This is where all of my interests and skills are combined for one purpose: to make peoples’ lives better through music. Whether it’s through my original songs, serving my community through my business, or singing with my children, this is my favorite place to share my musical endeavors. Thank you for visiting, and I hope to get to know you better.
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52 Weeks of Parker
After almost two years of taking weekly photos, we’ve wrapped up our latest project. The first was my pregnancy series, and no one was happier to see that end than Zach and I — finding a fruit that corresponded with the baby’s size became more stressful each week.
But the “52 Weeks of Parker” series coming to a close was a little more bittersweet, and for obvious reasons. Getting Parker to pose for his weekly photo was no easy feat in those last couple of months, but somehow we managed to pull it off.
For the most part, Parker was a good sport and played along with us. We got some pretty cute shots, and I know we will treasure the photos that show his growth throughout the first year. But the best photo of all is the very last one: it says loud and clear, “ALL DONE!”
I had the photos printed and then hung them up for everyone to see at Parker’s first birthday party (more on that coming soon). I also made a little video and recorded a special song to go along with it. Watch the video here.
MTRT Summer Summit
For the 4th summer in a row, my Music Therapy Round Table colleagues and I devoted a few days to what has come to be called the “MTRT Summit” — where we focus on brainstorming and planning for the following year.
This year we convened in northern California, where our newest colleague Matt Logan lives. While we spend a good majority of the long weekend sitting around his table with our laptops open, we did find time to enjoy some delicious food and wine (in Napa Valley, no less!).
I arrived early Friday evening, so Matt and I went out to dinner and started doing a little preliminary planning for the weekend. Michelle and Kimberly’s flight had been delayed, so they didn’t end up getting in until 11 pm. I was already asleep by the time they got to the hotel! We had a super early morning on Saturday, which began with coffee and breakfast at a yummy diner in Berkeley.
Next we met up with Matt’s friend and photographer Tara, who took photos for our website and promotional materials. She was great to work with, and it was a bonus that we got to hang out on the water at the same time. I can’t wait to see the photos after she edits and sends them next week.
After the photo shoot, we headed to Matt’s house for a long day of work. And by “work” I mean bouncing ideas off of each other, setting goals for the year, coming up with new projects, and enjoying the awesome company. We only see each other in person twice a year, so it hardly feels like work even though we are super productive and our brains hurt afterwards.
It’s really amazing how much we can accomplish when we are all together in the same room! One of the very best parts of our yearly summit is recording the podcast, since we’re used to doing it via Skype. Being able to read each other’s cues, make eye contact, and really just chat without having to worry about any potential technical difficulties is a breath of fresh air. This month’s episode is one of my favorites.
The best way to avoid the afternoon slump? A delicious lunch followed by a quick wine tasting. When in Rome, right? We were all ready to get back to work following our excursion, and ended up ordering pizza later that night because we were on such a roll and didn’t want to stop working. That’s when you know you love what you do :)
Our last full day together! Matt made us a delicious breakfast on Sunday morning, and then we picked up right where we had left off the night before. We finished recording both podcasts, mapped out our new content, did quite a bit of writing, and came up with topics for the entire next year. Whew! We more than earned an afternoon in Napa Valley, which is where we headed as soon as our work was done.
Matt took us to his favorite winery, Judd’s Hill, where we learned all about lots of different kinds of wine (and of course, tasted them too). The weather was gorgeous and it felt so wonderful to sit in the sun. The view wasn’t so bad either — miles and miles of vineyards with mountains in the distance. Next we had lunch and then enjoyed another tasting at a different spot before heading home.
All good things must come to an end, and for us, that was the next morning. Michelle, Kimberly and I headed to the airport at 5 am to catch our flights, but not before taking one last photo. I had a looooong day of flying, followed by a two hour drive home. After being away from my son Parker for the first time since he was born, it was pretty sweet to see him when I walked through the door.
I can’t wait to share with you everything we have planned for Music Therapy Round Table and Music Therapy Pro this year. Not only that, but our summit inspired me to make some big plans for my own personal businesses (Listen & Learn and Music Therapy Connections) as well. Now I just need a few more hours in each day to carry them all out! ;)
Flying Solo
The last solo flight I took was almost exactly two years ago — when Parker was just a glint in my eye — to visit my friend Vanessa in Orlando. Since then I’ve traveled a LOT, but it has always been with my family. The last 6 flights I’ve taken have included a carseat, stroller, giant suitcase, multiple diaper bags, and a baby strapped to my chest.
So it feels a little strange breezing through the airport with just a carry-on and shoulder bag. I forgot how easy it is! But every time I see a family carting all of the aforementioned baggage, I get a little teary; this is the first time I’ve left Parker overnight, let alone for a long weekend.
