Saturday, May 16, 2009

Do you hear music?

Joe recently installed a CD player and speakers on the golf cart for the boys. Noah especially loves to drive around the yard listening to his kids praise CD. Sometimes he rides until he completely kills the batteries. Last night as I was trying to get him to sleep (after all the chocolate ice cream) he said, "Do you hear music?" I listened closely but could not hear anything. He kept insisting that he heard music. I called Joe from the other room (where he was trying to put Jonah down) to see if he had a radio on somewhere. There was no radio on and Joe could not hear any music either.
I was beginning to think this was some new stall tactic for not going to bed. I found nothing that was making noise in the toy box, on the toy shelf, in the closet, or under the bed. Noah could still hear music and I could still hear none.
Noah was getting upset and I gave up on the idea that it was a stall tactic for staying up later. At some point I began wondering if my child was insane, or maybe I was. Either way, we were definitely not on the same page. Noah was tired, cranky, and getting more upset by the minute. He looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, "Now the music is singing, can't you hear it?" At the sight of his tears, I wanted to shove a sharp stick in my ears, or maybe his...anything to end this nightmare. I really was trying to hear singing but the harder I tried, the less I heard. Then Noah says, "Momma listen with your head, not your ears."
Paranoia hits hard. Oh no, maybe he is insane...should I call the doctor? Trying to stay calm, I ask Noah to tell me exactly what the "music is singing". Sniffling, Noah says, "It is the same song that plays all the time on my golf cart...it's me, it's me, it's me O Lord, standing in the need of prayer..."
AAH! Sweet relief and hysterical laughter bubble up and break free. Without thinking I exclaim, "Noah, no wonder I can't hear it; you have a song stuck in your head." Oops. Not a good thing to tell a cranky, tired, five year old who is convinced he is hearing music. He really starts crying now and insists that I "get the stuck song unstuck and out of his head." I told him to lie still with his eyes closed and I would sing something to get the song out. Halfway through Amazing Grace, Noah was sound asleep. I made the decision then that we would have to now limit music time just as we limit TV time. I guess you really can have too much of a good thing.
As I made my way to bed (after midnight), I closed my eyes and heard very clearly...it's me, it's me, it's me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer...

1 comment:

Melissa said...

Poor kid! Glad he fell right asleep for you though.