A Nuanced Scream

When friends were over the other night for dinner the soon-to-be mom for the first time asked for interpretation on something one of the boys said to her. It reminded me of when the boys were little we had to determine their needs from what cry they were crying. Is that the hungry cry, the gotta poop cry, the tired cry or the something hurts cry? It sounds somewhat ridiculous, but you do, with time, start to figure out what cry means what.

Now that the boys are older the audible interpretations include screams. Was that the 'Daniel hit me' scream or the 'Sammy broke my lego creation' scream? The other night Suzy and I heard a new one. We were downstairs finishing dinner while the boys played in Sammy's room, which is right above the kitchen, dining area. We heard numerous thumps and thuds, but no crying, so everything seemed like it was fine up there. Suzy and I really enjoy these brief respites from the chaos of a five and three year old. Well, after talking about our days for a bit I heard a scream.

We headed up, slowly because typically the screams don't last long, and I wanted the boys to resolve their problem on their own. The scream didn't stop, but it did change. The volume actually got lower, but the pitch went through the roof. This was a new one. Our pace quickened to a jog all the while listening to the high pitched wail. We made it to Sammy's room and in particular headed for his closet, the boys new favorite play spot. Sammy was halfway up the closet shelves, perched there in a Spiderman position. But the wail was not coming from him. Where is Daniel? I look up, up, up. Is that a leg sticking out from the top shelf? Yep, and there is the head from which the wail continues to emanate. Daniel had managed to climb all of the way to the top of Sammy's closet, and was wedged in among the plastic bins Suzy had stored up there. He was stuck. He was stuck and screaming. Suzy grabbed Sammy and safed him up somewhere. I reached up and made sure Daniel didn't fall while a step stool was found. Stool procured, I proceeded to pry him one limb at a time off of the top shelf and bring him back to solid ground. So that's what that scream means. High pitched, not full volume, blood curdling scream means I am stuck at the top of Sammy's closet and I think that I will die up here. Please someone come save me.

Daniel is not normally one to get himself in these predicaments, so in the after-action report I was asking him what he was thinking. His response was: 'Sammy was up there and he fell and he didn't even cry.' Suzy and I took a closer look at Sammy and sure enough he had numerous scratches on him from falling from the top shelf. When we found him he was on his way back up for seconds (thirds?). I don't think Daniel is going to be climbing up there again, but my other child, yes you are correct, just two days ago I caught him at it again. Sammy, what are we going to do with you?