Piper's Voice

od has blessed Piper with an amazing voice. She has a beautiful laugh and her own toddler language. She also has an ear piercing scream. Where could she have learned it? We don't scream in our house. Okay, I've been known to yell upon occasion, but I don't scream. Piper went on a complete screaming kick today. She screamed when she was happy. She screamed when she was mad. She screamed when she was frustrated. She screamed when she was excited. She screamed, screamed, screamed, screamed, screamed. I almost lost my mind.

Granted, I'm probably a little less patient today than normal due to the fact that I'm not sleeping as much and the kids were all up this morning at 6 am. But by this evening I was really to the point that I thought one more scream might just send me over the edge. Reagan and Piper both went to bed exactly at 8 tonight. I couldn't have them up for one more minute. Reagan was a really good boy for me today, but everything he did, well, made his sister scream.

I suppose I should look on the bright side. She'd be really easy to find in a crowd. With that set of lungs, I don't think I could ever lose her. And I know she's a girl who has no fear of speaking her mind. On the other hand I found myself just staring at Bridget with the knowledge that one day she'll make me crazy too. That's something I never thought about with baby number one, or baby number two for that matter. Now I know better.

I suppose I don't have to write down that I love my children. And a good friend kindly reminds me every now and then that if I spent this much time with anyone else it would likely result in homicide. I just think it's part of the normal mommy guilt to feel bad when you get frustrated. Moms on TV always say the right thing to correct their children's behavior, and everyone feels better afterward. Maybe what I really need is a writer. Then I could be that kind of mom too!

I think tonight I'll curl up with my 6 lbs. of warm baby and be grateful that even her loudest cry is really sweet right now. Then maybe in the morning my patience will be replenished, I'll be blessed with the answer to cure the screaming, and Piper will be struck with a mild case of laryngitis.