CNN, Time, Fox, MSN, POPSUGAR, Daily Mail. One Latter-day Saint toddler has been capturing headlines across the globe.
Though Baylor Mooney is almost 2 years old, her inventive dance moves and uninhibited cheer have won over the internet. Time declared Baylor's viral dance to Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love" "pure joy." But this impromptu dance number isn't anything new in the Mooney home.
"We do a lot of kitchen dancing during meal times in our home," Baylor's mom, Brooke Mooney, says. Baylor's older brother, Krew, is also known to have some ingenious dance moves along with hilarious one-liners.
About this viral musical moment, Brooke explains, "During lunchtime on the day I captured the video, our nearly 2-year-old daughter, Baylor, requested “Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé. . . . She then requested that I go find a fan for her hair to blow in the wind. I did as she requested. She was dancing on the countertop in front of the fan while taking bites of her corn dog in between her dance moves when I knew I had to get this on video."
Brooke shared the video on Facebook to bring a little joy to her family and friends, but the video quickly caught fire. "All the national and global exposure has been crazy, to say the least. We never expected any of it," Brooke says. "But it has been fun seeing how everyone just loves her."
The video quickly garnered positive comments, like “She’s exactly what the world needed at this time” or “This makes me so happy. She’s adorable and truly makes you remember to just live in the moment, love life, and, of course, enjoy corn dogs.”
About why such a simple moment would be featured by major news outlets and shared over 11 million times, Brooke says, "I feel like our daughter’s video has created such a viral response because it simply brings people joy and puts a smile on their face. You can’t help but smile while watching it. . . . We’re grateful for the opportunity we’ve had to spread a little light and joy, through our daughter, to the world."
Brooke and her husband, Dylan, see this small glimpse into their home as an extension of their faith and what they teach their children on a daily basis. "In a world where it’s so easy to find negativity, chaos, and contention, my husband and I, through our faith in Jesus Christ, try to teach our children to be a light in the world," Brooke says. "A phrase we are always saying in our home is 'kindness always.' It is so important to us to teach our children that showing everyone a little kindness never goes unnoticed. The world needs more kindness and love."
She continues, "A primary song we sing often in our home is: 'Jesus said love everyone. Treat them kindly too. If your heart is filled with love, others will love you.' We hope that our kids know that they CAN be the good in the world by being who they are and by showing others love and kindness, just like Christ did."