Milli Vanilli -- Surprises

Just Goes to Show You Never Know What the Day Will Bring (published on Modern Parents)

Last time I was in DC, my mom and I dug up the audio cassette tapes of my siblings and me talking when we were toddlers. And after hearing Silas on the phone recently, I realized that I usually miss how cute and baby-ish his words sound because I'm focused on the complexity of his sentences and the actual communication. Yesterday, UPS appeared on our doorstep with a cassette player for Silas from my mom. He was beside himself. The blank tapes she sent, however, ended up in a separate box (that still hasn't arrived) so it was a little like Christmas morning without batteries. For some inexplicable reason, though, I remembered having recently seen a cassette tape in the fruit bowl (side note: we have no tape player and never ever listen to tapes -- why there was one in my fruit bowl? I just can't answer that). Enter Milli Vanilli. Apparently, babies and toddlers alike LOVE Milli Vanilli. Eden danced for the first time. Silas jumped around with his hands tucked into his armpits like some kind of bird. My neighbor came over. We sang "Girl You Know it's True," "Blame it on the Rain," "Baby don't Forget my Number." Loudly. And, for an afternoon, Milli Vanilli was resurrected.