Weekly Bump

As soon as we found out I was pregnant, Zach suggested that we take weekly photos to document my growing belly. It was also his idea to pose with the corresponding-sized fruit each week…pretty creative, right?

I’ve had a couple friends (both whom also happen to be pregnant) ask if I was going to start wearing a shirt once I got bigger, which I thought was hilarious :) And also an excellent idea. When I was 4 weeks pregnant and still had a flat belly, going shirtless didn’t seem like a big deal at all, but as I’ve grown, I’m getting a little more self-conscious.

I have 4 weeks to go before I hit the halfway mark (and get to find out the sex for sure!) which seems just unbelievable. There have been times when this pregnancy has seemed to crawl by at a snail’s pace, but other times, it’s like time has flown.

These photos will be so much fun to look back at near the end and after the baby is born. Right now I can’t even imagine having a huge belly, but it does get bigger with each passing week. I’ll know exactly how it feels soon enough, that’s for sure!

Friday Fave: 2012 in Review

2012 Review

It’s a little mind-blowing to think that I’m writing the very last “Friday Fave” installment of 2012. This year seemed to flash by in the blink of an eye…maybe because I wasn’t blogging every day like I did in 2011.

Even so, I had plenty to keep me busy over the last 12 months. I kicked off 2012 by announcing a BIG work-related goal: to write and record an original Listen & Learn song every single week for a year. I had been slacking a bit in the songwriting department, and wanted to work on my skills (not to mention beef up my catalog of resources for my own clients).

This goal proved to be a challenging one, but it has also been one of the most rewarding. I truly love the writing and recording process, now moreso than ever; and the feedback I’ve received from my own clients, Listen & Learn readers, and other music therapists who’ve purchased my songs has made my effort worth every last moment spent (times one hundred!).

I’m looking forward to writing many more songs in 2013, but I’m not setting a hard and fast goal for myself when it comes to the blog. But I’ll save the New Year’s talk for January…let’s get back to 2012. When I wasn’t busy cranking out new music, I was working with clients, teaching lessons, and building my Music Therapy Connections business.

In June, I had the opportunity to hire a brilliant music therapist who had just moved to the area, and she has been subcontracting for me ever since. It has worked out better than I could have ever imagined — not only does she have an opportunity to work with lots of clients, but I now have a much shorter waiting list.

The highlight reel for 2012 is quite long, so I’ll end my yearly review with a few bullet points. Here goes:

  • Celebrating 3 years of Music Therapy Round Table podcasts and a successful first year of Music Therapy Pro
  • Watching many of my students perform in our local Junior Festival — a few even received their first gold cups!
  • Wrapping up my first official year of full-time business ownership, which went more smoothly than I could have asked for
  • Spending a fun and productive weekend with my MTRT & MT Pro colleagues, Kimberly Sena Moore and Michelle Efurt (and finding out that Michelle is expecting a baby…due in a little over a week!)
  • Taking some personal time to enjoy several amazing vacations with my husband. Between Key Largo, Europe, and Maui, we had the travel year of a lifetime
  • Getting the opportunity to spread the word about my business through several media outlets, including television and radio interviews
  • Finding out that I’m expecting! Baby Rambach is due on June 14!
  • Seeing many of my music therapy friends (and meeting lots of new ones) in person at the AMTA national conference
  • Spending the holidays with my friends from across the country and of course, my entire family

Both personally and professionally, 2012 was a year I will never forget…in the best possible way. I’m so thankful to have an outlet where I can share my ideas, creations, and random thoughts, and even more thankful that so many people are interested in reading.

Thank you so much for making this blog worth writing. I hope your year was filled with good things, and I so look forward to ringing in 2013 with you!

Catch the Spirit

Catch the Spirit

We’ve caught the spirit BIG TIME in my house, and spread it to all of our friends and family at our annual “Tis the Season” holiday party last night. It’s highly contagious, but in the best possible way ;)

Honestly, though, I’ve been filled with the spirit for a couple of weeks now, thanks to all of my wonderful students coming through the door brimming with excitement about Christmas break and presents and everything else that come along with the holidays.

They inspired me to write this week’s song, which is all about catching the spirit of this time of year, and then spreading it to others. It’s one of those songs that just makes me feel good inside; I hope it puts a smile on your face and some cheer in your heart.


How are you spending this Christmas Eve? After some serious sleeping in and cleaning up after the festivities last night, I’m enjoying a relaxing day at home before dinner, church, and more holiday parties this evening. Have fun, be careful, and Merry Christmas!

Friday Fave: You’re Unique, You Are Special

You're Unique, You Are Special

I haven’t written about the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary because, well, I’m not sure what to say that hasn’t been said already. What I do know is that I’m absolutely heartbroken — for the victims, for their families, and for the entire community of Newtown, Connecticut.

Earlier this week, I received a message from my friend and fellow music therapist, Julie Lindemuth. She had written a song called “You’re Unique, You Are Special” some time ago, but shared it recently with a child who has autism and was terrified to go back to school after hearing about the shooting.

She was kind enough to allow me to post the video here at Listen & Learn today; I know that many of you, like myself, work with children and adolescents who might very well benefit from a song like this.

As music therapists, we often are faced with difficult issues within our sessions and it’s not always easy to come up with appropriate ways to handle them. Thank you, Julie, for taking the time to pass this great resource along.