The Keyboard

Well thank you Santa! Thank you SO MUCH for bringing this awesome keyboard into our house for the Oldest. My goodness, it is the source of much joy, much music, much MAYHEM, and thousands of ARGUMENTS already. And a month has barely passed since he got it.

Whatever the Oldest has, the Littlest must have too. We're in luck! The Littlest got a Melissa and Doug bang 'em out piano last year so wala! He can just use that one along side his big brother; right? Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. They argue over that thing and it really has come to be the source of much drama. They are learning to play songs, thanks to their Daddy who patiently shows them the way and so it's a competition. I feel bad because the gift was for the Oldest and the Littlest does have his own but they both want the same thing. So I mediate and often bargain with one to help the other and so it goes with siblings I suppose.

Tonight, we were all upstairs and the Oldest wanted to put on a 'show' with the latest little song he taught himself. So we all three are the audience and the Littlest sat patiently and clapped at all the right moments but when it was all over, he wanted to mimic his older brother. The Oldest did not really want to give him the keyboard but he did, with a little prodding from the peanut gallery. It was agreed just one song for the Littlest as it was bedtime anyway. One song turned into two songs (his version of 'songs'-but note he can play first verse of Jingle Bells for real) and then it got out of hand. As the Oldest literally was trying to pull the keyboard from the Littlest as he played (as.he.played) one thing led to another and there was a tantrum, tears, slamming doors and a very stubborn nine year old stomping down the hallway to his room. Gracious. The Littlest followed his brother to his room and slammed the door. Gasp. What in the world? My husband went to the door and listened and it went something like this:

Oldest: Next time if you want to play with MY keyboard you just have to ask nicely (but he was saying it in a baby voice which he has been known to do when talking to the Littlest even though he's three)
Littlest: Talk like a big boy (in a commanding voice)!
(insert loads of laughter from my husband and I who stood outside with our ears to the door) then...the door opens and the Littlest stands there giving us a very forlorn look like 'how dare you be standing there listening to us!' and he slams the door again. To which my husband and I fall into fits of laughter again (PPS, I know, I know). My honey says to me, "we are ants in their world and they crush us" and that made me laugh harder. I needed this laughing. I have needed it. So basically we are listening outside the door and they are working it out, talking like big boys and wala, whaddya know? The door opens calmly and I say to them great job for talking it out (no laughing anymore you'll be pleased to know) and I high five them both. They give each other hugs and kisses and I give them more praise about way to go, great job working it out blah blah they feel all wonderful and all is well.

The keyboard. It's given us great smiles and happiness. Lots of laughs. Lots of fights. And plenty of tears. I wonder if it will even make it past month two. I will not be surprised if it gets broken in a tug of war. Sometimes I think we need the Super Nanny around here. Really. I would welcome her with open arms. Even if she told me after an assessment that we are normal, I'd be thrilled to know that. Because something way down deep tells me we are not. Just a small voice. Tiny. Little little............barely a squeak...wait, I can't hear it anymore, ok it's gone. We're normal then. Phew.