growing up

a few years ago, ramona was a wild 3 year old, running around in underpants and slippers and jamming on the piano like mark russell (what? who's mark russell? c'mon. you KNOW who this guy is). this video remains one of my all-time favorites of her at that age, and really captures her full funny spirit. she was such a shy kid, so reserved around anyone who weren't her parents, so capturing this free and loose kid being her usual silly self on camera felt like a real win.

watch this. it's jolly old st nicholas, and if you listen closely, she's got ALL the words. 

i go back to this video a lot. it feels too soon in life to say useless things like "i miss that age..." but gosh darn it, i think i kinda miss that age.

and then, suddenly, ramona is on the edge of turning seven, and is all serious about things (and still goofy and wild about lots of other things, as she should be). she takes her piano pretty seriously, and she's enjoying it, which makes me so so so happy. she was recently given a christmas song book by her piano teacher, and she has discovered that thing that all of us who can play piano and celebrate christmas know: christmas time is the BEST time to know how to play the piano. it's so satisfying. and she is diligently plunking out some old tunes, maybe not with perfect finger alignment, including....wait for it.... jolly old st nicholas.