I’m not going to lie: there were LOTS of tears as I said goodbye to him this morning. Poor Zach had to endure my endless stream of reminders and post-it notes tacked on to every surface of the house, but he took it like a champ. He knows how hard this is for me, but he also reminded me a million times how great this trip will be. And how much I deserve it, bless his heart :)
Every summer, I get together with my music therapy colleagues Michelle and Kimberly (and this year, Matt too!) for a “working weekend” in order to plan the upcoming year for our podcast and business. Matt lives in California, so we are heading there for 3 days of extremely productive work…plus seeing the sights of San Francisco and enjoying the wineries of Napa Valley. It’s going to be awesome.
I know my friends will keep me thoroughly distracted and entertained, but at least a little piece of my mind will always be wondering what my baby is doing. I’ve already told Zach that I expect photos every hour and multiple FaceTime chats each day. And kissing his little face when I get home on Monday night will be the best moment ever.
One Year of Breastfeeding
From birth day to 1st birthday, Parker and I spent much of his first year together in that very position. I can’t even imagine the number of hours devoted to breastfeeding over these past twelve months, but I will treasure them always.
I know how many moms struggle with breastfeeding, especially those who have to pump several times a day, so I consider myself very lucky that it worked out so well for us. And I definitely don’t take it for granted, because I know that I might not be so lucky the next time around.
In all honesty, I’m really struggling with weaning. Parker does fine with whole cow’s milk, but it is very apparent that he is not ready to be done nursing. We are down to once a day, right after he wakes up, and then on Friday I leave for my first-ever overnight trip without him. All along I’ve planned to wean in time for this trip, because I don’t want to have to worry about pumping for the 4 days I’m away. Also, I figured having this time apart would help him get used to not nursing anymore.
But in the back of my head, I keep questioning this decision and wondering if I’m rushing it. Maybe we would both be happier if we continued…or maybe I’m just trying to delay the inevitable. Motherhood seems to be full of questions without definitive answers, and I feel like I’m just making them up as I go along.
We’ll see how the next few days go, and I’m going to take my pump with me to California just in case. But whether this week is the end or we keep going a little longer, I’m thrilled that we were able to make it to my goal of one year.
Turning One
Nevermind that I’m turning 31 today; the real celebration will be on Sunday when Parker turns ONE. And so begins a lifetime of overshadowed birthdays (as it should be; I’ve had my time in the sun).
This week is very bittersweet to me. I’ve been feeling nostalgic, thinking back to this time last year when I was getting ready to have Parker. It does NOT seem like 12 months have passed since then! As quickly as this year has flown by, I remember every moment of it so vividly. It helps that I’ve taken hundreds of thousands of photos and blogged semi-regularly along the way.
I have a fun little video to share this weekend involving the weekly photos we’ve been taking of Parker. It’s just incredible to look back at pictures of him as a tiny newborn, and then watch him run around the house, showing off new skills just about every day. I’m so proud of the sweet, smart little boy my baby is becoming.
So far, our birthday week together has been pretty wonderful. Monday was my last day of work until July, which in itself was worth celebrating! It’s so nice to have a break. On Tuesday, I went birthday shopping while my mother-in-law watched Parker, and then yesterday we hung out at home and I got some work done on the new playroom (our big birthday present to Parker!).
I’m kicking off my 31st year today with lunch and shopping, meeting up with one of my college friends who is in town for the weekend, and then dinner with my family. More fun is to come tomorrow, when we head to Chicago for a Cubs game with the president of AAA. He wanted to treat Parker to his first game, and Zach (being quite the devoted Cubs fan) is more than a little excited.
Sunday is the BIG day, though, and I am getting super excited. Between the playroom reveal and a big birthday bash, Parker is going to be quite the lucky little one-year-old. Photos and blog posts to come!
In the Blink of an Eye
Just as I started to feel like I was getting a handle on this whole “working mom” thing, summer break arrived. Not that I’m complaining! Actually, I’m super stoked to have the month of June off; there is SO much happening in these next four weeks that I’ll need the extra down time.
It’s hard to believe that almost exactly one year ago, I was wrapping up work and getting ready to have a baby! I spent the entire summer on maternity leave with Parker, and it was wonderful. So wonderful, in fact, that I was tempted to close up shop until September once again. But that isn’t a very savvy move for a business owner, and I figured I would start to get antsy about halfway through, so I came up with a good compromise.
