"What is a home without children? Quiet." - Henny Youngman

And I wouldn't have it any other way. Sure, I can't really have a conversation on the phone. Sure, I sometimes want to rip my own ears off. Sure, sometimes I realize the pounding is not coming from some toys the kids are playing with, but rather from the headache that has taken residence in my own head. Sure, sometimes the noise levels reach insane levels. But y'know what? A happy, healthy child is a noisy rambunctious child. A few months ago Jackson's preschool sent this little poem (story?) along with his monthly newsletter. I really like it...

"Thoughts for a Tired and Irritable Parent

Healthy children make lots of noise. They sing, they shout, they belly laugh, they fight, they bang things together, they cry, they scream, they make lots of noise. They play loud.

Give me new ears, ears that hear the music of their noise. Give me new understanding, understanding that doesn’t crush their spirits with my intolerance and oversensitivity. Give me a new Peace. A peace that is grateful for the sounds created by healthy children."

It's true. Kids are noisy. Kids are loud. They just are. They play loud, they talk loud, all their toys either come loud or they find a way to only play with them loudly, they even eat loud. But, at least in my house, if the kids aren't loud then they are either sick or into something they don't want you to know about!

Jackson is a loud kid. He always has been. If we are with other kids and they are running around being fairly loud Jackson will always kick it up a notch. He will add the blood-curdling screeching. It's how he shows he is happy and having more fun than he ever thought possible. As much as I hate that screech I also love it. I love seeing the sheer fun on his face.

If only it was okay for adults to act like kids and run around screeching in joy.