I’ve been felled by a nasty cold (my forth or fifth of the year, and on a weekend, too, so I’m feeling quite grumpy about it). It took Felix a while to figure out that I really didn’t feel good, and couldn’t play with him like I usually do. But once he understood that, he’s been quite solicitous. This afternoon, he decided that music would make me feel better, and gave me a series of concerts. Each involved crawling over me (as I lay on the couch) and sliding in between the pillows and the back of the couch (his “stage”). Then, he sang a song (at top volume), accompanying himself on various musical instruments (tambourine, drum, triangle, keyboard). Here are two of the songs he sang:

“Pah pah pah pah” [repeat over and over]

“You play a song for yourself

and I'll play a song for you.

Together we'll play together.”

After each song he paused and asked, “Mama, do you feel much, much better?” before heading off the couch to grab the next instrument and start the whole process over again. All this took place about six inches from my head, and was a bit deafening -- but what do you know? I did feel better.

On a related musical note, a few days ago his friend Talia came over to play and Felix wanted her to make a parade with him. This is their favorite game, involving instruments, singing at top volume, and marching around and around the house. But for some reason Talia wasn’t in the mood for a parade. Felix was quite disappointed, and wandered disconsolately around the house muttering, “I don’t want to be a one man band...”