In July I’ll be offering a 5-week early childhood music class as well as a 6-week summer session for my students. I’m looking forward to a more relaxed schedule (no Fridays!) and earlier nights, which means I can actually eat dinner with my family. Then mid-August, I’ll have another short break before kicking off the new school year session in September.
Yesterday was my first official day of summer break, and it was pretty much perfect: birthday shopping while my mother-in-law babysat Parker, catching up over the phone with several good friends, a long stroller walk, and early bedtime. The rest of the week looks promising with my birthday, a day trip to Chicago for a Cubs game, and Parker’s 1st birthday party. Hmm…I could get used to this.
One Season to Another
I’ve been yapping on and on about my new digital songbook collection, Spring Into Summer, yet I’ve completely neglected to share the title song here on the blog. I wrote it just off the heels of our final winter snowstorm (I lost count back in January), when spring and summer seemed like a very distant ray of sun in a frozen tundra. I shudder at the memory.
I wanted to write a song that covered both seasons, since lots of kiddos consider the end of the school year to be summer — even though it doesn’t technically begin until the end of June. In all honesty, I’m with them! My birthday is on June 5th, and I always think of that as the kickoff to my favorite season.
What song(s) do you sing as the seasons change and school comes to an end? And on that topic, can you even believe that there are mere days left until summer break? Just about all of my students have a countdown going, and they are sure to update me every time I see them. Not that they are keeping track or anything!
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Can’t Hold It Back Anymore
It just doesn’t seem right to be singing about frozen fractals when it’s 80 degrees out. But that didn’t stop the melodious strains of “Let It Go” from flowing out of my fingertips today…multiple times.
Don’t get me wrong: I love the movie Frozen and just about every song in it. I am thrilled that so many of my students love these songs, too; we’ve enjoyed singing/playing/piggybacking them for the last six months. But I know it’s time to move on when Parker’s babysitters (who are within earshot of my studio) ask how in the world I’m not tired of Frozen music yet.
I’m a firm believer in repetition, and I don’t tire of songs very easily. I’m happy to ride the wave of whatever music is most popular with my students at the moment. We’ve been through phases where all we did was Wicked, Adelle, Les Miserables, “Happy” — really, I could go on and on with this list. Frozen, however, will go down in the record books as THE longest phase yet.
I’m really proud of my students for our work with these songs in both music therapy and lessons, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved that I’ll have a break from them (the songs, not my students!) when the spring session ends in a little over a week. Especially “Let It Go”. The one that haunts my dreams at night.
{Mama Moment} 15 Minute Break
This year, for the first time ever, I scheduled a break halfway through my afternoon/evening of work. The picture above illustrates how I’ve spent those 15 minutes every day since September — up until today. This week, my trusty Medela pump is going into storage until my next trip down baby lane.
Since Parker will be a year old in just a few weeks, we’re beginning the transition from breastmilk to whole cow’s milk. The bottle he gets while I’m working is the first step in the process, and I’ll gradually be replacing feedings up until his birthday.
I have been extremely lucky to spend so much time with my son during the first year of his life, which has definitely contributed to our success in breastfeeding. I know that lots of mamas pump multiple times a day at work, and I have an insane amount of respect for them; just once per workday (and then again before I went to bed) was enough for me.
There are only two weeks left in my spring session, which means I have ten 15-minute breaks to fill up now that I’m no longer pumping. Oh, the possibilities! I know many of you can relate to the sacredness of “me” time, even in the shortest of intervals :)
For more mama moments and Parker updates (including an abundance of adorable photos and videos), check out my family blog, www.therambachs.com.
Early Childhood Classes are BACK!
Last winter, back when my baby was still incubating and I had all the time in the world, I launched an early childhood class based on my Listen & Learn song collection. The class was SO much fun and I loved every second of it, but unfortunately I haven’t had the chance to offer another session…until now.
This time around, I’m teaming up with my colleague and fellow music therapist Katey Kratz to offer not one, but TWO classes. I’ll lead the 6-18 month class, and then Katey will lead the 18 month-3 year old class later that morning. Both classes are designed to instill and foster a love of music as well as develop basic skills for both musical growth and daily life.
The summer session of Listen & Learn for Little Ones will begin on Tuesday, July 1st and run for five weeks. Each class is 45 minutes in length, and the total cost of the session is $45 (that’s less than $10 per class).
Katey and I are super excited about our class location: Capital City Music (formerly Samuel Music) right near my studio on the west side of Springfield. There will be plenty of room for kiddos and their caregivers to spread out, play instruments, and move to the music.
The full scoop can be found right here. Or if you’re local to Springfield and ready to register, go for it. It’s going to be an awesome summer filled with two of my very favorite things in the world — music and little ones!