also be able to avoid icarly, which is also not age appropriate but beloved by my 4 year old. i don't even think he knows what's going on with that show. but clare likes it, therefore he likes it :) and my son has always had a thing for older women :)

busy busy bee

well, i've been very busy lately. between rehearsals for pittsburgh opera (eugene onegin opens on saturday, sept 26th), making jewelry, doing hair, and taking care of my kids and husband, i've been a busy little beaver.

onegin is going to be a fabulous show. we did the studio run on friday, and it was amazing. they really spent their money wisely on the leads for this show. the tatiana is amazing! just amazing. i can't think of words to describe the beauty of her voice. for most of the rehearsals she hadn't been singing, but during the studio run, she finally let 'er rip, and it was so worth the wait. the men, for the most part, have been singing full out most of the time, but it was nice to finally have an opportunity to hear their arias and things we're not on stage for, and so don't get to hear during our rehearsals. and i think we sound pretty damn good ourselves. we've done an amazing job memorizing our russian, and i get to be a featured chorus dancer and am doing a pretty good job dancing our complicated waltz choreography while singing in russian *smile*. and it was very nice of the management to invite us to the opening night party again. now i have to decide what i'm wearing, whether i need to buy new shoes, and what jewelry i'm making for myself to wear *smile*.

but i've been working really hard on my jewelry as well. i'm doing a flea market at my friend michelle's church, mt. hope, here in penn hills, pa, on saturday, october 3rd. it should be a good time, but i'm not sure how much business i'll do. i've started making some new designs that're simpler, but a lot of fun, so i'm hoping they'll do well. but i've also gotten into using a higher quality of materials, which makes my stuff more expensive. so we'll see. even if i just get ppl interested in my stuff and get them to come to the website, that'll be cool. but i'd also like to sell some things *smile*. i made some earrings for my friend kellie's niece who has a very serious allergy to silver and gold, and she's ordered some more, which is cool. and i'm getting a lot more hits on my etsy site, which is also cool. i know it's slow in the beginning, and it's all about getting my name out there right now. it's working. blah *smile*

and i just had a glorious weekend. chris had an event to go to in youngstown this weekend, but i had work, rehearsal and church, so he took the kids with him to his mom's house and left me home alone all weekend! i had forgotten how quiet our house could be *smile*. it was the first time i've been away from isabelle overnight ever, and i missed them like crazy, but it was nice to have a break. of course i was late for church this morning cuz my alarm clock, alexander, was in youngstown, but it all worked out *smile*. i'm going to miss them a lot this week, too, cuz i've got rehearsal monday, tuesday, and wednesday for onegin, and i won't be home til after 11 each night. oh well. it's a nice paycheck, even if it isn't steady *smile*