noises
this weekend we learned that paul is afraid of loud sounds. i hadn't realized we had been raising him in such a quiet environment.
on saturday afternoon, paul fell asleep in the car on the way home from a trip to the airport. just as they arrived at the house, a firetruck went by, sirens a-sirening. paul woke up and began to cry. i didn't go to the airport, but i was watching for them. i heard crying and rushed down the stairs. he came to me and i brought him upstairs, trying to calm him down. at one point he sat upright, said "we-oh-we-oh-we-oh" (his sound for firetrucks and police cars) and signed "surprise" through his tears. then he slumped against my shoulder and kept crying.
have you ever seen the sign for "surprise"? it's kind of hard to keep a straight face when paul does it because he signs it complete with wide-open mouth and surprised eyes (think "home alone," i guess).
on saturday evening, i was using a tape gun to seal up a stroller part in a plastic bag.
paul: loud.
me: i'm almost done.
a minute later:
paul: loud!
me: i'm almost done, baby, i'm almost done.
a minute after that:
paul: loud!! [bursts into tears] loud!!
me: crap!!
i had to throw the tape gun down and chase him into the other room. "loud! loud! tape! loud!" he screamed. then, suddenly having flashbacks, he shrieked, "we-oh-we-oh-we-oh! loud!" and signed "surprise"! good lord.
after i calmed him down, i told cam about the experience. "loud," chimed in paul. cam took the tape gun and put it up high "where mommy can't reach it." paul was comforted.
a couple of months ago we were all horsing around in the kitchen. cam picked me up and i screamed. paul just stopped dead and turned around slowly with the most blank expression i have ever seen on his little face. since i've often had that same exact reaction when confronted by something startling, i figure i must have filed it into my head that he would always react like this when nonplussed. i guess beginning to really talk and learning the sign for "surprise" must have opened the floodgates.