Single Mom Learning the Basics

B and I go on our second play group to a music sensory, and I'm not sure how it's going to go. The first play group with other moms and kids we went on two weeks ago could have gone better. There were about 25 moms everywhere and even more kids. I was overwhelmed, and he was over-stimulated.

This one is also during his usual nap, so I'm not sure how his mood will be. I leave the playtime extremely pleased with my boy and utterly confused pertaining to myself. B is extremely happy and smiling the whole time. He is talking and having fun. When it is music time, the moms sit in a circle with our kids on our laps. The instructor starts a song that I have never heard. After the third round, I sing along.

I know the next song. I know that I know it. I'm confident. It's Itsy Bitsy Spider. Everyone knows this song. I'm good to go... So the instructor begins the song with the hand gestures, and my mind reels as I start to do the hand gestures. What is going on? Why isn't this working? What am I doing wrong? More importantly, how do I not know how to do Itsy Bitsy Spider? I keep trying and trying. My fingers are just not working together.

By the third time we sing the song, I give up. I put my hands under my thighs and sway back and forth with B on my lap feeling embarrassed and just downright disappointed that I was drawing a blank on Itsy Bitsy Spider. It's not like I did it a million times as a kid or anything... because I did.

Then the instructor sings one more song. The tune sounds familiar but I don't really know it. As she sings, I ask myself, "My body lies over the ocean, isn't that kind of morbid to be singing to kids?" We sing it again.

On the third time, the instructor says, "Now replace your child's name with 'body'."

I think, I'm not going to sing, 'My Blaise lies over the ocean.' What does that mean anyways?

I hum along with them. Then on the last time, I ask myself, "Are they saying, 'My Bonnie lies over the ocean?'"

I couldn't figure it out, but I also know that either way it doesn't make sense to me. I go home and tell my mom about Itsy Bitsy Spider, and she just laughs. Then I tell her they were singing something like "my body and the sea. My body lies on the sea or something like that."

She says, "My Bonnie lies over the ocean."

"Yes, YES! That's it. I thought they said, 'My body... '"

She replies, "No," and laughs... and laughs and laughs.

I didn't think it was THAT funny. What the heck does my Bonnie lies over the ocean mean anyways?

Since having a baby, my little sister tells me quite often, "Jessica, I think your clueless moments are becoming an everyday occurrence."

So glad I can prove her right. I just hope they start to decrease at some point. Otherwise, B is in trouble.