Marching Band Obsessed Boy!

This past fall we went to a Lehigh game with some friends - and the highlight far and away for K&O was the marching band. Since then the boys have spent many a day marching around the house as a "Marching Band", banging on any number of things.

But we have apparently taken it to a new level. On Super Bowl Sunday we were over at our next door neighbor's house with Mor Far watching the game, but K&O (and mostly K) were mostly interested in the marching band. Of course, there wasn't a real marching band at the Super Bowl - just the crazy thing that Prince had backing him up. But they were into it none-the-less.

Heather and I talked a bit about it and I added "Drumline" to our NetFlix Queue. It arrived yesterday and we watched it for the first time. Well, more specifically we watched parts of it, since it's actually rated PG-13. We actually only watched the Marching Band parts - which was all the boys really wanted to see anyway. Drumline is actually a pretty decent movie. And we like it since the main character is black and the focus is around black marching bands. Always a good thing for us.

Kyle was completely absorbed by it. He couldn't even blink as he watched. Every once and a while his little body would jerk in response to the music, but he was basically 100% immersed. Owen was very interested and into it, but Kyle's level of engagement bordered on odd. If Kyle were my biological child, people would just chalk it up to that. For that matter, people might do that anyway (just not my genes). It's really quite something.

So we all went to bed. For most of the night. For some of the night. Actually we were all up throughout the night last night - Kyle for about 3 hours (with Heather - God bless her). In hindsight maybe the marching band was to blame, I am not sure.

When Kyle woke up this morning, the first thing out of his mouth was: "Marching Band Video". Sure - why not. So we went down stairs and watched all the marching band parts of Drumline. Again, he was unbelievably into it. We noticed that he particularly liked the Conductor parts - and the parts with the WHOLE Marching Band (not the drum solos). Meaning his body moved from it's coma-like Marching Band induced state to move to the music a bit.

Heather wonders if he is a bit self-conscious about his level of engagement - he is so into it - but embarrassed to let it show (like dance around like a crazy man - which he does to Dora the Explorer).

So, after Drumline, we had a late breakfast. And immediately after that (around 10 am), Kyle announced he needed to go to bed, he was sleepy, tired and sick (he's not sick). Heather took him up and put him down, but he wouldn't go to sleep. He just lay there for about an hour. Heather figures he was just so exhausted from his Highly Stimulating Marching Band Experience that he just had to crash. I totally agree.

Owen went upstairs and got him up - and Kyle was as chipper and happy as could be - it was something. We then went and did some errands (and went to lunch at the Macaroni Grill - a new family favorite.

When we got home around 4:30, after playing outside in the 27 degree weather for about 30 minutes, we went inside and Kyle announced he wanted to watch "Marching Band Video". So we did. All the marching band parts of Drumline. And this time we broke out all our various band-like instruments - notably the drums. And we all played to the movie - and loud. This time Kyle was sooo into playing. He had the cymbals (little finger ones my sister gave them) and was going bananas hitting them to the music. Owen was going crazy hitting the drum that he had hanging around his shoulders. And Heather and wailed away on other drums. Quite a sight.

So now I am doing research on Marching Band videos to feed my child's new obsession. I mean obsession in the best possible way - because of course I love it. Heather cringes when I say this, but I would be happy to have Kyle be a band geek.