Free Download: “Little Red Apples”
This is one of many counting songs I’ve written, which focuses on counting both up to 5 and down from 5. I created simple apple visual aides (using red construction paper and then laminating) which my students can then manipulate as we count.
Click here to download the mp3 and lyrics/chords.
P.S. If you want access to my entire collection of over 200 songs (mp3, lead sheet, and instrumental track), videos, tutorials, and visual aides, plus ALL new releases from Listen & Learn Music, consider joining me over at Listen & Learn Plus!
The Nesting Begins!
This is what our basement storage room has looked like since the great flood of 2010. Almost three years later, after living in denial that this room even existed, the nesting urge kicked in hard and I decided it was time to tackle it.
Zach wasn’t quite as excited as I was about whipping this room into shape, but he was a great sport. He took every single thing off of those shelves, and we went through all the boxes to decide what was worth keeping and what we’d be trashing. We filled the next room (our little boy’s future playroom!) with all the stuff that didn’t make the “keep” pile, and soon were left with a fairly empty storage room and a GIGANTIC trash heap.
Guess who then made about 12 trips to the dumpster? Zach was a trooper once again, hauling everything upstairs and out of my sight forever. While he did that, I organized the rest of the shelves in the basement and wiped down all the tile dust that still remained from the post-flood basement renovation. After all that work, we were finally left with a room that looked like this:
I can hardly even believe it’s the same room as the one in the “before” photo. It’s no longer a safety hazard to walk in, and I actually know where everything is! A miracle after three years of disaster zone status. Everyone keeps telling me we’ll accumulate TONS of stuff once the baby arrives, so now we have a nice organized storage space to put everything that gets displaced by baby gear.
The nesting bug bit me hard, because I didn’t stop after finishing the basement. Next, we tackled the future nursery, which meant dismantling the daybed in there (and laundering/putting away all the linens and pillows) and completely clearing everything else out. Then I moved on to the laundry room, for which I bought matching storage bins and organized everything that had been cluttering up the shelves in there. The next day, I did a clean sweep of the master bedroom, closet and bathroom.
So what’s next? I have a huge list of all the projects I want to pursue now that the spring cleaning is mostly done, starting with the nursery. I can’t wait to get to work setting it up!
Week 26
Week 26 has been a good one. I am feeling better than ever lately, and life is going just swimmingly. Work has been fantastic between my students, my online business, and my new class, and I’m excited about working on some new projects. I’m also getting really pumped to finally get to work on the nursery (beyond just collecting ideas on Pinterest) and the downstairs playroom.
This past weekend, Zach and I ordered our first BIG baby item: the stroller! I spent hours and hours researching, and finally chose this one based on the great reviews and its versatility. We have my grandma to thank, since she bought it for us — I told her we’ll think of her during all those walks we’ll be taking this summer.
Then yesterday, our changing table was delivered to our front door, thanks to my mother-in-law. All of these baby items are currently occupying our huge closet in the basement, and it will be so nice to finally get everything put together and moved into the nursery. I love how real this is all beginning to feel!
Week 25
15 weeks to go! Not much new to report pregnancy-wise lately; baby boy is still kicking up a storm and growing bigger by the day, it seems. I am feeling pretty big these days, and doing things like bending over to put on socks and shoes is becoming quite the chore.
I am also feeling super loved lately! I’ve had three people offer to throw baby showers for me, including my best friend Katie who is flying all the way home from NYC. I’m counting down the days until spring (only 14 to go) because I’m so over the crappy winter weather, and now I have even more reason to be excited.
Seeya Later, Alligator
After a few years of relying on the same old goodbye songs for my music therapy sessions and classes, I decided it was high time for a new one. The phrase “seeya later, alligator” popped into my head immediately, so I went with it.
I tried this song out for the first time yesterday with my Listen & Learn for Little Ones group, and it went over really well! And now I can’t get it out of my head, no matter how hard I try. But since that’s my gauge for measuring the potential effectiveness of a song, I suppose that’s a good thing!
Now that I have this brand-new goodbye song, my hello songs are feeling a little stale. I think I know what’s next on the songwriting to-do list :)
Week 24
Check out that bump! Even I can’t believe it when I look at this photo, and I see it in the mirror every day. I’m getting LOTS of comments now, especially from my students…they love asking about the baby (and giving me name suggestions, which are genuinely amusing).
Week 24 started with GREAT news at our doctor’s visit. We had to get another ultrasound, because at the last one they discovered that my placenta was positioned a little lower than it should be. It needed to move about half a centimeter to be considered “normal” — and luckily it had moved more than enough over the last four weeks.
So everything baby-related is going great. I’m feeling tons and tons of big kicks now, and even saw my stomach moving a little yesterday. That was too weird! But I guess I’d better get used to it :)
On Saturday, Zach and I ventured to Babies ‘R Us to start our registry. We ended up leaving less than 10 minutes after we got there, and opted to do the whole thing online. I also created an Amazon registry, since the prices are so much better there. And it took a couple weeks of researching, but I finally chose a stroller, which my grandma generously offered to buy for us. It’s so exciting to think that we will soon own (and eventually be using) all of these baby things!
