Day and Night

Well, the difference is like day and night!!!

Last week, at Miss A's lesson, Delta did everything he was supposed to do, with confidence and skill - and so he earned his violin!!!! He was so pleased and happy (although at first he was confused because she said he gets his new instrument..... so then he was thinking he was getting a piano or a cello..... - we got that straightened out though!)

Since then, Delta has practiced well pretty much every day. He still sometimes isn't pleased to, until the violin is out, and then he is thrilled. I've been keeping practices really short - basically just holding the violin, and practicing "Up like a rocketship" (and so the bow hold) for the concert. I have sometimes added in the singing of "A" (his favourite practice activity) and naming the violin parts. He can easily hold his violin for all of "Twinkle Twinkle", although the first couple of times he was extra nervous. He was scared it would drop and fall. So far he hasn't dropped it. After the main part of his practice, he gets to "pluck" the violin. Miss A said he isn't allowed to put the bow to the violin yet - but that he can pluck it. He really likes to pluck the strings while I finger "Twinkle" - because it is actually playing it.

I figured a lot of the trouble was that he wanted the real violin and was tired of the box one.... but there wasn't much else I could do about it. One of the other moms at the group class commented this week about how much more focused Delta was - that he was totally doing what he was supposed to be and not getting distracted by everything.

Tomorrow is the concert - should be interesting. I hope he likes seeing the other kids play, as he really hasn't had the opportunity yet.

Miss A gave us a paper with a Snakes and Ladders game on it for christmas. Each square has something different that he can practice. We will see how he likes it.