Singing

Despite my prediction way back in April that Isaac would be singing soon, it didn't happen until the end of last month. He has been reciting song lyrics for a while, but there was no tune involved. Well, it's hardly like tune is involved now! I won't insult Isaac by putting "singing" in quotes, but honestly, he's not reproducing a recognizable tune. We know he's singing because (1) he's moving a lot of air through his lungs, which results in a louder and more sustained voice than usual, (2) his phrasing sometimes duplicates the rhythm of the song, or at least is different from the rhythm of his normal speaking, and (3) we recognize the words he's bellowing as lyrics.

I know he thinks he's singing, because he always sings an individual song the same way -- he consistently reproduces the same intervals, tones, pauses, half-step slides, and so forth.

He started out with a few favorites. "Lulu's Back in Town" is a big hit, and Isaac's vocal stylings include leaving a huge space after he sings the word "in," then really punching the word "town." He also likes "Camptown Races," especially the part which he sings "bet money on bobtail nag; some body bet on bay." And he sings various versions of "Old MacDonald," including "Young MacIsaac" and "Young MacPuppy." Since Isaac still can't pronounce the letter F, Young Mac "had a harm," and since he also can't pronounce W, the dog says "yoot yoot" instead of "woof woof."

In recent weeks Isaac has really increased his repertoire. Last night he was singing the refrain to "Yankee Doodle Boy," which I only realized when I heard him bellow "Yankee doodle, do or die." I asked Craig if he'd sung it to Isaac recently, and he said he didn't think he'd ever sung it to Isaac. I had sung it to him, but not recently -- Isaac's memory for words is startling.