Music Appreciation!

This'll be quick -- I have to take over Ben-care in three minutes from my husband.

One of Ben's tricks is that when we start singing "When You're Happy And You Know It," he starts clapping his hands. One of his baby toys plays that melody (among many others). The sound quality is pretty poor -- rather tinny. Today Neil noticed that whenever the toy starts playing that song, Ben claps his hands -- and not for the other songs! So he's clearly recognizing the melody.

He has another toy (an octopus) that hangs off his high chair tray, and when you pull on it, it plays "Sailing, Sailing." When it's hanging off to the side, he can't see it. Sometimes when he's not paying attention to me, I'll reach down and pull on the octopus so it plays the song -- and he'll listen, and then look down and point at the octopus. This is even when the TV is on and there is other noise in the environment.

More on Ben and music another time ....