The shrieker

(It sounds like a Scooby Doo monster, doesn't it? Shriiieeeeker! Shrieeeeker!)

Baby girl has without doubt rediscovered her shriek. She uses it to express displeasure such as when another child is taking her toy or isn’t giving up a toy she wants. She shrieks in annoyance when she wants to do something and can’t. She shrieks in frustration when she’s trying to do something but whatever it is she’s trying to do has the audacity to not immediately cooperate (e.g. manipulating giant puzzle pieces into their proper holes . . . I wonder who she gets that from J).

She also shrieks for the shear enjoyment of it – like this morning walking to daycare. She began shrieking the moment we stepped out of the tunnel into the building in which her daycare is housed. The stairwell right there has wonderful acoustics, so who can blame her? She can be heard at the other end of the hall, up one floor, down two, and clear out into the street, I’m positive. The tunnel is also perfect acoustically, but she opted not to shriek there this morning (which was probably for the best).

I’ve often noted over the years how little girls love to shriek while they're playing. I rarely notice it with little boys. They shout and yell, it’s true, but little girls like taking it to that next level. Is it something they’re born with or is it learned? I’m going to guess there’s more nature involved than nurture. There’s no way we taught her this. She found it all on her own.