So Much Has Changed, and Yet Everything Is the Same

Kyle and Owen at the Piano (Kyle facing camera), February 28, 2006

Well, as promised, as the result of our cameralessness, I'm digging deep into the photo archives. Golly, I've just got to say: They were sooooooooo darn cute!!!!!!!!! Two years ago today, the boys playing the piano. Even as a 21 month old Kyle was totally into music and musical instruments. He'd pound away at the piano for long stretches of time, focused on seemingly trying to understand how it worked-- wanting to take the top off and watch the pads move inside as he'd press the keys; seeing how loud he could make the sounds; figuring out what happens as he'd play each key individually. All the while, his brother sitting next to him, pounding away too-- but looking out the window and quickly distracted from the actual keyboard. Fast forward two years to right now. These days, as a 3-year-old-almost-4-year-old Kyle sits down at the piano bench multiple times every day. His little legs dangle from the bench as he patiently and deliberately presses the keys, trying to work out the tune to the Messiah's 'Hallelujah Chorus.' He's fixated on this particular tune. For the past couple of weeks he's spent hours upon hours on it-- trying to work it out with his little fingers on the keys. He's a perfectionist-- the tune has to be played with the precise notes to satisfy him. Owen comes and goes from the bench, interested in pounding away with both hands, just making noise, and then distracted, interested and then distracted, interested and then distracted. But Kyle wants more than noise-- he wants the music. He plods along tirelessly trying to sound out the keys to make the tune. And at least 2-3 times a day he gets it exactly right: 'Haaaaa-lle-lu-jah, Haaaaaa-lle-lu-jah, Ha-lle-lu-jah, Ha-lle-lu-jah, Ha-ll-eeeeeee-lu-jah.' Braydon and I will hear it from other parts of the house and yell out to him: "Yay Kyle!!! You got it! That's it! Yay Kyle!!!" But no response. He just keeps at it. He doesn't do it for the praise.