It's His Thing.

It's my un-tested, un-researched, un-documented theory that every parent has their "thing." The thing that makes their hair stand up on end every time their kid does it. The thing that drives them batty and makes their left eye twitch. For me, it's the thing that makes me roll my eyes.... A LOT.

While manners and the inability to focus on ONE TASK are high up on the list, banging is number one. NUMBER ONE. And let me tell you, three year old boys like to bang on things a lot.

So guess, JUST GUESS, what James' favorite new activity - actually occupies him for long periods of time - is?

Oh, you betcha.

DRUMMING.

L.O.V.E.S. it.

This is a special "silent drum" that Uncle Kevin has. You listen to what you're playing on the headphones. This does seem like the perfect answer to James' new hobby/my eye rolling until you get to the price tag. Uh, not so much.

But it's not just Uncle Kevin's fancy drum kit, it's all drumming, all the time. ANYTHING can be a drum. My legs, overturned pots and tubs, the trash can... James even took a small metal tin and filled it with something and named it his snare drum.

Here he is playing his "drums" in the playroom. Please note the metal tin "snare drum" and magnifying glass "cymbals."

Exactly buddy, exactly.