...is STILL running wild.
I've got two HUGE little fans. My husband and I listen to all different artists yet the boys have really latched on to the Beatles. They know the melodies of dozens of songs. My 5 yo has taught himself the lyrics and changes in the music and recognizes instruments by sound. "That's a violin, mommy." is what he said last week and I had to really listen to the song to hear that he was right. My younger guy often asks, "Who's singing?" or "Is this Ringo?" to his brother. And there's always an accurate reply from Ethan.
This is Ethan's favorite shirt. He wore it underneath a dress shirt on his first day of school.
I went searching the web for more Beatles shirts for kids, but came up empty. I think I have to MAKE some if Target doesn't stock new ones.
Then there are the movies. 
Ethan has watched Yellow Submarine and Hard Days Night dozens of times. He quotes the movies and recounts his favorite parts whenever he's reminded of the films. The other day he was trying to remember the accreditations of Jeremy Hillary Boob. For those who have forgotten or never heard, the "Nowhere Man" passes out a business card stating, "Eminent Classicist, Botanist, Satirist, Part-time Firefighter and Paperback Writer". (I had to check the book. Yes, we have a Yellow Submarine book.)
Ethan's been very curious about the deaths of John Lennon and George Harrison. This is how we had our "death" talk...in relation to the Beatles. So, he understands that some people live a very long time and then it's time to go; some people (like George) get very sick and die; some people have very bad accidents; and some people are "sick in the head", think they LOVE someone but kill them instead (like John). The "sick in the head" people who kill get caught immediately by police and go to jail. He now wants to visit The Dakota and Imagine section of Central Park in NYC.
Last week Ethan said, "When I grow up, I want to be a Beatle. I want Owen to be a Beatle too so that there'll be four again." wow. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr...get ready for a comeback.
On Wednesday, we had our friends, Liz and her daughter, over for dinner. Just like all the previous dinner playdates, Liz and I sit in the Living Room while the kids do a music show at the entryway to the Dining Room. The three kids set up the instruments and jam. This time, Ethan said to his friend, "A., there's no piano in this song." With maracas in hand, he proceeded to sing "I'm looking through you". He figured out most of the lyrics but more impressive was that he was in tune, on time and changed from maracas to guitar (in our case a ukulele) at the right note. What a show. The kids all played one more song before it was time for our guests to leave. I can't wait for the next show.
I'd like to say Ethan gets it from me, after all, I did play a mean clarinet in 5th grade. But the music traits all come from Rob. Rob's entire family is musically inclined. They can all sing and hear every intricate detail of compositions. His older brother is a professional drummer, his younger brother can play anything with strings (anything!), his dad's a pianist/organist, his mom's a trained Soprano singer, and Rob (the architect) had a band in college. They are kinda like the dysfunctional Partridge Family, although Rob's family never played all together in a band nor dressed alike and I guess the PF is a bit dysfunctional themselves. Rob's family even had a bus...but not this one.
Sometimes I don't think I can listen to another Beatles song again. A CD is parked in our stereo, another is constantly playing in the car, or they're singing Beatles songs at the tops of their lungs as they run around the house. But then, I have a change of heart when I hear them sing a cappella through the aisles of the supermarket. And then, I think I can listen to them "Eight Days a Week".