Music, Movement, Fun!
Every so often, I invite my favorite amateur photographer (aka my husband Zach) to join one of my early childhood music classes, where he captures some great action shots for the families to have as keepsakes from the class.
The kiddos were as animated as usual last Sunday when Zach visited, and the photos turned out so well that I put together this little video slideshow.
That was the final class of my winter session, and I’m already bummed that it’s over…but thrilled that I only have to wait a couple more weeks for the next one to begin! My new class, Listen & Learn for Little Ones, is open for registration now and will start on March 5 & 6 (two concurrent sessions).
If you live in the Springfield area and are looking for a fun, enriching activity for your child (ages 0-3), I hope you’ll consider joining me. Check it out and register here!
Week 23
Week 23 is just about over, and here I am finally getting around to writing about it. I was pretty occupied over the weekend; I spent all day on Saturday working at Festival, and after 7 hours on my feet, it was all I could do to collapse into bed when I got home. Sunday was just as busy, between church, a rehearsal, and Church Mice.
Zach and I finally got to spend some time together on Sunday night, so we went to dinner and continued our baby boy name discussion. We may or may not have decided on one :)
Tuesday night, Matt and I (better known as Rachel & Matt) performed our concert for the Prairie Grapevine Folklore Society. It went really well! Hard to believe that we only have one performance left before we take a break for the baby.
I’ve spent the last couple of days busy with work, and now we’re approaching week 24 — 6 months! We have another doctor’s appointment tomorrow morning, where we’ll get to see our baby during the ultrasound. Time is moving much faster lately, which is juuuust fine with me. Come on, spring!
Snowflakes, Snowflakes
As I type this blog post, there are snowflakes flying outside my office window. It’s no secret that I am not a fan of winter, and luckily the Midwest hasn’t been hit too hard with the white stuff so far this year.
I shouldn’t speak too soon, though, because we are expecting almost two inches on Thursday; good thing I’m prepared with plenty of snow-themed songs! The newest addition to the collection is Snowflakes, Snowflakes.
One of my favorite types of songs to use in music therapy sessions and classes is that with varying dynamics or tempos, and this falls into the latter category (going from slow to fast). My kiddos are always up to the challenge of playing their instruments along “even faster” — sometimes it’s hard to keep up with them!
Snowflakes, snowflakes
Falling to the ground
Down they come without a sound
Little ones, big ones
Swirling from the sky
Faster, faster
Down they fly
(Repeat, getting faster each time)
Friday Fave: Festival Time!
Every February, many of my students participate in the Illinois Federation of Music Clubs’ Junior Festival. This will be my fourth year as a member of the federation, and it’s no less nerve-racking than it was when I first started!
At the end of October, I help my students choose their two pieces (one required, one choice) that they will learn, memorize and then perform at Festival. It’s a long few months, and by the end of January, we’re all ready for the big day so that we can move on to some new repertoire.
But all their hard work pays off in the end: last year, two of my students received their first gold cups, meaning they received a “superior” score three years in a row. This year, I have 5 students hoping to receive their first gold cups.
I like participating in Festival for many reasons, both for my benefit and the benefit of my students. Here are just a few of them:
- It makes me a better teacher. My job is to help those kiddos get ready to perform not only for an audience, but for judges who will score their playing. No room for slacking!
- My students are held accountable for their practicing. If they don’t do the work, they don’t get that superior score. It’s funny how motivation levels skyrocket between October and February :)
- It’s an opportunity to learn from other teachers and students. I really enjoy being amongst a group of teachers, all of whom have different teaching styles, and my students can learn from the other participants.
- Performing in Festival builds self-confidence. There’s nothing better than the smile on a student’s face after he or she has played well and received a great score.
It’s going to be a busy weekend for all of us, as they perform both on Saturday and Sunday while I’m busy serving as a room chairman (of two rooms, this year!). I have a feeling we’ll all be much more relaxed come Monday…but until then, wish us all luck!
Listen & Learn for Little Ones
Today really couldn’t get any better: not only is it Valentine’s Day, but it’s also the day that I finally get to launch my brand new class! For over a year now, I’ve been working on securing a space to hold early childhood music classes, and this week has proved that the wait was worth it.
Skill Sprout, a facility here in Springfield that provides educational and therapeutic services for children ages 2 to 18 years of age, has graciously offered an agreement for the use of their space, and it really is the perfect location for my classes — which I’m calling Listen & Learn for Little Ones.
The Listen & Learn for Little Ones curriculum is designed for children ages 0-3 and is comprised entirely of original songs and activities from my Listen & Learn Music collection. Skills that are addressed include (but are not limited to) fine and gross motor movement, rhythmic foundations, intonation, peer interaction, turn-taking, and academic concepts.
The full run-down, along with registration info, can be found here. I’m offering two concurrent sessions at the beginning of March, and then hoping to squeeze in one more round of sessions before Baby Rambach makes his entrance into the world :)
If you’re local to the Springfield, IL area, I hope you’ll consider joining me for my inaugural classes next month! And if you don’t have a little one between the ages of 0 and 3, feel free to pass this link on to someone who does. Oh, and either way, Happy Valentine’s Day!