Crying Part 2

Good evening everyone. Well, I had hoped to be writing an entry about a miraculous slowdown in crying episodes. Many of you have emailed me about it and gave me your good wishes that it would stop. Well, folks, quite the opposite has happened. And tonight might have just taken the cake. It started out really funny (I'm trying to be more light hearted about it when possible), but you know, after about 25 minutes, the amusement got lost and things started to spin wildlly out of control ending with me yelling LOUDLY about 3 inches from Noah's face. Not sure what kind of emotion that evokes in you...........maybe you think it is funny, maybe you feel bad for Noah. But please just try to imagine:

Both boys in the bath. They are having fun. Wesley is chewing on all those spongy bath toys while Noah is doing who knows what splashing around. Well, I'm in Wesley's room folding clothes (next door to the bathroom) and I hear Noah yell "Roar!!" to Wesley and start giggling. Suddenly Wesley shreaks much like a bottle rocket and it started growing louder and louder. He has huge tears, huge bottom lip, slightly traumatized by Noah's roar. Well, I very calmly said, "Oh Noah. You scared Wesley" and came running in the bathroom (while Wesley is still shreaking). And then as if in slow motion, I see Noah's face turn very solemn and his bottom lip start to poke out. I start to say "Noooooooooooo" and before I can do any kind of reassuring, comforting, encouraging, Noah's mouth flys open and he WAILS. Instantly sending Wesley into a second tier of screaming. They are both looking directly at eachother crying harder and harder and louder. Neither one will calm down because both of them are crying so loudly. I'm trying to giggle and tell Noah that it's totally ok, and he's not in trouble.... Wesley is fine and will be fine if only he will stop crying....etc etc. But Noah feels so terrible for scaring him that he just cannot help himself. I try distracting Wesley with all kinds of different toys....an occasional bucket of water over the head....nothing works. Still screaming. Which means Noah....is still screaming. So I yank Wes out of the tub and spend a good 10 minutes in his room getting him calmed down and ready for bed. Noah is still going on and on and on in the bath. I put a video on for Wes and then tried to regain my strength to tackle Noah.
I ask him why he's crying, tell him to stop crying, ask him if he wants to get out, wants to stay in, wants to watch the video........anything to get through to the kid. Nothing. All he does is cry harder and louder while staring at me. I tell him, "Noah, I cannot just stand here and listen to you cry. You have got to stop." Well, naturally, that makes him mad and he cries louder. So I shut the door and walk away. Repeat of the previous sentence. I go back in for another try (this is probably 20 minutes into it) and use a real sweet voice, try to break through some how. He just reaches for me. I go over and hold his hand and ask him if he'll please stop crying. I tell him to use his words and hop out if he wants to hop out. He simply looks at me with tears everywhere and continues to scream. So after much anger simmering inside me, I yell....really loudly.....in his face. USE YOUR WORDS!!!!!!!!!! He looks at me in shock and need I say it, screams even louder but atleast talks to me and says "You yelled! You scared me!" and I said, "YES. I DID YELL. BECAUSE YOU WON'T STOP CRYING" So while the crying ensues, I go over, grab his towel, carry him to his room, and get him ready. I bring him in to the video where Wes is and set him down in a chair and walk out of the room. Crying episode finished.

Now. If reading this at all exhausted you, I apologize. You can only imagine what it was like to be here. I didn't mean to carry on for so long. But there was really no way to shorten the story. So that's Noah's new thing. He thinks that any time I get mad or yell that him saying "You scared me" means it's all my fault and I need to apologize right then and there. I'm so frustrated. I cannot win with this kid. He is beyond any sort of strategy.

Today was actually a pretty good day all the way around. I have lots of things to be thankful for. But isn't it amazing that one 25 minute twilight zone can make you feel miserable about your whole day!?! Okay, now I have to post a funny post about Noah just to get myself to snap out of it.