Screamer

The Baby has taken to screaming. When she's hungry, thirsty, tired, wants a toy, wants 'up', wants 'down', or just feels like it.

It is draining the life out of me.

Today after getting home from Faith and Friendship at church it started again. Thought she might be hungy. After wolfing down a Nutrigrain bar, she started screaming again. Tried another, but she pushed it away. Gave her milk. Drank half of it, pushed it on the floor, and started screaming. Let her down to play. She just grabbed my leg and, you guessed it, screamed.

Took her upstairs, screaming the whole way. Bucking too. Headbutting - but I know she's not trying to do it, that's just part of the screaming. Her molars are coming in nicely.

Started rocking her. Holding her firmly enough she wouldn't hurt herself - or me. Rocked and rocked. Looked to see her screaming with her eyes closed. Made the mistake of shifting my weight so my leg wouldn't fall asleep. Mistake. Now she sounds like Looney Tunes Tasmanian Devil.

Rocked. And rocked. And rocked.

The screaming subsided. Her head fell and snuggled to my neck. Started getting sweaty. Both of us. Rocked a few minutes more.

Laid her in her crib. Sleep baby. Please. Just sleep.

And she did. For an hour and fifteen minutes. And woke up a whole new child.

I can do this.