Little Mozart

Hendrik just loves music. He not only listens to music, but he makes music. He never fails to make us chuckle whenever he answers our questions to the tune of “Do-Re-Mi” or “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”. He also never fails to put a smile on our faces whenever we see and hear him sing the tunes of his favorite keyboard demo pieces at any time of the day and night whenever he feels like doing it.

I introduced wholesome and uplifting music to Hendrik while he was still inside my tummy. When he was born, children’s nursery rhymes and songs as well as Mozart filled our room. Because we let the player on for most of the day, I think music was already imprinted in his mind and soul.

Hendrik's "Chopsticks" | 3 yrs old
(without the demo lights & using his fingers)

Hendrik's "Let It Be" | 3 yrs old
(following the demo lights)

Hendrik's "Ode to Joy" | 3 yrs old
(without the demo lights & using his fingers)

Playing the piano is one of my many frustrations. I was given the opportunity to have piano lessons at a very young age, and my parents were also very supportive of me; but it was my choice not to continue and push through. I was given another chance while I was in the university when a good friend offered to give me lessons for free! I did not take it seriously and I was lazy. Two opportunities looked at me in the face, but I ignored them.

Hendrik's "Do-Re-Mi"

Hendrik's "Happy Birthday" | 2 yrs old

Hendrik's "Lightly Row" (but he calls it as "So-Mi-Mi")

I am glad that my son has a penchant for music. For a couple of weeks now, Hendrik would always request for the keyboard to be put on the bed by the time he wakes up in the morning because he wants to play with it. He also learns the pieces by himself. The demo feature of the keyboard is a very important factor to his memorization of the sequences of the notes. I was actually amazed when I saw him playing “Ode to Joy” without the guide lights. After repeating the demo over and over again for a couple of days he was able to memorize them. He even knows the demo numbering of the pieces/songs! As he is still starting to read little words, he recognizes the pieces/songs by number and not by title.

Hendrik and the Church piano | 1 yr old

Hendrik's "Lightly Row" ver 2 ("So-Mi-Mi) | 2 yrs old

Lola and 11-month old Hendrik (June 2009 | Davao, Philippines)

I must not forget to give credit to my Mom or Lola (grandma in Tagalog) as Hendrik calls her as she is a great influence to Hendrik. She was the one who taught Hendrik to play a number of simple pieces like “Do-Re-Mi”, “Happy Birthday”, among others. Lola would also sing songs anytime of the day and night, so I think Hendrik got it from her.

Note: Hendrik self-studied the first three pieces above - Chopsticks, Let It Be, and Ode to Joy - meaning (just to reiterate), no one taught him and learned the notes by himself  ^_^ .

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Little Boy-Next-Door

Hendrik is one of Joseph’s favorite photography subjects. Well, the very first reason is the obvious – being his son; secondly, Hendrik likes posing in front of the camera; and thirdly, he is a photogenic lad.

To date, the following 2 photos of Hendrik garnered the most number of Facebook (FB) "likes" and "comments". And since social networking sites like FB come and go, we created this blog entry to preserve the heartwarming comments we received from our friends so that Hendrik may be able to see and read them in 5 or 10 years from now. 

1^st photo: 25 August 2011 | Café Cartel, Nex Mall | HTC phone camera

Screen shot images (comments and likes) from FB:

2^nd photo: 03 September 2011 | Sengkang Riverside Park | Nikon D90

Screen shot images (comments and likes) from FB:

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“Are you (not) sick, Mommy?”

Since last week, I’ve been experiencing piercing headache. I’ve been to the doctor twice, but it seems that my headache loves me so much that it doesn’t want to leave me.

There was one time that I was lying on the bed while Hendrik was playing the keyboard. He was trying to get my attention as he wanted to show me that he was practicing one of the piano pieces (I cannot remember which one). 

Feona:          “I have headache. It is so painful”.
                        (With matching action and facial expression that depicts pain). 

Hendrik:      “Are you sick, Mommy?”

Feona:          “Yes, I am sick. My head is so painful”.
                         (Hendrik came closer, gave me a long hug while lying down and

                         pat my shoulders.)

Throughout that evening, Hendrik would always check on me and ask me if I was still sick, to which I would answer yes and that I still have headache.

Then, in the middle of the night he was awoken (for milk time), and the first thing he did after asking for milk was to look for me and asked:

Hendrik:       “Are you okay, Mommy?

It never occurred in my mind that Hendrik would remember what I told him earlier, and never did I expect that he would ask me if I was okay at that point of time. I was so surprised by this very sweet and thoughtful act that seemed so natural for him that my senses were also awoken. Then, I answered:

Feona:          “Yes, I am okay. Drink your milk and continue sleeping…”

This week, Hendrik has been monitoring me and asking me how I was:

Hendrik:       “Are you sick, Mommy? Do you have headache?”
Feona:           “A little bit. I have a little bit of headache”.

I know that he would not be satisfied until I tell him that I am fine. So as to appease him, I told him yesterday that I was not sick anymore. But then again, he wanted to confirm and make sure that I am really fine:

Hendrik:       “Are you not sick, Mommy?”

Feona:           “Yes, I am not sick anymore. Thank you for asking my love…”

Hendrik:       “You’re welcome”.

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