Life is a Musical...

At least, that's how my daughter lives it. Somedays I'm not sure if I have Annie, Sharpay, Sophie or one of the 2 million Von Trap children living in my home. Each day I wonder which of these musical characters will sit down at my breakfast table

Instead of a gentle hug, Kiki feels it's necessary to fly across the room with arms stretched out wide, with a smile on her face and a song in her heart (it'd be perfect if there was wind for her hair and a beach in the background...but you can't have it all) into my arms and squeeze, squeeze, squeeeeze the living day lights out of me. No matter that I've just returned from a momentary trip to the bathroom and not a week long trip to Jamaica (like my friends just did! Lucky!), I still need to receive a hug that says 'I missed you. I love you. You are my whole world.' Of course I need that....

Instead of walking from kitchen to family room, Kiki needs to piroette, jette and chasse (not sure of the spelling but these are dance moves) to the song in her head and the beat in her brain. A simple walk would suffice because she's actually loosening up the subfloor screws with all the jumping and twirling.

If she could, Kiki would sing out the answer to every question but since she knows that would take too long (and require a song writing crew) she chooses to put the greatest amount of emphasis into every statement she makes. There's the eye roll to accentuate her point, the sideways glance to show she's being coy, the squeeze -my -arms -around -myself to show that she's just completely thrilled ("And I'd just like to thank the Academy for this award!"), and of course, the oft present, stomp away with angry face, huffing and puffing and hair flying. (We're not especially fond of that one.)

Whenever the music's playing in our house (which is pretty much constantly), Kiki's arms are occupied with making jazz hands; doing a Ta Da!; mimiking a robot, and breaking down the funky beat (read: Hip Hop moves).

Life with Kiki is a Musical. For all these corny things she does, there's also the music that she brings to my heart every time I look at her little face. She's so full of love and happiness...she's the song in my heart and I would like to say to Kiki:

Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing

Thanks for all the joy they're bringing

Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty

What would life be?

Without a song or a dance what are we?

So I say thank you for the music

For giving it to me

~Thank you For the Music: ABBA

I love ya, my little girl, my living angel!