The Biscuit Brothers performed with the Austin Symphony Orchestra tonight and Sullivan and Granddaddy Jerry came along. The show was part of their annual children’s music concert. They expanded the program this year to include several guest artists to kick off and celebrate the symphony’s new home at the Long Center for the Performing Arts. The symphony did a short concert first then the Biscuits joined in for the last half. The whole evening was thrilling, a career highlight for me. Grand dad Jerry came down with us so Sullivan could enjoy the show as well. We got there early for sound check and Sullivan had a chance to explore the new stage and tour around and see the instruments (that is him in front of the big tympany drum that he calls a Bum). It was cute seeing him react to all the musicians warming up. Orchestra members would arrive, unpack their instrument and go set up on stage and as soon as he heard their instrument he would run to the stage calling out what instrument he heard (he has learned them all through the countless instrument of the day segments on the Biscuit Brothers)….so when he heard the Clarinet from backstage he ran out saying “net, net” and when he saw the Tuba being unpacked he ran to it saying “horn…Milk” cause Buttermilk plays the Tuba on the show.
Jerry said that Sullivan was his quiet attentive self during the show. Damon and I were a little teary backstage during the opening song “Fan Fare for the Common Man”…..realizing that we were missing seeing Sullivan experience his first symphony but Allen reminded me that at least we can say that his first visit to the symphony was to see his parents perform. It was a THRILL for sure being on that stage and singing with an orchestra but I also would have loved to see Sullivan’s reactions first hand. But so glad his Granddaddy got to be there to enjoy it….said it reminded him a lot of Damon’s first trip to the Dallas Symphony. Wish we could have gotten more pictures and a video of the night but hopefully there will be many more shows like this with the ASO and around the country with other orchestra’s.

Sullivan has a bit of insomnia this week. I think it’s because he’s going through a language learning phase and he is just not tired or too many things to think about. Last night he was up till 1:30am with Daddy watching his new favorite movie “Finding Nemo”. Well tonight we tried to tucker him out by a trip up to the grandparents so he could run around in their big yard. It helped a bit I think cause it only took him an hour and a half to fall asleep tonight and thankfully before midnight. Anyway, we captured some fun pictures of him tonight during story time. I have this favorite picture of his uncle Kirk in diapers reading a book and I have wanted to recreate it with Sullivan. We came close tonight but not an exact duplicate. He usually reads the first page of every one of his books as a night time routine but tonight he actually read several of his books front to back and multiple times. Another example of his new language skills. Notice several are upside down….well he read them up side down and right side up as well as front to back 🙂

Oh and tonight when we were at the grandparents he was playing a fun “magic” trick with grandmother Judy where she hid his cup underneath one of two hats and he had to guess where it was. Well at some point someone must have said “it’s amazing” cause he started to say “It’s Amazing” after he found the cup but his voice sounded more like a Latin announcer….Eatsa Masing!….priceless……and also while he was playing this game he was screaming and giggling and his great grandmother Jo who is being cared for at Jerry and Judy’s house called him a “My Little Screaming Mudpuddle”…it was too darling.

Sullivan is just fascinated with Daddy’s motorcycle. We were outside playing in the yard when Daddy came home from Chuy’s and Sullivan got to ride down the driveway on it with Daddy and sit and listen to it rumble.

Sullivan likes to play “why”….outside that is. Here he is this past week in our front yard exploring the leaves and fence. He likes to put his fingers through all the holes in the fence and peek through them….Always with his hat of course……never leaves the house without it these days.

Sullivan and I had the great opportunity to visit the Darrel K Royal Stadium this evening. Each year the UT Football organization chooses a local children’s group to treat to a night with the Longhorn players and coaches and this year Wonders and Worries was the recipient group. We toured the entire Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Complex that houses the locker, training and meeting rooms, the coaches and team offices, the trophy’s and player lounge, and much more more. After our tour we gathered in their assembly hall and met with Mack Brown and the coaches and learned about the world of the UT football player and their many awards and accomplishments. Then of course ended the evening with free time and visiting with the players on the field of the Darrel K. Royal Stadium. The Longhorn band was there playing game favorites, Bevo, the UT cheerleaders, and Sullivan’s favorite, HE-Buddy (which he literally would not leave alone the entire night. Colt MaCoy, Major Applewhite, and Mack Brown were strolling around and all Sullivan wanted to do was go over and say “Hi” to HE-Buddy. He had a blast though running on the field, throwing the football with players, flirting with the cheerleaders, and teasing Bevo who he kept calling a Cow. Here are some of our pictures from the evening. Everybody loved his little UT football suit with Longhorns written on the buns (hand me down from the Baskin clang) which the cheerleaders could not resist as you can see in this lovely picture of Sullivan with a gaggle of them. He really seemed to hold the football like a natural too…..never known…maybe someday he’ll play on that field…football or trumpet who knows 🙂